Deanery mission visits

Holy Week  Llanbadarn Fawr:  12-20 April 2014  

• This includes Aberystwyth but also a large rural area with many first-language Welsh speakers.
• The invitation is essentially a follow on from Taith Dewi Sant (Walk Saint David) though it will involve churches that did not participate in 2010.
• Several churches have no minister at present but the 4 that I visited all want to be involved.
• Emma Whittick, SCE student & Deanery Evangelist, is a great local resource as we prepare.
• I am due to return in November for a launch & preparation weekend.
• Please pray for Emma preparing the ground, for Stuart Bell (Area Dean) and the Task Force that has been formed. They need a title for the mission that will work in both English and Welsh.

Southend:  20-28 September 2014
 

• The difference to Llanbadarn Fawr could not be more complete! East, not west … urban, not rural … they are ‘chalk and cheese’.
• The one common point is that a previous mission has prepared the way – in this case, Peter Adams’ mission with St Luke’s Prittlewell, which is in this deanery.
• Fr James, the vicar, said at the Deanery Synod meeting that all 7 adult confirmation candidates this year came directly from that mission.
• There are a lot of churches here and a big population. I was not able to fix appointments with all of the clergy so we will see how this shapes up. There is already a local Task Force in place.
• Please pray for wisdom in developing this mission, which contains a wide diversity of churches.
• There will need to be further liaison in the autumn with briefing / launch in the New Year

John Hibberd