LLANDUDNO
CHURCHES TOGETHER
CYTÛN
NEWSLETTERS 1 – 18
August
1996 – February 2001
EGLWYSI
LLANDUDNO GYDA’I GILYDD
Newsletters
Volume 2 Nos: 19 – 30 (May 2001 – June 2004)
Please click on the link to go direct
to the Newsletter or article:
Newsletter
No 18 – February 2001
THE
PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD FRED HALSTEAD
Newsletter No 17 – November 2000
THE
PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD FRED HALSTEAD
Newsletter No 16 – August 2000
THE
PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD FRED HALSTEAD
THE PRESIDENT
WRITES – THE REVD PHILIP COUSINS
Newsletter No 14 – February 2000
THE
PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD PHILIP COUSINS
Newsletter No 13 – November 1999
THE
PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD PHILIP COUSINS
Newsletter No 12 – August 1999
THE
PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD PHILIP COUSINS
THE
PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD E. R. LLOYD-JONES
Newsletter No 9 – October 1998
THE
PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD E. R. LLOYD-JONES
JUST
A THOUGHT – THE REVD F. HALSTEAD
THE
PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD KEITH V. GARNER
Newsletter No 3 – February 1997
FROM
THE PRESIDENT – MRS. BETTY MILLS O.S.L.
THIRD
THURSDAY EVENING PRAYERS
Newsletter No 2 – November 1996
FROM
THE PRESIDENT – MRS. BETTY MILLS, O.S.L.
THE
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTlAN UIITY.
FROM
THE PRESIDENT – MRS. BETTY MILLS, O.S.L.
Most of the extracts reproduced below were electronically scanned and transcribed from printed copies of the Cytûn Newsletter. Numerous transcription errors have been corrected, but a few may have escaped detection – for which my apologies.
The New Year has
gone, the week of prayer is completed, the season of Lent is fast
approaching
and then comes Holy Week and Easter. The Christian year moves on apace
with
many celebrations and rituals reminding us of the life and work of our
Saviour. The
biggest danger, however, is that we get so accustomed to all these that
we
become blase as to their real significance, not only to the church but
most
importantly to us as individuals.
The promises of a
new beginning for many people have been filed in memory banks or
discarded in
the metaphorical rubbish bin as unsuccessful attempts to be different
land yet
in all the Christian 'events' so far there has been a call for each one
of us
to be just that – different. What has been your response?
Has it all been a waste of time – a series of
'hoops' that have to be jumped through, as it were, with no real
purpose? Did
the week of prayer hold no encouragement or blessing for you? Was there
no
sense of oneness as we joined together in the various churches using
both
languages and experiencing different traditions, even if there are some
aspects
to be overcome? Christ's prayer was that the disciples should be one as
He and
His Father are one. Let us be certain that that is still His Prayer
today.
Now what about
Lent. Will this be a time of frivolous denial, the cigarette, the glass
of
wine, one meal a week given up to be followed by a binge the day after.
Will Lent
be another time of superficial response from us? Jesus went into the
wilderness to
contemplate on His own life, to come to terms with the realisation that
He was
called to be different, to weigh up the costs of His difference, to
prepare
Himself to do the work of His Fathter, and to conquer the temptations
of
popularity, power and self-indulgence. He went into the wilderness to
pray, to
build a close relationship with His Father, but above all to prepare
Himself
for the tasks and the lifestyle to which He had been called. What right
have
we, therefore, if we subscribe to the name of Christian, to treat Lent
so
lightly. We, too, need to prepare ourselves for the work to which we
have been
called. Let us, therefore. use the time of Lent to examine ourselves,
assessing
our own characters, and weaknesses and strengths and our motives
through prayer
and contemplation.
Holy week was
simply the time when Jesus went into Jerusalem, lost His temper a bit,
kicked a
few traders out of the Temple and cleaned it up, bad a party with His
disciples
and somehow got Himself arrested, charged, tried and executed like a
common
criminal. Then He mysteriously went out of the tomb and somehow turned
up
again. Let me remind you that Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Let me remind
you too
that Paul said that our bodies were the Temple of God and Christ came
to
cleanup this temple and weeps over our Jerusalem (Llandudno) too.
Familiarity
can rob us of the beauty, sacredness, blessedness, and holiness of the
celebrations of this period. Let us all look closely at where we stand
in
relationship with Him. Jesus meant business, His disciples meant
business too,
and in spite of their many failings and weaknesses, they went out in
His
strength and power, and turned the world upside down. Let us all look
closely
and objectively at our relationship with Christ and seek to discern
whether or
not we can indeed count ourselves as His disciples.
In Him,
FRED
In future Cytûn
Prayers will be held on the SECOND SATURDAY of each month from 7 am to
8 am at
Emmanuel Christian Centre. Lloyd Street.
During the hour do come and go as you wish.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
– As a result of our collections last year, £ 185 has been sent to the
United
Church Theological College, Rarongo near Rabaul, PNG
The next COUNCIL
MEETING will be on TUESDAY 24th APRIL at 7 pm at the ENGLISH
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH.
The ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING OF CYTUN will be on TUESDAY 16th MAY at 7 pm at STELLA
MARIS.
