Dan
Monmouth Marches Ministry Area is Official!
On Saturday 10th December at St. Michael and All Angels Mitchel Troy, the Right Reverend Cherry Vann, Bishop of Monmouth, officially instituted the Monmouth Marches Ministry Area, bringing together 19 churches into one legal grouping, or in church language “benefice”. With help from the diocesan registrar Tim Russen, Bishop Cherry licensed Revd. Tim Dack as the ministry area leader; Archdeacon Ian Rees then “collated” Revd. Tim – in other words, formally handed him the keys of the churches across the area. Of course, all the churches will have their own congregations and management councils which will hold local budgets and decide on forms of worship and outreach suitable for the people of our different communities. However, the overall responsibility for finance and management of the 19 churches rests with the ministry area council or MAC. Eventually, the Monmouth Marches Ministry Area will be registered as a single charity on behalf of the 19 churches and their congregations.
Licensed as vicars, in addition to Revd. Tim, were Revd. Karen Dack, who will take a leadership role across rural churches, Revd. Liz Perry, based in the Llanishen group, and Revd. Catherine Haynes, community priest. Revd. Dan Damon was licensed as assistant curate supporting Revd. Tim. Lyn Harper and Paul Stafford were licensed as readers to preach and support the ministry of ordained clergy. Also shown in the photo are Bishop Dominic Walker (retd), Revd. Margaret Cooling, Revd. Jane Avery, Revd. Owen Williams, Revd. Julie Barrell and Revd. Rose Mary Dagger, all of whom lead services around the ministry area; and Steve Martin, Chris Wray. Liz Williams and Cathy Godfrey, who have taken on responsibility for some of the administration of the ministry area council.
Church Street and St. Mary’s Making Movies
On Wednesday 9th November, a film crew working for the BBC and the US network CBS turned Church Street and the Savoy into a setting for the making of “Black Cake”. Charmaine Wilkerson’s novel describes how “two estranged siblings must set aside their differences to deal with their mother’s death and her hidden past–a journey of discovery that takes them from the Caribbean to London to California and ends with her famous black cake.” (Life of a Female Bibliophile)
St. Mary’s was the “green room” for the many extras who were part of the crowd in the 1960s Soho street Church Street had become. Here are some photos taken by Cath Griffiths.
Our Lady of the Waters
On Friday 19th August, St. Mary’s Monmouth was filled with music and song, rose petals and incense, to welcome Philip Chatfield’s statue “Our Lady of the Waters.” The statue had been carried along the River Wye on a catamaran, brought by a relay of rowers from Hay-on-Wye to Monmouth, to draw attention to the high levels of pollution in the river. Philip and Father Richard Williams, an Anglican priest from Hay-on-Wye, shared their vision that the spirit of Our Lady should be invoked as a spiritual cleansing and a reminder of how badly humankind has failed in our stewardship of God’s world. The special Evensong was led by Rev’d Dan Damon, who quoted from the Canticle of the Sun attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.”
Wonder Zone Holiday Club at the Priory
24 children came to our Wonder Zone holiday club from Monday 15th to Friday 19th August. They enjoyed experiments to help them understand God’s wonderful creation, from the Solar System to the tiniest insect. Among the children were some from Ukraine, some of the refugees who have fled the fighting in their home country. The holiday club gave them an opportunity to improve their English and meet Monmouth children before they go to mainstream school in a few days time.
Legendary Tregaer Scarecrow Competition Coming Soon
From 21st August, the parish of St. Mary Tregaer will be home to some new residents: the 2022 Scarecrow Festival entries. This year’s theme is ‘Royalty’. All local residents are welcome to enter their very own character into the competition. The scarecrows will be judged whilst they are on display around the village. A scarecrow trail map will be available from the church and from churchwardens. price £1. Prizes announced at Parish Hall Monday 29th August.
Last year’s theme, ‘Children’s TV Characters’ saw Wallace and Gromit, Bob the Builder and a Dalek out in the village among many other beautifully made scarecrows.
Entry forms from Raglan Post Office, Tregaer Hall and churchwardens.