From Bishop John

In recent months I have been

reflecting at a number of services

upon the commissioning of the

disciples as recorded in the four

versions of the Gospels.

Focussing on the commission

found in Chapter 28 of the Gospel

according to Matthew, I’ve

commented on each occasion, that

Matthew’s Jesus doesn’t send the

disciples down the mountain with

instructions to design and build

church buildings. The instruction

is ‘go and make disciples.’ John’s

Easter Jesus tells a confused and

frightened gathering that, as the

Father had sent him, so he sent

them.

The Incarnation, God sending of himself into the

world, began the process of, discipling children

for him, and at the holy season of Christmas, for

which Advent prepares us we celebrate, once

more, that beginning.

The church buildings in which we will celebrate

are simply our family homes – no more, no less –

and, at Christmas, they are likely to be fuller than

at most times of the year. The members of the

close family (our regular worshippers) will be

joined by

significantly increased by the presence of more

distant members. But these more

distant ones are family too, those

to whom God in Christ reaches

out and those of whom he calls

the close family to go and make

disciples.

Several retired clergy will preside

over additional services over the

Christmas period, and I take this

opportunity to thank them for

enabling these services to happen.

In all we do together at this time,

may we know ourselves to be

sent by the Father just as he sent

the Son. May the more distant members of the

family, in the welcome they receive and in the

faith which is proclaimed, be encouraged to

spend more time with us as we witness to the

much-needed truth, love and justice of the

Father’s kingdom made plain in the Word Made

Flesh.

With my prayers and thanks to you all.

+ John

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The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon

The Newsletter for Retired Clergy and their Families

No. 72 Christmas 2015

From the Editor: Chancellor Brian H. Jones

FAMILY NEWS Our congratulations and best wishes to :

Kay Warrington recently appointed as Provincial

President of the Mothers’ Union .

Pam John’s son Mark recently appointed as Senior

Chaplain in the new North Wales Prison.

Padraig and Ruth Gallagher who have moved into

their new home

We send our good wishes and prayers to:

Those who have not been well recently

including Ryland Oliver, Alan Meats, Tudor

Jones and Margaret Thomas

I am grateful to hear of any who are unwell so that

they may be included on our prayer lists

In Memoriam Janet Gower

Janet Gower the wife of the Revd. Nigel Gower, died

recently after a brief illness in Llandrindod Hospital.

Janet was a licensed Reader and met Nigel when he returned to a parish in Derbyshire after serving for

most of his ministry in Nigeria. Janet was a trained

District Nurse and later worked in St. Luke’s Hospital in London specialising in palliative care. Since

retiring to Llanbister she has served faithfully as a

Reader in the Ithon valley and has led worship regularly in small country churches where her presence

will be greatly missed. We send our sympathy to

Nigel and her three daughters. G.M.H.

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In Memoriam Geoffrey Davies

CANON GEOFFREY DAVIES, the first curate-in-

charge of Holy Cross, West Cross, died at the beginning of September. Although he was only at Holy

Cross (then part of the parish of Oystermouth) for four

years, during

that period he was responsible for overseeing the

building of the church and vicarage and developing a congregation, which had begun at Belle Vue House,

into a strong church community. He was a very

popular parish priest and also a qualified soccer referee! He left the parish of Oystermouth to become

Vicar of Cwm in the diocese of St Asaph and was

subsequently instrumental, as secretary of the

Liturgical Commission, for the first revision of the Eucharist in the Church in Wales (The Blue Book).

This was a remarkable achievement and it was largely

due to his charming and persuasive speech at the Governing Body, and his answer to members’

questions, that the revision was accepted unanimously.

After an incumbency at Ruabon he served at Liverpool, and before his retirement in 1989 as team

Rector of the Bourne Valley Parishes in Salisbury

diocese. He died at the age of 95 and his funeral was

held in the Lady Chapel of Liverpool Cathedral where for many years in retirement he had been an honorary

chaplain.

Arthur Howells

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The Retireds’ Group.

The group meets once a month at the Eastmoor

Resource Centre and this term we have had excellent speakers. Ivor Rees a member of the group reviewed

his new publication ‘Clapham Dissenters’ and

continuing on the theme of books many of us were

able to be at the signing by Arthur Howells at the Lamplighter in Bishopston of his ‘Little book for

Advent.’

Tyron O’Sullivan of Tower Colliery gave an amazing

account of the reopening of the pit by those who had

been made redundant by the National Coal Board,

with all the difficulties associated with such a commercial venture.

