Letter from the Rectory
PARISH
OF LLANDUDNO, NORTH WALES
November 2007
The party political conference season may be over for this
year, but our ‘Conference Season’ is just beginning! In fact,
this month there are two conferences which I hope will be interesting
and informative and worth giving time to.
The first is our parish Autumn Conference which, this year, is entitled
Baptism in the 21st Century. It will be held on the afternoon of
Sunday 18th November, beginning at 12.45 pm and ending at 3.45
pm. The idea is that those who wish to do so may eat a packed
lunch during coffee time after the Sung Eucharist and be ready to start
when those not taking part in the conference have gone home.
But why have a conference on Baptism? The Church in Wales has
recently authorized new services of initiation (i.e. Baptism,
Confirmation etc.) which we have already begun to use in the parish,
and this is therefore an ideal moment to have a fresh look at what
baptism means and how we actually administer it. So, on Sunday
18th we shall begin by having a look at the new baptism service and
what it teaches us about the meaning of the sacrament. We’ll then
move on to think about how we can best celebrate it with both adult and
infant candidates and how we can encourage them and their families in
the Christian life afterwards. You may feel that Baptism is no
concern of yours, especially if you are not directly concerned with
this side of parish life. If so, please think again. The
celebration of this sacrament must be of concern to all baptized
members of Christ, as should be the way we welcome new members to our
fellowship. So do come along on the 18th.
Secondly, on Thursday 29th November at 7.30 pm, Cytûn Llandudno
will be holding its autumn conference. This year, as President of
Cytûn, I have had the privilege of organizing this Conference and
have chosen, as the subject, a Christian response to the challenge of
environmental issues. So, on the 29th, the Revd Robin Morrison,
advisor on Church and Society to the Bishops of the Church in Wales,
will lead us in considering ‘The Environment – a Christian
Calling’. Environmental issues are at the forefront of our minds
these days and, as Christians, we know that God has given us the
responsibility to care for the world around us. So this promises
to be an interesting and stimulating evening.
Please do take the opportunity to take part in one or both of these
Conferences, which I hope will enable us to grow in our commitment to
Christ, to each other and to the world of which we are part.