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

June 2008

We all need friends - it’s impossible to imagine life without them. They care for us, put up with our failings, stick with us through thick and thin and are always there for us. Almost two hundred years before the birth of Christ a Jewish scribe called Ben Sira wrote ‘A loyal friend is something beyond price, there is no measuring his worth’ (Ecclesiasticus 6:14). I’m sure we would all agree with that!

But it isn’t only human beings who need friends. Ancient churches need friends too, they need folk who will care for them, cherish them and protect them. This month we are inviting you to become a friend of one of these ancient churches – our own St Tudno's.

On Saturday June 7th at a special Eucharist we are setting up a new group to be called ‘The Friends of St Tudno's’ and we hope that people from near and far will want to join and become official friends of St Tudno’s Church.

For many years now cathedrals and other large churches have had groups of Friends to help in the care of their buildings and their work. More recently smaller churches all over the country have begun to follow suit and we have now decided that it is time that St Tudno's had its own group of friends.

But why do we need such a group? Surely St Tudno's is already well cared for by our parish and is supported in all kinds of ways by large numbers of people from far and wide. Certainly St Tudno’s is a well loved place. I am always being asked if we conduct marriages there, or if someone, often from miles away, can be buried in the churchyard. The comments written in the visitors’ book are evidence of how much this little church means to so many people. What would having a ‘Friends of St Tudno's’ add to all this?

I suppose that what we are really trying to do is to tap in to all this love and goodwill and to harness them more effectively by gathering together those who care for St Tudno's from near and far. It will be a way for people to keep in touch and feel that they are involved in what is going on.

Of course there is a financial aspect to this. The subscriptions paid by those who want to be members of the ‘Friends of St Tudno's’ will help us to look after our ancient church. And the Friends may also be able to help with money raising activities.

But finances are only one aspect of what we hope a Friends organization will be able to contribute. They will also surely have a part to play in what goes on up at St Tudno's: our worship, our mission to provide a space for solitude, quietness and prayer in a busy and distracted world, and above all our concern that visitors may encounter Christ in that place of holiness founded by St Tudno back in the sixth century, and which has been a place of worship ever since.

Although ‘The Friends of St Tudno's’ will be inaugurated on 7th June and membership application forms are already available much of the work in setting up the group has yet to be done. We will probably have the first meeting in the early autumn to elect officers and a committee, a simple constitution will have to be drawn up, and the exact relationship between the parish and the Friends sorted out. Regular newsletters will have to be produced and events planned.

Meanwhile I invite you to share in this exciting project – come along on June 7th and be in at the start! Naturally we would like all our own parish family to be members, but we also hope that members of other local churches and indeed those of no religious commitment who value St Tudno's would also want to join. And then there is the vast army of visitors to Llandudno who have grown to love the place –I'm sure you would agree that there is no shortage of potential members!

By the time this is published a new season of St Tudno’s Sunday services will have already begun and we will be looking forward to St Tudno’s Day on Thursday June 5th when we will celebrate a Eucharist to commemorate our founder and patron St Tudno. Before this service I will lead a pilgrimage walk from Holy Trinity to St Tudno's beginning with Mid-day Prayers at the parish church at 12.30 pm. Do join me if you are able to do this walk. After the Eucharist a small group will then visit St Tudno’s Well, perhaps the place where the saint baptized converts to the faith of Christ. Before Then two days later, on Saturday June 7th, the Dean of Bangor will preach at the Eucharist I referred to earlier in this letter when we shall inaugurate ‘The Friends of St Tudno's’. I look forward to sharing these events with you.

July 2008

I have decided to break with tradition and not write a ‘proper’ Rector’s letter in July – normal service will be resumed next month!

July is going to be very busy with lots of special services of various kinds and some interesting concerts to look forward to. Please support as much of our worship and as many of our activities as you can. If you are on holiday this month – do have a happy and refreshing time!

Fr John.

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Previous letters:

January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007