Richard Verge, a retired Senior Civil Servant and a prominent churchman in the diocese entitled his talk

‘Yes Minister,’ an intriguing account of the life of a

civil servant and relations with government ministers.

The December speaker is the former Swansea

University Librarian Paul Reynolds who will speak to

us on ‘George Stephenson in Llansamlet 1819’

where he apparently built the forerunner of

Stephenson’s Rocket.

Elsewhere in The Newsletter Andrew Knight has

written an account of members of the group visiting

the Second Swansea University Site The January meeting will be on January 12

th the speaker is to be

confirmed.

As in previous years we have arranged a Quiet Day for the Retired Clergy in Llangasty on Monday 8

th

February which will be led by Canon Padraig

Gallagher. The day will begin at 10.30a.m and end at

3.30p.m. and the cost will be £25 which will include coffee and lunch. I hope a number of us will be able to

be there would you please let me know by the end of

January if you are able to come, also if you have any

dietary needs. In the past we have shared cars. B.H.J.

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Farewell to the Church Hostel, Bangor

On

a

recent visit to Bangor Brian was surprised to find the

Church Hostel closed and up for sale. As a former

resident he asked me to write a short piece on the

Hostel.

It had been in existence for over a century and had a

powerful influence on generations of ordinands from

the Province. It was originally established in 1886 by

the Bangor Clerical Education Association. In 1884

the University College of North Wales had opened

with 58 students and it was thought appropriate that

the Church should have a centre at which an able and

experienced priest would be available to encourage

vocations to the ministry and to provide support and

guidance to ordinands. An important step was taken

in the 1920s when the Warden Basil Jones provided

accommodation in the house for eight students and

also a room for use as a small chapel. (According to

Owain Jones in his book on Glyn Simon, the local

vicar took umbrage at this and expressed his wrath in

a letter to a local newspaper, which in turn drew the

wrath of the bishop on his head!!)

When Glyn Simon was appointed as Warden in 1931

he quickly supervised the building of a new wing

which could accommodate 14 students and a chapel

with seating for about one hundred. It was he who

really put the Hostel on the map for he had a great

influence over young men as he advocated a strong

brand of Anglo-Catholicism, and tried to impose a

strict spiritual discipline on the ordinands. In the

1950s the number of students increased greatly, the

Hostel had a new enlarged accommodation wing and

refurbished Common Room and Dining Room.

It was in 1952 that I came as a student to Bangor and

as a potential ordinand was pleased to be given a place

in the Hostel. At that time there were about twenty

students in residence including a dozen or so

ordinands, mainly from the northern dioceses.

For the ordinands the chapel was a central place in

their lives, with a daily eucharist, the recital of the

offices and the late night Compline. Attendance was

not compulsory but most of us were very regular. The

daily round of worship provided a great source of

spiritual nourishment and a basis of discipline and

prayer which we were able to take with us into our

future ministries. The Sunday Eucharists were well

attended with students from outside the Hostel, from

St. Mary’s College and members of staff and their

families. Tom Morris the Warden was a very effective

preacher and favoured a succinct style – one of his

sermons was timed at two minutes!!

In a small community such as ours we learnt the

importance of getting on with people even with

different ideas from our own. In my last two years a

group of overseas students joined us which further

helped to widen our outlook. In some cases friendships

were formed which lasted a lifetime. One bonus for

me, a Welsh speaker who spoke the colloquial Welsh

of the Swansea Valley was to gain an understanding of

a very different dialect of Welsh since all the Bangor

ordinands were Welsh speakers.

The connection between this diocese and the Church

Hostel was not very strong. The only ordinand from

this diocese during my time was Brian. When I was in

the diocese I only met one other priest who had been in

the Church Hostel.

When we look at the Wardens, however, we find that

this diocese provided a whole series of them, namely

Glyn Simon, J.J.A.Thomas, who both later became

Bishops of the diocese; John Charles who like J.J.A.

Thomas had been Bishop’s Messenger in the Diocese

and who subsequently became Bishop of St. Asaph.

Both T.J. Morris and Owain Jones also served in the

diocese. When we look at the list of Wardens we see

that they were a very distinguished group: three of

them became Archbishops of the Province and two

others became diocesans. Dr. Barry Morgan was the

last Warden to lecture in the Faculty of Theology.

After his time the huge growth in the size of the

University College (now the University of Bangor), the

Warden’s role was to concentrate on being Anglican

Chaplain to the University and to use the Hostel as the

Chaplaincy Centre.

