Saint David’s Uniting Church
& Castle Square URC
Minister: Rev. Dr Phil Wall
Tel: 01443 300345 Mob: 07855090360
Website: www.stdavidsuniting.org.uk
Admin email: office1.sduc@gmail.com
6th June 2021
In Pre-Covid times, Phil would have been leading worship in Castle Square today as it’s the first Sunday of the month.
Until we find our new normal, the St. David’s Uniting Church elders have agreed to continue welcoming guest preachers on first Sunday services so to hear different voices and welcome different perspectives, as well as keeping Phil free to lead worship at Castle Square when they return to on-site worship. We are grateful to our Pulpit Supply Secretary – Brian – and to all our guest preachers who enable this to happen.
With that in mind, today we welcome back friend of the church, Revd Aled Edwards OBE.
We will be live-streaming this afternoon’s short service of Holy Communion from St. David’s Uniting Church premises. Please bring your own bread and wine or an alternative. Those wanting to join live are advised to go to our YouTube channel at 4pm where the link will be made available: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1ftWuXHexnfFdo1FKwXBZA
Whether you’re coming to the service in person, online, or through the printed word, you are invited to print out the order of service (which will remain the same for upcoming afternoon Communion services) and can be sent to those we have email addresses for. Please contact the Admin email address if you require a copy.
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Church Family and Pastoral News
We include this in the news sheet to inform our prayers. 
- We received the sad news last Saturday that Doreen Marshman had passed away during the night. Doreen was a loyal member of St David’s, she will be greatly missed by her friends in Ladies Guild, and Cantorion. We think of the family and Doreen’s sister, Jean, at this time as they adjust to life without both David and Doreen, we pray that they will take comfort from knowing that Doreen is now reunited with David.
- Brenda Elias will be going into Llandough hospital on Monday for her operation on Tuesday. She will be in for a few days and will have to rest when she returns home. We keep her and the family in our prayers.
- Graham Hill had a fall on his drive last weekend and spent a few days in the Royal, he is now recovering at home and trying to take it easy!!
- We remember those of our fellowship who are unable to remember us, and we pray for their well-being,
Good News
We are delighted to say that the English Classes will resume again this week. We think of those who lead the classes and the ‘students’ who have missed them during the pandemic.
Thanks……
…..from Margaret Morris ~ for the birthday wishes she received. She had an enjoyable afternoon in the garden when her family visited and they celebrated with a cream tea!
…..from Anne Hill ~ for the many messages and phone calls she received following Graham’s ‘accident’
….for the donation received recently towards the cost of printing the newsletters……the people who receive the ‘weekend papers’ look forward to receiving them as it keeps them in touch with the church community, for some their courier is one of the few visitors they actually see! SO on behalf of those not on line THANK YOU!
If YOU would like to donate towards the printing costs, please send to Lynda marked ‘for printing’.
Birthdays this week
We have three people who have birthday’s this week: Stephanie is celebrating today! Alison Jones and Simon Walkling have their birthdays on Friday 11th. We hope you all have a good day!
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Minister’s Diary
Phil will be on a week’s annual leave between 7th and 14th June – during that time he chosen. having conquered the three Welsh Peaks, to walk the route of Hadrian’s Wall!! – before then attending ministers’ summer school 15-18th and leading worship for the URC Youth Exec 18-20th. He will be back in the office from June 21st.
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June Services
As we transition from online/on paper only services to a blend of worship including on-site services, the elders continue to review Government guidelines, denominational advice and the needs/preferences of church members. With that in mind our June services will take the following shape:
Zoom worship at 10:45am EVERY Sunday (also available on YouTube and on printed material).
Meetings being held in St David’s Uniting Church:
- TODAY at 4:00pm – Short communion service – also livestreamed – led by Michael and Claire
- Sunday 13th June, 10:45am – Morning service with Hadyn Blackey
A reminder – please arrive about 10 minutes before the service begins, and the stewards will take you to your seat.
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‘Celebration’
Phil’s ‘Celebration’ service which was broadcast at 7.30am will be repeated on BBC Radio Wales tonight at 7:30pm. He warns potential listeners that, due to time constraints, the service will be a mish-mash of other recent services he’s led…so you can always listen along and see if you remember them!!!