PART OF THE
LATEST REPORT FROM GAVIN MART - WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON - September to
December
2000
MISSION HOUSE has
become a fantastic asset to local youth work and the community. It
caters for
many needs and hobbies of interest to young people such as - a large
screen
play station dance workshops, cinema nights, social evenings and drop
in. The
young people are asked what they would like to use the facilities for -
a
growing demand means more
help would be
very welcome.
SCHOOLS WORK
opportunities have overwhelmed us in this first term. We have worked in
Howells
Girls School, Denbigh, SDC, Ysgol Aberconwy, Prestatyn High and Ysgol
John
Bright Llandudno – lessons, assemblies, lunch times shows, after school
clubs,
etc – work we hope to continue in the future. The response from the
young
people has been of
willingness and
enthusiasm, and we quickly gain credibility and respect to talk
meaningfully to
groups and individuals about Jesus.
NEXT TERM - Mimi
and Gav will concentrate on the regeneration of Fractual Edge,
including
fund-raising and housing, which means less full team activity and a
more
concentrated effort to prepare for next year. The rest of the team will
concentrate on continuing the work which has been started, and
concentrating
more specifically on their individual roles.
The work load
needs to be lightened as people have been overworked so far -
The
responsibilities at The House need to be shared out evenly, and its
future will
be looked into.
Days off will be
more carefully arranged. They will look into working with young
offenders.
A decision will
be made regarding whether to continue trying to raise CHURCH SUPPORT .
At our recent
Council meeting we were reminded that the title of our group included
the words
Llandudno Churches together, and without doubt that is true. The
sentiment in
those words is tremendous, all embracing, and far reaching. When
churches work
together for a common cause which is Kingdom directed and Kingdom
orientated
then the common cause will succeed. To some extent it is like a bank,
the more
we put in, the more interest is created, and ultimately the more we get
out.
Unfortunately it is the last little bit which falls down or does not
ring true
in this case. The interest which we
seek is not
necessarily for our benefit but for the benefit of those for whom the
Gospel
means nothing, for those who have no idea who Jesus is, and for the
unchurched
families and children of our town and nation. If we want to stay within
the
comfort zones of the familiar, if we want to maintain the status quo,
if we
want to pursue our own ends as individual churches (both large and
small), if
we want to simply plough our own furrow then our organisation is
incorrectly
named and little more than a club.
Jesus told His
disciples "Push out into the deep" and when they obeyed a great catch
of fish was caught. Perhaps our failure to catch a whole host of fish
is due to
the fact that we are not listening, not obeying, scared of taking the
risk, too
taken up with our own interests, goals or routines, or simply lacking
in vision
and faith.
But we say that
we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. We do not know all
the
pitfalls, the risks and snags, the costs -and we do not know all the
blessings
along the way either because we do not or will not take risks. Perhaps
we are
blinded to the calls, or commands of the Holy Spirit to move forward
into new
and hitherto untried fields of service or pioneering work by the
busyness of
maintaining routines or traditions of our various denominations or
churches,
and because of it we are missing the opportunities which the Lord
presents to
us.
Let us remember
that the Lord does not always lead or speak in the ways which we expect
Him to.
Many revelations of His will have come to His people through highly
unexpected,
untrained and untried sources. Let us not limit or inhibit His
ingenuity, but
rather let us examine ourselves and throw out any accumulated clutter
and
prepare to go in unexpected directions.
Finally, let us remember
also that the Lord does not only speak through Minister, Elder, Deacon,
for all
their qualifications, experience or expertise but also through the
Samuels
amongst us who simply hear and respond. I pray that Llandudno Churches
Together
will be prepared to respond "Master speak they servants hear.
Jesus said to His
disciples "Push out into the deep" Are we His disciples?
In Him, Fred
on WEDNESDAY 15th
NOVEMBER, SPEAKER – IAN WHITE Sheffield
District Evangelism Enabler
SUBJECT – LIFE IN
WONDERLAND – THE CHURCH, THE GOSPEL AND CHILDREN
at ST DAVID'S
METHODIST CHURCH HALL Craig y Don - 7 pm for 7.30 pm
A collection for
the United Church Theological College at Rarongo, Papua New Guinea.
Cytûn Prayers
will be held on the SECOND SATURDAY of each month from 8 am to 9 am at
Emmanuel
Christian Centre. Lloyd Street. During
the hour do come and go as you wish.
I feel that I
must at the outset of this letter and also of my period of presidency
record
here a tribute to two men recently called home, who have left their
mark in
various ways upon the people ofLlandudno and the work of the church
within the town.
I refer of course,
to Bruce Elder and Ron Colligan. Both men had one prime object in their
hearts
namely "the advancement of Christ's Kingdom" and, whilst working in
different spheres, their whole hearted commitment to that object shone
like a
beacon lighting the way not to themselves but to the Master. Their
talents were
many and varied and yet in humility they' showed us how we should put
into
practice the teachings of Jesus. Concern for theindividual was
important and
evident not just in the family of the church but in their respective
families
and this was seen in the way in which they kept a compatible tension
between
both. They presented us all with an example which we will do well to
follow,
that of service, care and love for God and fellow man.