Other factors relevant to the change were the

disappearance of the Faculty of Theology and a

shrinkage in the number of ordinands

It is all these changes in circumstances and in the

resources of the Church that have presumably led to

the closure of the Church Hostel. It has served

generations of clergy effectively and those of us who

were there as students look back with nostalgia and

gratitude for those years.

D. Huw Jones

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NEW BOOKS. It is always a pleasure when looking at new books, to

include books that are ‘home grown.’ In this issue of

The Newsletter there are two books in that category.

The first ‘The Workshop Within’ by George Bennett.

George Bennett’s book ‘The Workshop Within’ is a

series of meditations in verse which grew out of time

on Retreat.

Bishop John in the Foreword writes: ‘the placement of words, often commonplace ones, by a skilled poet..has

the capacity to move the human spirit and imagination

to such an extent that we can find ourselves transported into the very situation which these words

are placed to reflect.’

George has achieved this in his book. The workshop

is the carpenter’s workshop in Nazareth, with the

young Jesus active in the day to day activity of the workshop, fulfilling the carpentry needs of the

community. From those day to day situations we are

transported into the saving ministry of the same Jesus.

I quote from the poem ‘Workshop’

‘the living wood He stacks :matured with care

The harvest of the forest is transformed

For Nazareth’s humble needs

and

‘I sweep the floor

Upon the bench I see the evening light flood in

The sunlight forms a Cross

Another Tree: an idea yet to come’

Occasionally poems are illustrated by George in simple drawings in pastel shades, but each adding to

the overall effect of the book. I was enthralled reading

it. In his Introduction George writes ‘I hope the poems will be helpful to others who want to look afresh at the

life and work of Jesus of Nazareth and have their own

spiritual life renewed.’ A piece of writing to which one will return time and time again for those quiet

moments of reflection.

(The book is available from Chancellor George

Bennett at Newton Vicarage priced at £4.50)

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A History of Penybont – Geraint Hughes.

Our second ‘homegrown’ publication is Geraint

Hughes’ fascinating history of Penybont a small

settlement on the banks of the Ithon in Radnorshire, going back to the Celtic tribes that occupied the area

when the Romans arrived probably around A.D. 50.

Geraint traces the history of the community from that

point through to the present day, focussing on various aspect of life in the community, reflected in the

chapter headings.

For 250 years Cefnllys Castle dominated the

community. The Marcher Lords established the Penybont Fair, the earliest dated 1297, they were

markets for local produce and later opportunities for

employment. Llandegley Wells was a spa with healing

properties in the water. This is followed by chapters of Roads and Early Transport, Penybont Bridge, the

Village Inn: The Severn Arms, Penybont Hall and

Penybont Court, Penybont Bank, the Local Post Office, the Station, Agricultural Shows and Races, the

Football Club, the Young Farmers, the treatment of

illness, the Llandegley Church School and Llandegley

Church.

In the chapter on Llandegley Church Geraint lists

incumbents from 1401 to 2003, when it was an

independent parish and after its grouping with

Llanbadarn.. Included in the list are Ken Brunsdon, Elwyn Griffiths, Roy Luther Thomas, Geraint himself,

David Wilkinson and Nigel Hall, all of whom were

later members of the Cathedral Chapter and continued

their ministry in other parts of the Diocese.

A fascinating read of the life and times of a small

country area and those who lived, worked and

worshipped there over the centuries. (Available from

Amazon at £6.51 or the Kindle edition £1.99)

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‘MY JOURNEY SO FAR’ – Andrew White

I was privileged in 1995, together with my namesake

in Brecon, to go on an Anglo/Israeli Association sponsored pilgrimage to the Holy Land led by Andrew

White, and to have experienced the faith and courage

of this man.

The blurb that accompanies the book describes

Andrew White as : ‘something of a legend: a man of great charm and energy, whose personal suffering has

not deflected him from his important ministry of

reconciliation.

Andrew grew up in London, the son of strongly

religious parents: by the age of five he could repeat the five points of Calvinism. As a child and young man he

was frequently ill, but his considerable intelligence

meant that his studies did not suffer. He set his heart

on becoming an anaesthetist, an ambition he achieved, only to be redirected by God to Anglican ministry.

Since ordination he has had a considerable role in the work of reconciliation, both between Christian and

Jew and between Shi'ite and Sunni Muslim. Often in

danger, and always in pain from multiple sclerosis, he

has nevertheless been able to mediate between opposing extremes. A man of God, he is trusted by

those who trust very few.’