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St. David’s Uniting Church~Vision Day
Yesterday the elders and Vision Committee met to discern and discuss many of the big questions which our congregations are facing. We will be sharing some of our thoughts for a wider discernment process over the coming months. In the meantime, let us remember that our true home is in God. We come from God; we belong to God; we are destined for God. Such knowledge might help us let go of our anxieties as we listen out for where God might be calling us today. For some helpful reflection on change in the church and a reminder that these questions are being asked the world over, see https://cac.org/letting-go-of-what-used-to-be-2021-06-03/
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Environment Sunday 2021
Did you know the today, 6th June 2021, is Environment Sunday? This is the Sunday nearest to the United Nations World Environment Day and a day in which churches are encouraged to look closer at the world around us. The wonderful URC Children’s and Youth Work team have produced an inter-generational service that can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1vyNrWb0w8
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Midweek Reflection
Phil opened the reflection in his kitchen /diner in front of a wall of photographs that had been compiled by a friend for his 30th birthday. It’s great because it catches different moments in time. ‘I love photographs because they bring to life those key moments in our lives that we want to remember, they can be passed down from generation to generation, along with the stories that go with them. They are the key memories and the roots of who we are.
That’s Phil reminding us of our ongoing challenge to……
1) Finish the sentence – “One thing I learnt or had confirmed over the past year is…….”
2) To send in this sentence and a photograph of yourself from the neck up.
and help Robert create a lasting reminder of this strange time that will inform future generations of how the Church responded to, and what we learnt from this pandemic. Please send your replies and photos to Marcia at office.sduc@gmail.com If you have any questions, you can contact Robert. Replies can also be sent to Robert James c/o St David’s Uniting Church, Gelliwastad Road, Pontypridd, CF37 2BW.
Now for this week’s individual challenge Phil showed us something he was really excited about! So, what was it? What excited him? …..A new, blank, mid-year diary! …..Phil was looking forward to all the planning and the things he was going to write, the meetings he was going to book. All the days blank ready to be filled in. Phil genuinely does get a thrill when he has a new diary! For him it’s like walking outside when it has snowed and seeing fresh white slate over the ground with which you can do anything
‘I look at it and immediately I am bursting to write in birthdays, meetings, weekends away, people visiting (when they can), plans, deadlines to do things, and all the possibilities that lie ahead in the next 13 months,– I’m already thinking about Christmas!
But other times it can mean focusing too much on tomorrow and not living in the day. Jesus says in the gospels – “Don’t worry about tomorrow, you know tomorrow has its own cares, focus on today”, and in the book of Lamentations it says – “You know God’s love never ceases, God’s mercies are new every day”, and if like me you are spend too much time planning or wondering about the future it can sometimes mean missing out on the gift of today. So, this week’s invitation is just to make the most out of today, it’s taking a leap out if the mindfulness genre, but I would say that its foundation are in Buddhist meditation, but also in Christian mediation. Being still, being aware of God’s spirit around and within every single moment. So, I encourage you, wherever you are, to think of how you’re sitting, standing or walking, feel yourself in your body, take a deep breath in….hold it…breathe out, think how your body is positioned, listen to what’s going on around you, think what you might do with today, where you might meet with God, how you might share God’s love in the days to come! Take a moment to think about the unfolding day – to thank God for it and to live it as you can in all its fullness. Go well and safely. Bye for now.
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Phil’s 40th Birthday Fundraiser ~The Final figure!
The total raised for Christian Aid Week 2021 from Phil’s Three Peaks Challenge, (his target was £4000) plus donations for Christian Aid. ……
On-line donations £4,070.40 plus Gift Aid £807.60 = £4878
Cheques and Cash £1165.00 plus Gift Aid £210.00 = £1375
giving a grand total of £6253.
A fantastic amount! WELL DONE to the team and a big THANKYOU to all who donated
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A Thought for the Week
You cannot teach a man anything you can only help him find it within himself.
Galileo
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ZOOM SERVICES: Log in opens at 10.30 for pre service chat. Services will start at 10.45 or as advertised. Zoom service link – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89461145366?pwd=S3ExNTVjdGVGdXlGVlNQc2k3eldudz09
To join by phone (call 0203 901 7895. then, when asked, type in the meeting ID – 894 6114 5366; followed – when asked – by the passcode – 8453605) Calls are charged at standard UK call rates