I must also record
here my very sincere thanks for the willingness of Revd Keith Garner
and the
members of St David's Methodist Church for allowing me to have my
Induction
Service in their premises. Thank you, also, to the members of Zion for
their
encouragement, help and support and to all who took part in the service
by
reading, singing, playing the organ, preparing and serving
refreshments,
washing up, or in an other way, or just be being present – a heartfelt
Thank
you.
But now what
about "Pushing out into the deep". At the recent Cytun Council
meeting many items were raised for thought and prayer and action. There
items
included consideration of our corporate prayer life, various forms of
outreach,
and an opportunity to support the initiative of Youth for Christ in the
area.
Some of these are radical and need careful consideration and a strong
dependency on God. Some ofus were rightly apprehensive and wanted
reassurance
before setting out on a journey which could be hampered by pitfalls,
and we
agreed to "TIllNK AND PRAY" between now and our next meeting in
October. Can I encourage you all to do that. Our success as Cytun (and
indeed
as churches} depends on our inspiration from God detennined by constant
and
fervent prayer and our willingness to respond in faith by action and
determination to succeed even if we are apprehensive of pitfalls on the
way.
The disciples of old responded in this way, some suffered as a result
of their
response but the world was turned upside down. Are we lesser mortals
than they?
There are many circumstances and situations in our town which need
turning
upside down. Let us therefore, think, pray and push out into the
deep together
with God as our inspiration and helper.
FRED
MATTERS FOR
OUR PRAYERS:
Cytun Prayer
Hour –
The
form it should take and its content in order to be most helpful to us,
to
all the churches, the town and the Kingdom.
Our
President, Revd Fred Halstead –
Who
has the difficult task of taking over the presidency
at
short notice and in very emotional circumstances.
Youth for
Christ –
The
new initiative being undertaken by Revd Tim Hall, Chaplain of St David's
College
and Gavin Mart - a long term project of bringing enthusiasm for Christ
into
the lives of young people.
Easter People
in Llandudno – 2001
This
has become, over the years, an interdenominational gathering of joyful,
Christians
With an enthusiasm for Christ themselves which they wish to spread
abroad.
It has become too large for one venue, so will in thee parts of the
country,
one
of which is Llandudno. This will be a great opportunity for us to help
or to
join in.
On returning from
the CYTUN Council meeting in April I turned on Classic PM for a bit of
relaxation. I was delighted to hear that they were about to play
Rossini's
delightful Overture to William Tell. Now this is a long overture - it
runs for
about eleven minutes - and it begins very quietly and meditatively,
almost. You
think you are never going to get to the interesting bit (the tune that
everybody knows). Then suddenly, after about seven minutes, there is a
blast of
trumpets and there it is!
It struck me
forcibly that that is almost a parable of many of our concerns as
churches.
You've gotta be patient! At the Council meeting that night we had heard
several
important issues raised. Bi-lingualism, the care of the homeless and
relations
with local government were just three of these. We did not solve them
at the
meeting. ..
In other words,
there has to be faith, perseverance, proper homework, and - yes -
prayer before
we can see results. But we
can get there in
the end. As far as the above three issues are concerned, we do really
want to
find the right language balance
between Welsh and
English, we do really want to do something for the homeless in our
town, we do
really want to co-operate with the Town and Borough Councils for the
good of
all.
However, these
things take time and we need to beaver away in faith and take the long
term
view. We will not find magic
solutions
overnight. "Be patient, therefore, brethren" wrote St James (chapter
5, verse 7) and you will be quick to complete his phrase - "unto the
coming of the Lord. " Well, without being cynical, you see what I mean.
..
So we carry on
and, as my year of office draws to a close, I want to say what a
privilege it
has all been and what a job to have worked with so many dedicated
Christian
people, regardless of denomination. We are getting there slowly but
surely and
I know you will give the same co-operation to my successor. Please keep
Bruce
in your prayers, as, at the time of writing, he was in hospital and
facing an
operation.
May God bless us
and use us in His service now and always.
PHILIP
We have been
through quite a lot since I last wrote, haven't we? There has been all
the
excitement of the Millennium activities, followed shortly afterwards by
a very
satisfying Week ofPrayer for Christian Unity. I would like to review
some of
these in my letter now.
After a lot of
anxiety - and, to be honest, much hidden prayer - the Millennium in
Llandudno
was truly marked in a thoroughly Christian manner. The twin peaks of
the
observance, I would say, were the Candles and the Theatre. But the
bells, the
carol singing, the open churches, the services on New Year's Eve and
New Year's
Day, not forgetting the display of photographs (and here we must thank
Gwilym
Davies for his painstaking and skilled supervision of this) all added
to the
"specialness"
of this historic moment.
Thanks to an army
of willing volunteers, thousands of candles were delivered to
practically every
household in the town and here we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to
Arline
and David Griffiths for their masterly organisation of the
assembling and
distribution of these candles. We had many pleasant encounters on
doorsteps and
people were really able to witness the churches (plural) acting
together to
show goodwill in the name of Christ to the community at large.
