Our Churches

Time was, before out society crumbled, when the church was a significant moderating force. Today, it’s less so and no doubt we are the poorer for it. So it is that few beyond the church door will realise the importance of the proposed local Church in Wales reorganisation.

Like elsewhere, the reorganisation follows an efficiency agendum. Though the CIW has faired better than its English counterpart, its resources are diminished. This means dwindling & ageing congregations must contribute more. Balance this against the relentless struggle to shore up costly buildings. The equation is out of balance and means churches will contribute more for less.

This means a reduction in clergy. So what? Well, the requirement for clergy (e.g. weddings, especially funerals plus the curing of souls, hospital visits, etc) remains static. They already tend to work six days a week and often in the evenings, too.

There are four local CIW clergy, one in each of the following groups:

• Collegiate church of St Peter’s (including St Meugan’s, the mother church of Rhuthun)

• Llanfwrog (including Clocaenog & Y Gyffylliog plus Llanynys parish, including Rhewl)

• Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd (including Llanarmon yn Iâl, Llangynhafal, Llanychan)

• Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd (including Llanelidan, Efenechtyd)

Revd Dr Ray Bailey, warden (i.e. rector) of Rhuthun retired last month. Revd John Barden Davies, rector of Llanfwrog, retires soon.

The CIW is therefore restructuring to ensure the 13 local parishes comprising 14 churches come under not four but three clergy, as follows:

• The churches of SS Peter & Meugan will henceforward merge with Llanfwrog

• Llanfair will assume responsibility for Clocaenog & Y Gyffliog (formerly under Llanfwrog)

• Llanbedr will assume responsibility for Llanynys (and Rhewl) (formerly under Llanfwrog)

All rather logical, as it happens, and it irons out a few historical wrinkles. It makes sense for Rhuthun to have one rector for St Peter’s & Llanfwrog combined, rather than two. The ecclesiastical parish of Rhuthun is currently rather strange. St Peter’s technically serves Well and Clwyd Streets and not much else. St Meugan’s is the mother church, whose parish extends over much of north east & south east Rhuthun. Llanfwrog is west of the Clwyd. Llanynys dips into the very north of Rhuthun.

But with reorganisation come issues.

• St Peter’s will become tied to its neighbouring church, Llanfwrog. Both have enjoyed autonomy since St Peter’s foundation, 700 years ago.

• Llanfwrog is “low” and St Peter’s is a “high” church. St Peter’s is therefore more formal. The two churches mirror the cross-river divide that to some extent already exists in the town. People from across the Clwyd move between parishes to find the style of service they prefer. Merger won’t be easy though it is sensible.

• Rhuthun, population 5,300, will have but one clergyman or woman. Again, sensible. This may nevertheless pose a significant burden on the appointee. It needs someone with boundless energy.

• The clergy in rural parishes each see two additional churches. This may be stretching and just on Sundays.

• Services will need to change to spread the clergy more thinly. Congregations may not necessarily easily accept this as inevitable.

• Routine administration that goes with the maintenance of old, listed buildings will not reduce but the number of professionals able to deal with it will. There job should concentrate on matters spiritual, not temporal.