I have just read it, a most amazing read. (Available on Amazon at £10.49. Kindle edition £4.79)

Brian Jones

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A SECOND SITE FOR SWANSEA UNIVERSITY

It was a grey afternoon when about a dozen of the

retired clergy group met the Rev. Nigel John (Chaplain) and a University guide to tour the new site

on Jersey Marine. As we parked near the entrance we

were told that the site encourages the use of public transport. There are frequent buses to and from the

city centre, and the flat route may encourage cyclists

(otherwise depressed by Swansea geography!)

The

emphasis on engineering was seen as we reached the first buildings and caught a glimpse of the wave tank.

There is a clear industrial link, with industrial

sponsorship and commercial partnership as a focus. Of

course the Swansea Tidal Lagoon, if built, will be just on the seaward side of the whole area, providing a long

perimeter walk, and perhaps some sporting

opportunities as well as research ones. The engineering emphasis does not mean an absolute

wasteland however. The Site of Special Scientific

Interest on a section of sand dune, a preserved feature, was pointed out beyond the turf-roofed building to

encourage young visitors in exploring the

environment.

Walking through another building, passing the coffee

shop sheltered under the clear roof over a central ‘avenue’ we were impressed by the size and varied

facilities on both sides. At the far end we emerged to

visit the library – yes they do still have books in a

modern university! – as well as computer workstation, spaces for small group work , some very comfortable

seating and lots of natural light. (Thank goodness the

fashion for endless strip lighting, flickering in the

winter gloom has passed.)

Further west the Business School again had a covered

central area, with rooms on either side, and this time a

feature staircase. We looked out at three eating places,

and the bank and general store shortly to open. There are already students living on site, in blocks named for

Welsh historical figures, and there will be more, with

presumably also many living in Swansea East and

Centre and commuting by bus.

It is an impressive and in many ways beautiful set of

buildings, drawing on a number of styles less likely to

age than some of the buildings on the other site. They

will no doubt draw students from around the world. Joe Griffin pointed out the good accessibility - no

steps, lifts available, so easy for the less mobile. But

the buildings also say something of a change in

direction of Higher Education. Technical skills, commercial application, the drive for profitability are

prioritized, and these students will be marketable as

employees with ability. Will they also be educated, - truly human beings, able to understand and judge

wisely the ethical and social effects, as well as the

financial payback, of lucrative technology? Perhaps

only time will tell.

Andrew Knight.

The Theology Public

Lectures The

Theology Public Lectures arranged by the Revd.

Nigel John, the University Chaplain attract large

audiences on a monthly basis. This is an

opportunity to hear distinguished theologians, and

a number of clergy both active and retired are

regular listeners. I print below the list of lectures

for the next term. -Ed

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Who is This Man? Many of you will remember the film ‘Butch

Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ who at one point

in the film have to ride hard to escape a sheriff’s

posse. They have ridden where no known scout

could follow their trail and still the posse comes

on. They ask the question ‘Who are those guys?’

I have the same problem but in a better sort of

way. As each Quinquennial Inspection document

comes in I read it and summarise the contents for

the Churches and Pastoral Committee. In many of

the Gower Churches reports, the same name keeps

cropping up, the Revd J D Davies. Who is this

man?

Cheriton Church

The reason why his name keeps appearing is that

he was something of a wood carver and from the

descriptions in the Reports he was quite gifted.

The reports provide limited information, he was

appointed curate in Cheriton in 1860 and

subsequently rector. At his own expense of £1200

he commissioned the restoration of Cheriton

Church between 1874 and 1875. Mr Davies was a

pioneering High Churchman concerned with

achieving the proper setting for ritual and he

introduced into Cheriton a Surplice choir.

What was perhaps even more remarkable about

the man was that he was a gifted woodcarver. In

Cheriton church he was responsible for the altar

frontal, the communion rails, roof bosses and the

choir stalls. These are done in a repetitious,

elaborate, shallow relief style.

Llanmadoc church altar.

In the Quinquennial Report for Oxwich it says that

the teak altar table was carved and presented to

the church by the Revd J D Davies Rector of

Llanmadoc and Cheriton in the 1890s. The report

for Llanmadoc describes his having carved an oak

altar its frontal having paintings representing the

evangelists and another altar frontal ‘perhaps

intended for an altar frontal elsewhere, hangs on

the chancel wall.’ A further altar which he carved

is to be found in Llanrhidian church.

While researching this article I was surprised to

find that there was another priest on Gower some

years later who was also into woodwork, the Revd

Ben Evans made the altar table in St David’s

Church Llanyrnewydd (Gwernffrwd) in the

1940s.