Then what can one
say about the night of January 2od at the North Wales Theatre? So many
complimentary remarks have been made about that memorable evening. Some
950 people
came together to share that moment and very sincere thanks go to
everybody both
on stage and back stage who helped to make that celebration run so
smooth1y. It
really was evidence of the churches and the civic authorities acting in
concert
- and from what the Mayor has told me this was the exception rather
than the
rule in the country as a whole, so Llandudno led the way.
Every one of our
member churches played their part in these great events and bless you
all for it.
I felt very privileged to be the President of CYTUN at such a time and
I
couldn't help thinking of the old Coverdale translation of Psalm 16
verse 7:
"the lot is
fallen unto me in a fair ground; yea I have a goodly heritage."
After a brief
(and necessary!) respite we then launched into the Week of Prayer for
Christian
Unity. For the first time, I managed to attend all seven of the weekday
services and enjoyed the sense of purpose and solidarity that is so
evident
among us. I
estimate that the attendance each day never fell below 35 and several
.times
exceeded 50 (1 also reckon some 200/0 each day were men by the way!).
I genuinely felt
that the momentum generated by the Millennium was being maintained and
I want
to thank Keith Jones for the gracious way in which, on the last day of
the Week
of Prayer, he so ably summed up what we have achieved in CYTUN and are
continuing to achieve, by the grace of God.
Before I end, I
would like to record our joy at the way in which the Welsh chapels have
now
joined together in weekly joint worship and also at the merger between
Salem
Court and Zion Baptist. We send our brothers and sisters prayerful good
wishes as they
embark in faith on these respective ventures. So, as the year 2000 gets
under
way, let's maintain that momentum and keep praying and working together.
PHILIP
(ALL AT 7:30 PM)
1st February at
Christ Church led by Women's World Day of Prayer
16th March at St
Goorge's Church led by Our Lady Star of the Sea
11th May at Gowerdale
- Christian Aid
Janet and I have
just come back from a holiday in Egypt. We were staying in a church
guest house
in the very same block of flats in Cairo where we ourselves had lived
for five
years in the mid-1980' s. Needless to say, it brought back many
memories, most
of them happy ones. Although it was ten years since we had left, Janet
actually
said she felt as if we had never been away. The recent past had
remained very
real.
Nostalgia for
one's past is a natural human emotion, isn't it? Here in Wales it is a
very
powerful emotion, especially for those who have been away from the Land
of
their Fathers for a long time. We even have a beautiful word for it -
"hiraeth" - the significance ofwhich I am now beginning to appreciate
at long last.
However,
nostalgia needs to be kept within reasonable bounds, I feel. Too much
harking
back to the past can be unhealthy and indeed can inhibit progress. It
can be a
danger in Christian circles, eg, I still hear lovely people recalling
the days
when you had to
get there early in order to get a seat at Evensong in Holy Trinity -
but they
don't come now With the year 2000 almost upon us - and nothing can stop
it
coming! - we surely need to face the future as well as recalling what
has been
good in the past. Society is very different now from what it was like
say,
when] was ordained nearly 40 years ago. It is infinitely harder now to
present
the Gospel message in an effective way, or even to live it oneself with
conviction.
But that's no
excuse for burying our heads inthe sand (sorry I used that metaphor in
my last
letter!)and thinking only ofpast glories, Golden Ages and the like. We
musts
face the future with courage as Our Lord would undoubtedly have us do.
I pray
that the thoroughly Christian observances which we have jointly planned
for the
Millennium will both put new heart into us in our churches and chapels
and at
the same time touch the hearts of many other people beyond and outside
those
hallowed walls of ours.
If you would like
a text for the new Millennium let me offer you one of my favourites
from the
King James Version. It's Philippians 3 verse 14 and it truly is
forward-looking:
"I press
toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus"
May God bless our
worship and witness in these coming days.
PHlLIP COUSINS
SUNDAY
JANUARY 16th
3.30 pm
St Paul's
Revd K Garner (speaker)
TUES
JANUARY 18th
10.30
am English
Presbyterian
WED
JANUARY 19th
10.30
am Our
Lady Star of the Sea
THURS
JANUARY 20th
10.30
am St
David's
Holy
Communion
FRI
JANUARY 21th
10.30
am Tabernacle
SAT
JANUARY 22nd
10.30
am Emmanuel
SUNDAY
JANUARY
23rd 6.00 pm
Holy
Trinity The
President
MON
JANUARY 24th
10.30 am
Zion Baptist
TUES
JANUARY 25th
Christ Church
Since my Induction
I have had occasion to travel to London on no less than three separate
occasions. Each time I have
been forcibly
reminded of the slogan I gave you in my Induction address. MIND THE GAP
seemed
to be engraved on every other Tube station platform - so much so that
it's now
engraved on my heart. Incidentally. on one of these recent trips I
had the privilege
of meeting Canon Ivor Smith-Cameron, the man who famously first used
those
words in his Milton Keynes
sermon a year or
so ago. I thanked him for the idea and he seemed genuinely pleased that
somebody else had developed
the theme
further. He was very gracious about it.
Well. writing as
I do with just 157 days to go to the so-called Millennium. I am more
than ever
conscious of the "gap" we
Christians have
to "mind" between our beliefs and the world outside the Church. Let's
not bury our heads in the ample
sands that
surround our lovely town, but rather - I am addicted to mixed meaphors
- seek
to straddle that gap. like the great
bridges that
Telford and Stephenson threw across the Menai Strait. Keep in touch
with that
often alien. and sometimes
hostile world.
but not -and here comes another mixed metaphor - letting ourselves get
sucked
into it ...
