Rebecca Sparey

Just read the BBC piece, now I know why I have been drawn to pray for you over the years. Will continue to do so. Your story is heartbreaking.

Goody bag for adults in the service. White organza bag holding a wooden flame engraved with gentleness, party popper, bubbles, fizzy sweets, heart chocolate and a let's celebrate chocolate.

Goody bag for a child to have in service. White organza bag with party popper, heart lolly, bubbles, party blower, fizzy sweets, balloon and a smile Jesus loves you sticker

Red poster with picture of picnic in the middle advertising the Pentecost Praise, procession and picnic.

Hurrah for Pentecost falling on our church Welcome Service day. Church service as a party, followed by a procession to the local footballer field to put flowers on the gate, finished with a picnic on the field for all the village. Praying the marquee stands up to the rain!

A 5yr old in my Prayers and Create congregation made this for me 🥰

Vicar with pony at lych gate

Teenager leading a tiny pony through a churchyard

Young boy in a white alb holding a pony at a lych gate

Two donkeys walking through a cathedral

I do love Palm Sunday
Ponies, donkeys, what more could a girl want? (Well maybe the odd cow too, but I will forgo that today)

20ys ago my eldest gave me a mini cherry tree. 3yrs ago my puppy chewed it up. I had finally decided it was definitely dead when today I realised it has revived.
Our MA bible verse At least there is hope for a tree. If it is cut down it will sprout again and it's new shoots will not fail. Job 14v7

Mug painted with red and blue floral patterns on a wooden picnic table. Hedge and trees in the background.

One of those days where I seem to be running from one thing to another (ok nothing new there).
So taking twenty mins to sit in the sunshine with the dog and get some peace.

Lady in blue sat on stone bench outside church holding a Shetland pony with a brown face and white body

Young boy grooming a pony

Paintings by children of donkeys - paint made of spices Wooden trees with Easter eggs hanging from them Wooden donkey pencil pots coloured in by children

We couldn't find a donkey but Prayers and Bears were very taken with Princess Maisie the Shetland Pony who helped them celebrate Palm Sunday yesterday.

Phew, the ducks remembered just in time they were meant to be laying chocolate shelled eggs for an Easter assembly tomorrow 😋

Tealights on a candle stand, lit through the prayers

Couple of posies of flowers given out during the service.

Many tears shed in church this morning as we thought about the pain of mothering, looking at the lives of different mothers in the bible.
As one lady said after one of the services, "I've been through lots of those things, and never told anyone, maybe we need to be more honest with each other."

Taking the service in our little church in Llangwyfan this morning. Realised just how much I love and have missed this congregation since they have their own priest again and I don't get to visit them as often.

Lent quiet day with Bishop Mary at St Beuno's yesterday was a spiritual breath of fresh air.

Half a sermon?

Today's adventures brought me past the church in Henllan. Its easy to see why it won a gold A Rocha award. Churchyard is a haven of wildlife and bird song. Personally I love taking services here and coming out to a view of the sheep in the next field, reminding me to follow the Good Shepherd.

Ingredients in saucepan over fire

Melted ingredients in pan over fire.

Lip balm setting in little pots

Prayers about sweet, sour and savoury things with foods to eat as we prayed.

Very glad we were working around the fire in Forest Church today as it was freezing.
Made some lip balm. Thinking about Jesus healing the deaf and mute man.

Really useful afternoon at the Welsh Places of Worship Forum. Pleasure to be able to speak on Open and Engaging Churches.

Path up to St James nantglyn Preaching yew on the left church on the right

Steps carved into middle of 1000 year old yew tree

East window stained glass

The nice thing about MA building committees means I get an excuse to visit churches in the MA I don't get to very often.
Today was Nantglyn with the tree John Wesley is reputed to have preached from

Doofus says get well soon. Well she would if she was awake

Wedding favours in white organza bags

Contents of wedding favours- heart shaped post it notes, pencil, Jesus loves you stickers, gemstone hearts, lovehearts

The tables were decorated with stone and wooden hearts, flowers and Jesus loves you stickers

Multiple colourful pots of play doh for use in the prayers of intercession

Every couple had a wedding favour which included things to do in the sermon as well as things to take home.

View to East window of church. Red carpet down Central aisle White candles and flowers at altar. Wedding dresses on display. The pale blue dress at the front left was made by the bride including all her own lace. White bows on end of each pew.

Pair of bears dressed as bride and groom sat on end of pew

Candles lighting the windows with bouquets next to them

A white sleeveless wedding dress with red trim displayed on a mannequin at the front of the church. Worn by a bride married her 17 years ago.

We had double the usual congregation for today's Welcome Service - Renewal of wedding vows. And already having requests to do it again, and can you do a pet service too?
The church congregation were amazing at decorating, welcoming and making loads of cake

Jan
New year - new us
March
Farming and planting (& mothering sunday)
Then...
Palm Sunday- donkeys maybe
VE Day anniversary
Pentecost procession & picnic
Pilgrimage to our Holy Wells
Quiet contemplation (possibly healing)
Back to school - bag & pencil case blessings
Harvest
Remembrance
Christingle

Was showing the local school around Corpus Christi today as they are learning about local history. Very fitting to be there today as there is a 17th century picture of King Charles I in one of the windows (alongside King James and Archbishop Williams)
#CharlesTheMartyrFeastDay

This year one of my churches is doing a series of monthly Welcome services to invite people along if they don't usually attend.
Feb is Valentines Day and renewal of marriage vows. Had lots of interest online. Proper invites sent to all our post covid wedding couples today.
How much are stamps!!!

Enjoying our new kids work in Caerwys
Lots of lovely creations today as we learnt about the family of Abraham and Sarah

Good parenting, assuming you have encouraged them to revise in the weeks beforehand.

We finished the @churchinwales.bsky.social bishop's advent course today. General consensus was the Christmas and Epiphany sessions were the best as they addressed people where they felt they were at spiritually.

Do you get to read Transforming Mission by Bosch? One of my favourite books from my theology degree days.

Time for the Epiphany (Christmas) jumper. Roads a little more snowy here than I guess the Magi encountered.

Tall red cup with a multi coloured cow on. Containing squirty cream

It's not quite #clergymaltclub more hot chocolate with baileys squirty cream but it will have to do.

Waiting for the congregation for Midnight Mass
#peace