The last mention of Revd J D Davies, he was

buried to the south west of the south door and

since his death the gravestone has been renewed.

Paul Baker.

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Icon of Our Lady who

brings down walls

Many years ago I visited an exhibition in London

sponsored by Esso. Icons which had never left

their countries before were collected from Greece,

Russian and Eastern European countries of the

then Soviet Union. It was a wonderful experience,

which I shall never forget, and gave me a lifelong

love of, and respect for, this art form. Some years

ago I enjoyed another national exhibition, this

time of Textile Art in Alexandra Palace, where I

met an extremely talented lady, a very gifted

needlewoman, who was working a surround to a

painted icon, using gold and richly coloured

threads. I was inspired to have a go myself,

knowing that I would be nothing like as good, but

would be an expression of faith, and a step along

my spiritual journey.

The icon I have chosen in my work is entitled

‘Icon of Our Lady Who Brings Down Walls’ and

is a modern work painted in the traditional style

by Ian Knowles, Director of the Bethlehem Icon

Centre, and painted in 2012 on the Israeli

separation wall (more information on the centre at

www. bethlehemiconcentre.org) my intention is to

use the finished panel as a reminder to send an

‘arrow prayer’ for peace in the Middle East every

time I pass it at the top of the stairs at home.

Now to the panel itself. The background colour is

gold, as this is common to most icons. Part of the

gold is gold silk dupion, scraps of which I had in

my store, after making an altar frontal for a church

in Cheltenham. The more colourful sections of

the background are mono printed handmade

paper, using acrylic paints in reds and yellows.

This printing process merges the colours into one

another, producing a cloud like effect, rather than

a solid

block

of

colour.

To reflect the historic context of icons I included

three elements in the design. The first is a

suggestion of Russian ecclesiastical architecture,

which I was able to produce three times using a

stamping technique. Secondly there are two

traditional crosses , each a representative of its

own Christian tradition – the Greek cross with

arms of equal length, and the Russian cross with

its sloping footrest. Thirdly, the rectangular area

at the base of the panel is representative of the

iconostasis – the wall of painting, jewels and rich

texture which separates the nave from the

sanctuary in an Orthodox church. Here I have

made little roundels and diamond shapes of

painted clay and used richly coloured Indian Art

Silk threads.

The ‘stone’ framing the icon is a reference to the

Israeli West Bank barrier, the focus of so much

animosity and strife in the Middle East. I have

tried to show that a solid wall can be breached,

contacts can be made, and separations can be

healed . I chose an arc as a frame since arches

have long been symbols of earthly triumph, and

can be seen as expressing the power of prayer

ultimately to triumph over earthly strife and bring

peace.

Carolyn Burbery.

Our contributors.

I am so grateful to all our contributors for their

contributions to The Newsletter. Each contribution

reflects a variety of interests in which people are

engaged. Bishop John leading us into new and

exciting ministries, Huw Jones recollecting

student days for both of us in the Church Hostel.

Alongside are those amongst us who are able to

write and share particular areas of interest –

George Bennett in poetry that reflects his

experience of retreats over the years, and Geraint

Hughes with a fascinating look at Penybont, the

part of Radnorshire where he now lives and

where, early in his ministry he was the parish

priest. Paul Baker through access to Quinquennial

Inspections found a talented wood carver of

yesteryear, active in the parishes of Cheriton,

Llanmadoc and Llangennith. Carolyn Burbery

opened up the world of tapestry and icons

focussing on the contemporary icon of Our Lady

Who Brings Down Walls, drawing on works of

art from the Israel/Palestine situation.

In addition to written contributions to The

Newsletter I am grateful too to those who print

and distribute it both by post and now also on line.

I look forward to many more contributions that

reflect the interests and gifts of retired clergy and

their families.

Similarly the group in Swansea is dependent upon

people who are prepared to give of their time and

gifts as speakers on a monthly basis. This opens

up to us areas of activity both past and present that

might be unfamiliar to us or which remind us of

subjects which we may have forgotten!! We are

grateful to all of them past and in the future.

Wishing you all the Joy and Peace of Christmas

Brian

Printed and published at the Diocesan Centre

Cathedral Close, Brecon Powys LD3 9DP (01874 623716

Editor Chancellor Brian H. Jones

125, Homegower House, St. Helen’s Road,

Swansea SA1 4DW Tel. 01792 923642

E mail b.h.jones@outlook.com

Please send suggestions comments, corrections

and any items of news about the Retired

Clergy by March 1st, for the Easter issue.