Here, I believe
our Millennium candle project offers an immense opportunity to do
something
practical about the Gap.
Keith Garner and
I are really impressed with the response that the vast majority of our
member
congregations have shown to this project. The money has come in and the
candles
have arrived - it's all systems go. As Christian neighbours we are
simply going
to go to the households in our community with this gift and greeting
from their
local Churches to mark this significant turning-point in world history.
It's a
goodwill gesture that may bear, who knows what good fruit in the
future. I do
commend also
those other congregations in our fellowship who have conscientiously
decided to
mark the occasion in other
ways, eg by the
distribution of Gospels, and we wish them well. We are all in this
together.
Because we are
all in this together, let us remember one another in prayer as the
weeks go by
and (in the words of the writer to the Hebrews) "not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together. "
May the Lord
bless you in all that you do in His Name.
PHILIP COUSINS
at 7:30 pm
16 SEPTEMBER HOLY TRINITY
led by Christchurch
21 OCTOBER
ST JOHN'S METHODIST
led by Llanrhos Parish
18 NOVEMBER
OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA
led by St John's
WEDNESDAY 10 NOVEMBER 1999
7 pm for 7.30 pm
at the
BODLONDEB CASTLE HOTEL, CHURCH WALKS
Speaker - BISHOP KENNETH CRAGG
of OXFORD
who worked in Kenya
with our President
and is a
World Authority on Islam
WEDNESDAY 1 DECEMBER 1999
7 pm for 7.30 pm
BUFFET MEAL AND ENTERTAINMENT
at the
NEWLY REFURBISHED HOLY TRINITY HALL
Lionel Philips will cater for this event again
INCLUSIVE TICKETS £9
My year as Llandudno
Cytun's President is drawing to a close, and I would therefore thank
all the
Churches for having me as their President. I would also thank the
officials and
secretaries of various Cytun agencies for their work which has ensured
the
continuation of the ecumenical testimony. When I came to Llandudno in
1972 it
was the time of 'The Llandudno
Council of
Churches' and stayed here to see the formation of Cytun. It has been my
privilege to serve as President of both institutions.
And it is here
that we are faced with the problem of institutional Christianity. Many
have
turned their backs on institutional Christianity but still maintain
that they
are Christian believers. John Habgood has emphasised 'believing' and
'belonging' as two important components of Christianity. We have to
hold on to
these two components, accepting the truth of Christianity and joining
the
Christian community. I find this is a very useful answer to the present
dilemma
in which we find ourselves.
'The Crisis of
Faith' was the theme I took for the Ministers' Retreat in January.
Whether we
see the problems of the Church today as of manpower, worship, or
deployment of
resources, our ultimte task is to face the crisis of faith which is
apparent
these days. Until we face that crisis and respond to it, every other
discussion
and plan will be in vain. This is our
theological task.
Don Cupitt has said, “The intellectual revolution .. .. has very
large-scale
social colloralies: the end of realism, the end of believing in
absolutes, the
end of the belief that the world is ready-made to be our home, with all
the
rules to be kept already laid down and built-in. “People are becoming
de-traditionalised 'casualised' as the old fixed points of reference
disappear.”
These words were
illustrated by reference to two novels, ' The time of the Angels' by
Iris
Murdoch, and 'The Knowledge of Angels' by Jill Paton Walsh. And I urge
all
those who will be reading my message to read these novels and note that
many of
Iris Murdoch's novels deal with the loss 0f faith. The late Iris
Murdoch’s
answer to this problem was to say “Having
been denied of
its myth, religion can die, but we must keep the morals alive.” I tried
to face
this crisis at the Retreat with reference to Hugh Montefiore's
'Credible
Christianity: The Gospel in Contemporary Culture' where he wrote, “It
seems to
me inevitable that nearly two thousand years after Christ, the way in
which we
express Christian doctrine today must be
different from
the way it was expressed in the early days of the Christian Church." I referred to this statement, if I remember
correctly, in my inaugural address at my installation as President. It
isn't my
intention to cover this ground again. only as one
attempt to face
the underlying crisis of Christianity today. We cannot face the
Millenium
successfully except by recognising his theological task as its most
important
task.
Sincerely,
E.R. Lloyd-Jones,
President.
Dear Members,
My engagement for
the First Sunday in September was at Seilo. But it didn't work out
exactly like
that. I was at Deganwy Avenue Welsh Congregational Chapel. My
congregation was
there with me. The Reverend John Lewis Jones delivered
the sermon and I
celebrated the Communion. We stayed at Deganwy Avenue for the afternoon
service
which was taken by myself. This was part of what the Welsh Churches
have been
doing for a number of years now. The Ministers not only exchange
pulpits, but
take their congregations with them, and this happens between all the
individual
churches in addition to the services when we all meet together. The
idea is to
enable us to come and know one-another better, as a preliminary to
full union.
