ODDI WRTH YR ESGOB...
FROM THE BISHOP...
Bishop John writes his Ad Clerum to the clergy of the Diocese every month. You can read the text on this page.
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Dear Friends,
In 1994, the first attempt to enable women to be ordained as priests was made at the Governing Body and failed. On the day following the vote the then bishop of Monmouth, Rowan Williams, preached at the early morning Eucharist. He took his text from Zechariah 13:6: “And if anyone asks them, ‘Where did you get these wounds?’ you will say, ‘I received them in the house of my friends’.” A bill was subsequently passed in 1996 and the following year the first women were ordained priests in the Church in Wales. Last month, at the Governing Body in Lampeter, we found ourselves in a not too dissimilar situation to that of 1994, with the failure of a bill to enable women to be made bishops. The bill was passed in the houses of laity and bishops but the required two-thirds majority in the house of clergy was not reached. During the debate and after the vote the words of Zechariah 13 came back to me and spoke piercingly and accusingly of our capacity to wound each other within the household of faith. Many of us found ourselves saying, “these are my friends I am wounding, and being wounded by”. I have no doubt that in one sense our ability to speak honestly with each other is a sign of a healthy church; I also believe that overall the debate last month was conducted in a better atmosphere than ten years ago. Nevertheless we would be less than honest if we were to say that we emerged unscathed and without at least some heavy bruises. While a decision has not yet been made about the presentation of another bill, the matter will undoubtedly come back, so we must be prepared for more of the same – and not be afraid of it, or see it as the end of the Church in Wales. Fracture is at the heart of the Gospel; it is through brokenness that healing comes. We need to remind ourselves constantly that authentic ministry is a truth-telling exercise rather than an experiment in niceness, and while perceived failure and heavy bruising might tempt us to call that vocation into question it is the breakages that lead to growth. So we should not be afraid to be honest with each other; God can work with any failure. This is part of what it means to recognise God’s presence and to remain faithful to that God.
Anglicans and the Future of the Communion is the subject of the Hellins lecture at the Dean’s Library, St Asaph, on Tuesday 17th June at 7 p.m. The lecturer is Canon Dr Gregory Cameron, deputy secretary general at the Anglican communion office, who, as many will know, was chaplain to Rowan Williams at Monmouth. Gregory is a leading player in world-wide communion affairs and his lecture is well-timed to precede immediately the Lambeth conference.
As part of the pre-Lambeth hospitality programme in the diocese our four visiting overseas bishops will make a presentation at an open meeting at St Joseph’s School, Wrexham, on Monday 14th July at 7 p.m. You are warmly invited and encouraged to bring with you a member from each of your churches.
A recent meeting with several Assembly Members from north Wales, following a more high profile meeting in Cardiff Bay in January, has given added encouragement to believe that engagement with local issues by the church is not only a prophetic responsibility but a ministry welcomed by most politicians. The north Wales meeting led to an endorsement of TCC (part-sponsored, and significantly so, by this diocese) as an efficient and disciplined organisation which helps PCCs engage with local issues. TCC has now been established for 14 years and offers leadership development and training through a tried and tested methodology.
It is good to share your gifts, which is why we rejoice in the appointment of Geoffrey Marshall as Dean of Brecon Cathedral. We shall, of course, be sorry to lose Geoffrey as Rector of Wrexham but we trust that the energy he has given to leading one of the largest parish clergy teams in Britain will now be used in his new role. We wish Geoffrey and Hazel every good wish as they prepare to move in August. The installation at Brecon Cathedral is on Saturday 13th September.
We congratulate the following on their recent appointments:
- Manon Parry, St Michael’s tutor in St Asaph, to be also Incumbent of Llanddulas and Llysfaen.
- Mike Powell, assistant curate NSM deacon in the newly-grouped parishes of Welshpool, Castle Caereinion and Pool Quay, to have responsibility for St John’s, Pool Quay.
- Andy Grimwood to be area dean of Cedewain.
- Richard Hainsworth to be assistant curate in Wrexham with responsibility for St Margaret’s, Garden Village.
- Matthew Burns to be assistant curate in charge of St Mary’s, Towyn.
- Shirley Griffiths to be also incumbent of St George.
We extend our good wishes to David Rees as he retires from stipendiary ministry this month. David has held a number of significant roles in the diocese (including warden of Readers and DDO) which he has combined with being parish priest of Meliden and Gwaenysgor and Canon Chancellor of the cathedral. David is held in great affection and high regard by those to whom he has ministered and has been a wise and gentle pastor to clergy and lay alike. We shall miss his kind, intelligent and courteous ways.
+ John