Parish of Llandudno North Wales, Rector's letter June 2008

July 2010

I am writing this month to draw your attention to our 10 30 service at Holy Trinity on Sunday July 11th. On that day we will be welcoming the new Mayor of Llandudno, Mrs Ann Yates, for her ‘Mayor’s Sunday’ Service and we will also be observing ‘Sea Sunday’.

In this secular age it is really heartening to me that a mayor on entering her year of office wishes to come to church to receive God’s blessing on her work and on that of the whole Town Council. At the beginning of the service she will say:
‘We have come to ask the help of God and the guidance of His Spirit in the discharge of our office of Mayor and the Councillors of this Town, that therein we may faithfully serve him and our fellow citizens’.
By coming to seek God’s guidance and strength and by acknowledging that by fulfilling her duties she will be serving God, as well as the people of the town,

I believe our new Mayor is getting her priorities right. Every time she wears her chain of office she can see on the Llandudno coat of arms an image of St Tudno’s Church – a reminder to her, to the Councillors, and to the people of the town that the Christian faith has been important here almost 1500 years and how important it remains today. The spiritual dimension in the life of this town is vital to the true well being of its people.

Also the 11th we shall be keeping ‘Sea Sunday’ – a day to reflect on how much we depend on the work of seafarers to maintain our way of life. As the father of a merchant navy officer I am well aware of the contribution they make to our lives. We depend on them to bring us much of the food we eat, most of the oil we use and so much more. They take our exports to places all over the world. They carry us across the sea in safety if we go on a cruise or take a ferry. Many of them face dangers on a daily basis, from bad weather, sometimes from ill maintained vessels and bad employers, and many face the very real threat of piracy. Seafarers are often away from home and family from long periods and can feel very isolated and lonely.

‘Sea Sunday’ was instituted by a number of charities representing different Christian traditions – among them, of course, our Anglican ‘Mission to Seafarers’. This organization cares for seafarers of many nationalities and creeds in centres at ports all over the world and you can read more about their work in an article the July 2010 edition of our Parish Magazine. Envelopes for your donation to this important charity which serves seafarers in the name of Christ will be available on ‘Sea Sunday’.

Fr John

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