As you know, four
of the Welsh Churches took a vote earlier this year on uniting. Three
accepted
the package. Arrangements have been made for uniting in Sunday Worship
from the
first Sunday of the year 2000 [what a way to celebrate the
Millenium!, This
will be done by uniting at each chapel for a month in rotation, and the
ministers taking a Sunday in turn.
The hope is that
a United Welsh Church will be set up in the year 2005. But here begins
the hard
work, choosing which chapel to use and to form a constitution for the
United
Church.
At present we have
received reports from an architect and a solicitor, on the condition of
each
building and its suitability, and the deeds in case there might be any
limitations in this respect. We have started on the discussion of these
reports
and have a meeting in October to continue the initial discussion. Of
course, we
all agree that the ideal would be to have a
completely new
building, but if that cannot be realised, then we have to make the best
of what
we have.
The next step
after this will be the forming of a constitution, and the question is
whether
it will be a local Congregationalist or a more centralist constitution.
We all need
wisdom and patience and prayer, and I hope that I haven't given the
impression
that it will be any easy task. But on the other hand it is an exciting
task for
someone like myself who is nearer to his retirement than some would
expect!.
I should also
stress that the one Church which opted out of this scheme and two
others who
were not involved in the initial discussion can be taken on board if
they so
decide. The door is still open and hasn't been slammed in their faces.
I have offered
this as my first message as President of Cytun as information to the
other
Churches, and as an example of what could be attempted by others. It is
not a
blueprint, only one way forward. Please pray for the success of this
venture.
Sincerely,
E.R. Lloyd-Jones
In his
Presidential address our President for 1998/99, Rev E.R. Lloyd Jones,
gave us
an insight into aspects of his beliefs, convictions and Theological
stance. He
emphasised particularly the need for the Church to be concerned with
and for
social aspects of the comnunity in which we live. Is it right to tackle
the
apparent problem first, or do we need to attack the source
before the
effect?
As I have thought
about this dilemma, without coming to any complete conclusion, I have
found
myself asking the question "In the busyness of church life, its
organisations, activities, committees and events of a social nature for
members
and friends of the church, who does one find time to tackle the
problems of the
community in which we are?”
Perhaps I/we are
trying too hard to "Satisfy" those who are "in" the church
and in so doing neglect the command of Christ “Go…..”
We cannot “Go” if we are bogged down in
"maintenance" whether it be of activities or buildings. Please don't
get me wrong, I do know that we have to carry out maintenance of the
flock and
the sheepfold, but the Good Shepherd saw the needs of others outside
the fold.
He left those who were safe, and went out to find the lost.
Under the skin of
a pleasant secure and "content" Llandudno there are those who are
hurting, lonely, imprisoned, broken hearted, fearful, despised. They
need us.
They need Christ. If we don’t "Go” who will?
As we sing our
Hymns, let us pay attention to the words and either refrain from
singing or
mean them. How can we sing “God’s Spirit is in my heart. ...,” and “I
the Lord
of sea and sky.....” or even “Lord here am I send me” if as a church or
as an
individual we do not mean it?
F. Halstead.
This fund is now
running well and the target of £12,000 is moving nearer. We would like
to encourage
both individuals and churches to continue to support this fund as much
as is
possible. Let us show the community in which we live, that the churches
of
Llandudno really do care for the welfare of people around us. This is a
real
opportunity to put our belief in Christ into practical expression.
The Annual
General Meeting of Cytun Churches Together in Llandudno was held on
Tuesday May
5th at Ebeneser,
Trinity Avenue,
at 7-30pm. The Office bearers were elected or re-elected, and reports
from all
the various sections and groups were presented. The thanks of the
meeting were
expressed to all who in any way had served Cytûn and the member
churches over
the past year.
The Rev E. R.
Lloyd Jones was elected President, and Rev Canon Philip Cousins was
elected
Vice President,
both to serve for
the year 1998-1999.
Following some
Administrative experiments carried out during the year, a new team has
been set
up as follows:-
Mrs. Eileen Box –
Co-ordinating Secretary
Mrs. Jane Allen –
Assistant Secretary
Mrs. Betty Mills
– Prayer Secretary
Mrs. Joan
Shephard – Minute Secretary
Mrs. Jean Brown –
Treasurer
Revd Fred
Halstead – Newsletter & publicity
This group will
neet quarterly, preceding the Council Meetings, under the Chairmanship
of the
current President.
The Government,
through the Millennium Commission, has plans to invest hundreds of
millions of
pounds to mark the turn of the century. Already vast sums have been
committed
to the development of a wide range of projects, all intended to enhance
the
life of the community. There are many who are sceptical of some of the
projects, but our scepticism should not prevent us from seeking to use
the
Millennium as an occasion for Christian witness.
The year 2,000 is
first and foremost a pointer back to the historical fact of Jesus
Christ. We
must not let this truth be lost, and in the doing so lose the greatest
opportunity in our lifetime for witnessing to the Christian faith.
It is important
to examine ways in which we can use the opportunities together. It
seems to me
that local ecumenical initiatives must play a major part in what we are
to do.
The advent of a new century is taking place when the mood of the world.
and the
nation, is reflective. We are being torced to think deeply about what
life and
living is all about.
A wild
celebration would not fully catch the spirit or mood of the moment.
