organisations
Details of organisations that the diocese works with, including the MU, bellringers, RSCM, Plant Dewi - with contact details for each.
The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM)
The Royal School of Church Music is committed to achieving the best use of good music in worship today, and to investing in church music for the future. Through education, training, publications, advice and encouragement, it supports a world-wide network of 9,000 churches, schools and individuals.
RSCM Children's Nativity
The West Wales Area maintains a lively calendar of events, including choral days, training for reluctant organists and digital music workshops. It also administers the Voice for Life structured development programme for singers. In addition, the Music Development Team is available as a resource for churches wanting help to improve their musical standards – or just the benefit of an experienced listening ear.
The Mother's Union (MU)
The Mothers’ Union was founded by Mary Sumner in 1876 a year after the founding of the GFS. The first branch in our diocese started in 1884. The Mothers’ Union is a Christian society and all our work is built on a strong prayer foundation. By today there are over 3.6 million members in 78 countries throughout the world. The backbone of the MU is this worldwide network of women drawn from local backgrounds but with a commitment to marriage and family.
Our aim is to strengthen and preserve marriage and family life.
In order to carry out this aim we have five objects:
- To promote and support marriage and its wider understanding.
- To encourage parents to bring up their children in the Faith and life of the Church.
- To maintain a worldwide fellowship of Christians united in prayer, worship and service.
- To promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children.
- To help those whose family life has met with adversity.
All our work at home and abroad is based on this aim and these objects. We have 300 paid workers around the world , women drawn from local dioceses, so they speak the language, understand the culture and customs and have first-hand experience of the problems faced by their neighbours. They provide vital leadership skills, they enable people to gain essential skills, they develop and encourage sustainable self help projects. Our Literacy Programme in Malawi, Sudan and Burundi has enabled learners to become literate and numerate as well as gaining skills in health, hygiene, HIV/AIDS and poverty elimination. We work in partnership with the United Nations
on issues affecting the family. Our policy work challenges the root causes of injustice and our projects try to meet the needs of individuals and their families everyday. We offer immediate active and financial support whenever disasters strike anywhere in the world e.g. the tsunami ; the earthquake in Pakistan; refugee camps in Africa.
In our bilingual diocese we have drop-in centres, we provide holidays for families in all sorts of need, we help in local hospitals, with the Mission to Seamen and in our own parishes and communities in care homes, in our churches and youth societies. We fundraise for these activities at home and overseas. We are linked in prayer with seven other dioceses –two in Australia and one each in South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan and Nigeria. We have 2000 members in 100 branches and also some diocesan members who, for whatever reason, are unable to attend meetings locally. Some members are part of a very active prayer chain , some are indoor members. Day and residential retreats and Quiet days are held throughout the diocese.
The diocesan team is elected for three years. We have just started the 2007 – 2009 triennial and our team is :
St Davids Diocesan President: Mrs. Ann Gill
Vice-Presidents :-
Carmarthen: Mrs. Joyce Rees;
St. Davids: Mrs. Rosemary Hayes;
Cardigan: Mrs. Marjorie Luckhurst
Life Vice-Presidents:-
Mrs. Nansi Jones and Mrs. Mair John
Co-ordinators
Faith and Policy: Mrs. Val Petherick
Action and Outreach: Mrs. Megan Hopkin-Thomas
Marketing and Archivist: Mrs. Jean Oliver
MU enterprises Buyer: Mr. Wyndham Gill
Chaplain: Revd. Bryan Witt
Secretary: Mrs. Brenda Evans
Treasurer: Mrs. Vireen Davies
ARCH (Arts in Churches)
ARCH exists to encourage the use of sacred spaces as artistic venues, and to explore the connection between the arts and spirituality. Our Honorary President is the Bishop-elect of St Davids, the Very Revd Wyn Evans.
We organise a wide variety of events in churches and chapels throughout west Wales, including choral and instrumental concerts, painting workshops, films, photography competitions, visits to places of worship with notable artistic content, poetry readings and 'sing-ins'. We are fortunate to enjoy the co-operation of a number of distinguished artists working in Wales and beyond, often of international repute.
If you would like to know more about our work or become an Associate Member or a Patron, please contact
The Revd Anthony Bailey
Charing Cross
Llangolman
Clunderwen
Pembrokeshire SA66 7XN
Tel: 01437 532430
anthony@bailey7939.freeserve.co.uk
Cursillo
Cursillo is a movement of the Church providing a method by which Christians are empowered to grow through prayer, study & action, & enabled to share God’s love with everyone. Cursillo offers:-
• An opportunity to grow in faith.
• A chance to experience the love & grace of God & the joy of Christian fellowship.
• A way of building a continuing Christian community to help one another on our spiritual journey.
• An insight into the teachings of the Church today.
• An aid to the development of mission in the Church.
“Individuals & parishes need to be challenged to grow in faith, to develop their individual vocations as ministers of the Gospel of Christ. The right resources are crucial in helping them do this. The Cursillo Movement has, for over 50 years, been a leader in personal & parish spiritual development, & makes an invaluable contribution to this work. I warmly commend Cursillo to you.”
Barry Morgan – Archbishop of Wales
Cursillo originated in Spain, & the word itself means “short course”. It is now a world wide movement involving many thousands of Anglicans, and there are around 35 dioceses in the U.K. operating the training & follow up programmes.
Who is it for?
Cursillo is suitable for all lay & ordained members of the Church who are prepared to take a fresh look at what the Church has always taught.
Cursillo Week-ends.
These are residential, & normally take place on annual basis in our diocese. Those attending follow a concentrated programme of talks, discussion, meditation and worship on a variety of themes which include:- Ideals; Grace: Prayer; Study; Action; Sacraments; Christian Community & Environment.
The Fourth Day
There is an optional opportunity to those who have completed a Cursillo Week-end to involve themselves in the follow up programme of support, fellowship & encouragement.
Further Information
For any further information please contact the St Davids Diocesan Spiritual Director for Cursillo:-
The Revd. Hugh James,
The Vicarage,
Vicarage Lane,
Cydweli,
Carms. SA17 4SY Tel. 01554 890295