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LETTER FROM THE RECTORY
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LLYTHYR O'R RHEITHORDY

May 2013


Rector of Llandudno
Sunday May 12th will be an important day in Llandudno parish. In the morning we will be having our annual Confirmation service presided over by Bishop Andrew. Then, in the afternoon, former members of the congregation of St Augustine, Cheadle Heath, Stockport will join us for the re-dedication of the stained glass originally from their church which is now installed in the west window of Holy Trinity. And in addition to these important events there are two other aspects to May 12th: it is Ministry and Calling Sunday in the Church in Wales and also the beginning of Christian Aid Week. So there will be much to think and pray about and I trust that everyone will do their best to be present on both occasions.
 
What better day for a Confirmation than Ministry and Calling Sunday! At a Confirmation the candidates re-affirm their baptismal commitment to be disciples of Christ and offer their lives to God (for one of our candidates this year it will actually be the beginning of his Christian life as he has first to be baptised). But for all of us, being present at a Confirmation should challenge us to think more deeply about our own calling.Are we living a fruitful Christian life and what might God want us to do for Him? These are just two of the questions we might ask. The very title 'Ministry and Calling' makes it clear that we are not just talking about possible vocations to the ordained ministry, but that we are being asked to be open to God's call to serve him in a variety of ways, both within the church and in the community at large.

Our'new' stained glass illustrates most profoundly what is involved in the offering of our lives in God's service and our willingness to be open to whatever he asks us to do. One of the scenes depicted in the glass is the visit of the Magi to the infant Christ. These mysterious figures from the east brought precious gifts as signs of their homage to the new born King.

We bring Him the only gift we really have to offer - ourselves. The other scene depicted in the glass is the Annunciation to the BlessedVirgin Mary- the moment when God suddenly came crashing in to Mary's life with a most unexpected and awesome task for her to perform. Given the circumstances it would have been understandable if she had simply said 'No' or at least 'I'll think about it'. But of course she didn't she said 'Yes - Let it be done to me according to your will.'

The Magi and Mary are patterns for us - of the need to offer ourselves afresh to God and then to respond with generosity when he calls us to serve him. Christian AidWeek reminds us that our service of God will almost certainly involve caring in one way or another for those in need.

To offer ourselves to God and to be willing to serve him are daunting tasks indeed which we could never perform in our own strength. At a Confirmation the candidates, having offered their lives to God are not left to get on with it on their own. In the laying on of hands by the Bishop they are strengthened with the gifts of the Holy Spirit to enable them to do what is required of them. We all have the gifts of God's Spirit through our Baptism and Confirmation and are constantly renewed in these gifts through our sharing in the Eucharist and in many other ways.

So please pray for our Confirmation Candidates - Gloria, Matthew and Kim, and come and support them on May 12th. And let each of us be open to what God may be calling us to do for him at this moment in your Christian pilgrimage. Come also to be part of the re-dedication of the stained glass; to meet those from Cheadle Heath who have 'given' it to us and for whom May 12th may be a bittersweet occasion; and to be inspired afresh with the stories of the Visit of the magi and the Annunciation to Mary.

Fr. John


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