There is
anxiety about what the tuture holds. One writer has spoken about the
"astonishing resilient" nature of human life. The new Millennium may
well trigger a widespread mood of optimism throughout the community
.Our urgent
task will be to forge a link in people's minds between the Millennium
and the
message of Christian hope. As Llandudno Cytun, we shall have a
marvellous
opportunity. Many things in the town are changing, and not all are bad.
This is
a time for us to recognise that God is at work and calling us together.
Sincerely yours
in the service of Jesus Christ,
Revd Keith V.
Garner
from 9-30a.m. to
11-30a.m. on Sept. 5th, Oct. 3rd. Nov. 7th, Dec. 5th, all to be held at
St.
Johns Methodist Church
Come and go as
you please to this relaxed and friendly prayer time.
THIRD
THURSDAY EVENING PRAYERS
at 7-30pm until
8-30 pm. at the latest.
Sept 18th. at
Christ Church – Led by the English Presbyterian Church.
Oct. 16th
at Seilo Chapel – Led by Llandudno Christian
Fellowship.
Nov 20th, at the
Church of the Holy Trinity – Led by Christ Church.
BODLONDEB
CONFERENCE 1997
This will be held
on Wednesday 12th November at the Bodlondeb Castle Hotel, Church Walks,
Llandudno at
7-00 for 7-30pm.
Speaker:
Revd Dr Peter C. Graves,
Superintendent of
Central Hall Westminster.
There is a great
deal of news and information in this Newsletter so I will keep my
contribution
brief. After the wonderful fellowship and worship in the Week of Prayer
for
Christian Unity I hope we shall continue to pray together using the
facility of
the Cytun Prayer Times on the First Fridays and Third Thursdays. Plus,
of
course, Wednesday 7th May with the Christian Aid Committee. Meanwhile,
encouraged by the tremendous variety of work done by our parent body,
Cytun -
Churches
Together In Wales
and the overall U.K. body, The Council of Churches for Britain and
Ireland, we
are working hard on the Executive Committee, to update our organisation
and
take on new, broader concepts of our work to go into the next century
as a vital and
vibrant organisation able to serve the cause of Christian Unity and the
Churches of Llandudno in a very meaningful way. Please help and support
us in
this work in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Octave of Prayer
for Christian Unity has now passed but the blessings which we received
from
praying and worshipping together in different churches with differing
styles
remain. Let not people say to you that churches cannot work
together but
rather let us show them that through the unity of the Spirit and in
spite of
some differences the churches in Llandudno are ONE in the proclamation
of the
Good News of the Gospel of Christ. We have been given the wonderful
priviledge of being
Christ’s ambassadors in a sin-sick and trouble-torn world, let us make
sure
that we are not found wanting in this task as we encourage each other,
support
each other, pray for each other, work with each other in order that the
town,
the country, the world may know of Jesus and His love.
Wales: A Moral
Society ?
A series of six
studies to be held at
GOWERDALE Llovd
Street Llandudno
at 2-00pm on
Wednesdays 19th February to 26tb March
Led by Msgr. M.
Kelly, Revd Manon Parry and Revd Keith Jones.
from 9-30 to
11-30am on March 7th, April 4th, May 2nd, June 6th.
all to be held in
the Fellowship Room St. John’s Methodist Church, Mostyn Street.
There is a break
(for refrsh1nents) at 10-25am, so come and go then if you wish to spend
the
whole of
the first or
second hour with us. Alternatively just
come and go as you please staying for as
long or as short
a time as you wish.
March 28th, This
year there will be an Open Air Service at 12 noon in the grounds of The
Church
of the Holy
Trinity. Three
processions, from different starting points, timed to meet at the same
time
will process through the town to converge onto Holy Trinity from
different
directions. There will of course be police supervision for the
processions.
It is expected
that each column will proceed in a silent, solemn, contemplative manner
as
befits the occasion. It is our hope and prayer that many onlookers will
realise
not only the solemnity but also the importance and significance of the
occasion,
and may feel that they wish to join us. Full details will be shown on
posters
and will be announced by ministers who will be making arrangements for
each
individual church to take part. Please support this new way of
witnessing for
Christ.
All Starting at
7:30 pm.
Feb. 20th. at
Church of Our Saviour, West Shore. Led by the W. W. D. P. Committee.
Mar. 20th. at
Zion Baptist Church, Craig-y-Don. Led by Our Lady Star of the Sea.
Apr. 17th. at the
English Presbyterian Church. Led by St Davids Methodist Church.
June 19th. at St
Georges Church, Church Walks. Led by Llanrhos Parish.
July 17th. at Our
Lady Star of the Sea, Lloyd St. Led by Zion Baptist Church.
PLEASE NOTE.
The evening
prayer hour in MAY will be held on WEDNESDAY 7th May, at 7-30pm at St
Davids
Methodist Church,
Craig-y-Don led by the Christian Aid Committee.
"The Octave
of Prayer". According to the Oxford Dictionary an Octave is, seventh
day
after a festival, or period of eight
days including
festival and its octave (amongst other definitions to do with music
poetry and
fencing!). The
Festival in our Octave of Prayer is St. Paul’s Day on 25th January each
year.
