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. I will be pleased to receive emails drawing attention to any remaining transcription errors and I would also like to receive information concerning missing newsletters. Email: Noel Walley Webmaster.

Newsletter No 18 – February 2001

THE PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD FRED HALSTEAD

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

CYTUN PRAYERS & NOTICES

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.

YOUTH FOR CHRIST

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 .

Newsletter No 17 – November 2000

THE PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD FRED HALSTEAD

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

CYTUN ANNUAL CONFERENCE

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.

CYTUN PRAYERS

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.

Newsletter No 16 – August 2000

THE PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD FRED HALSTEAD

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

CYTUN PRAYERS

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.

Newsletter No 15 – April 2000

THE PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD PHILIP COUSINS

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

Newsletter No 14 – February 2000

THE PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD PHILIP COUSINS

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

CYTUN THIRD THURSDAY PRAYERS

(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

Newsletter No 13 – November 1999

THE PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD PHILIP COUSINS

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

PRAYERS FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

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

Newsletter No 12 – August 1999

THE PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD PHILIP COUSINS

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

THIRD THURSDAY PRAYERS

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

ANNUAL BODLONDEB CONFERENCE

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

ANNUAL SOCIAL EVENING

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

Newsletter No 11 – April 1999

THE PRESIDENT WRITES – THE REVD E. R. LLOYD-JONES

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