Born Saul of Tarsus, Paul changed his name after his dramatic
conversion on the
road to Damascus, and it is that conversion that we celebrate on
January 25th. The
name "Paul" means small or little and that might be a reflection of
St. Paul's physical stature but certainly not of his towering
contribution to
the Christian faith and the word and work of God. How many authors of
letters
to the churches which they had founded will still be "best sellers.
almost
2000 years after they had died? St. Paul was martyred in
Rome in AD67
after more than thirty years of full-time service in the name of the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
Here are some of
the things he wrote about UNITY:
So in Christ we
who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Romans
12 v 5
Because there is
one loaf, we who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one
loaf. 1
Corinthians 10 v17.
For we were all
baptised by one spirit into one body. ...1 Corinthians 12 v13.
I appeal to you,
brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree with
one
another so that there may be no
divisions
among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. ..1
Corinthians 1 v10.
Welcome to this
our second edition of Cytun Newsletter. From comments received during
the past
weeks from various
quarters many
recipients have found the Newsletter to be helpful. Thank you for those
comments, they are most encouraging
and appreciated.
As the momentum
gathers as we speedily move towards Advent and the Christmas period,
and the
frienzy of home and church life becomes more possessive and the old
fateful cry
“I haven’t got time!” is heard, let us all try to keep in our
minds the true
meaning of Christmas. Let us not be so heavily concerned with the
glitter and
the raz-a-mataz of the
commercial
demands of this wonderful time of Celebration that we push out, or push
into a
corner, the remembrance of the
greatest gift
that was ever given. Let we who are in the world but not of the world
take this
opportunity to demonstrate to those around us, family and friends, yes
and the
stranger, that the trappings which we see all around us, whilst
beautiful, are
but fleeting fancies, but the real heart of Christmas, Jesus Christ our
Saviour, is Eternal.
Wishing you
peace and joy at Christmas and in the
coming year.
Ban ddymuno
tangnefedd a llawenydd i chi dros y
Nadolig ac yn y flwyddyn i ddod.
The Octave of Prayer 1997
Sunday Jan 12th. The
Craig-y-Don Service 3-30pm at St Pauls Church. Speaker. Rev. Keith
Garner.
Saturday Jan
18th. 10-30am at St George's Church Walks
Sunday Jan 19th.
The President's Service 6-00pm at The English Presbyterian Church,
Chapel St.
Monday Jan 20th
at 10-30 am at Our Lady Star of the Sea
Lloyd St.
Tuesday Jan 21st.
at 10-30 am at The Welsh Congregational
Church, Deganwy Ave.
Wednesday Jan
22nd. At 10-30 am at Zion Baptist Church
Thursday Jan
23rd. Holy Communion at 10-30am at St. John's Kethodist Church
Friday Jan 24th.
At 10-30 am at Seilo,
also at 7-30pm at
Emmanuel Christian Centre Lloyd St.
Saturday Jan
25th. at 10-30am at Christ Church
It is a great
privilege to serve as President of Llandudno Cytun, and I welcome the
opportunity to help to bring the local churches closer together in the
difficult times in which we now live and operate as servants of our
Lord.
Host importantly,
I want to see us Praying together more. Without prayer we can do
nothing and
get nowhere! I know that we all pray in our churches and individually
in our
own homes, but I very strongly believe in the effectiveness of prayer
in which
we can share by coming together at other times and in a different
environment. I
have had much experience of this over the years and can assure you that
prayer
of this nature is both effective and rewarding.
The Autumn and
early Winter programme of activities organised by Cytun promises to be
a very
interesting one. You will find details and dates on other pages.
Meanwhile, we
welcome you to this our first newsletter. During the next twelve months
we
shall publish four editions August November February and May and we
hope you
will find them helpful.
Wednesday 13th
November at 7-0pm for 7-30p.m.
At Bodlondeb
Castle Hotel, Church Walks, Llandudno.
"Why Should
We Evangelise" Speaker: Rev Stuart Bell of Aberystwyth
For what does it
stand? Pronounced CK-TEEN, the word
means "Together",
In Welsh it can
also be an acronym:
Christians -
Cristnogion - forward - ymlaen - towards - tuag at – unity - undeb.
The word is also
used in the Bible;
"they were
all together (cytûn) in the same place",
"(may you)
live in harmony (cytûn) with one another",
So Cytûn is a
fellowship of churches:
which believe in
Jesus Christ as God and Saviour;
which seek to
deepen their relationship with God in Jesus Christ;
which seek to
deepen their relationship with each other;
which intend to
work together in mission and service.
In Llandudno
Cytûn is strong and active -
a very warm
organisation which brings joy
and encouragement
to member churches.
The Llandudno
Council of Churches, which was formed in 1971,
became
the present day Cytûn in 1990 and
continues to work steadily in the town.
Cytûn - Llandudno
Churches Together - Eglwysi Llandudno Gyda'i Gilydd –
Is affiliated to
Cytûn - Churches Together in Wales
.
Member Churches
are represented on an the Executive
Committee of
Llandudno Cytûn by their Minister/s
and one or two
Lay members. The officers are
elected at the
Spring Annual General Meeting.
Cytûn
Newsletters Volume 1 - END