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This looks like an important survey on behalf of DCMS for all of us looking after grade 1 listed churches and cathedrals and who will be severely affected by the cuts to the VAT rebate grant adding £100,000s to major repairs.

submitted 13 hours ago • 0 comments

St David's final words: for life and when the final breath approaches. Sermon this morning in Newport Cathedral. deanofnewport.wordpress.com/2025/03/02/s...

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Happy St David's Day - daffodils are coming out in celebration.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

Lovely sunny day for a drive into the Brecon Beacons and a catch up with my fellow Dean.

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Finished reading ‘Behold the men’ today. Difficult to summarise but it’s essentially a critique of heteronormative, white, male assumptions of what it means to be male and its grip on theology. How toxic masculinity (with excessive focus on control, power, violence and domination)… /1

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

This doesn’t really do it justice, but a gorgeous sunrise over Newport this morning.

submitted 13 days ago • 1 comment

The introit on Radio 3 Choral Evensong - Love’s Divine by Ned Rorem - absolutely sublime. Not one I’ve heard before. Surprised to find it was written in 1966, felt much more contemporary. He was a prolific composer. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

submitted 15 days ago • 1 comment

I think this is my favourite photo of the Paddington bench - at Norwich Cathedral. The photographer got the choristers to be children and caught them naturally with Paddington.

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

Planned giving - heart's response to God's generosity. Sermon today at Newport Cathedral for the launch of our congregational planned giving refresh. deanofnewport.wordpress.com/2025/02/09/p...

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

“The following programme may not be suitable for younger viewers.” What’s it called? Exodus - it’s about Moses. Here ends the first lesson!

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

Bright sunny day at St Sannan’s, Bedwellty for a meeting with Ministry Area Leaders and Bishop’s Staff. This window was given to mark the occasion of the rector becoming a canon of the cathedral in 1953. That doesn’t happen often. Cadoc, Gwynllyw and Gwladys.

submitted 25 days ago • 0 comments

I saw a post about this the other day - coming out in March. Ordered and it arrived today. Looks interesting.

submitted 26 days ago • 0 comments

Greeted by Candlemas Bells, snowdrops, walking up the path at Newport Cathedral this morning. First signs of spring.

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

Happy St Brigid's Day. A video for some craft activity - how to make a St Brigid Cross. youtu.be/Yn_MG4HZVOo?...

submitted 30 days ago • 0 comments

This Sunday (2nd Feb) we are looking forward to welcoming singers from across the diocese for the Diocesan Choral Festival Evensong at 4.00pm. All services on Sunday 8.00am - Holy Eucharist 10.30am - Choral Eucharist for Candlemas 4.00pm - Diocesan Choral Festival Evensong Everyone is welcome.

submitted 31 days ago • 0 comments

Today’s office for a meeting of Welsh Deans with the Archbishop in Shrewsbury.

submitted 32 days ago • 0 comments

This was disturbing for the puzzle was how people could be so cultured, listen to such beautiful music while dehumanising and gassing millions. Also Auschwitz covered 15 square miles.

submitted 34 days ago • 0 comments

Lighting the darkness and standing together in unity ‘For a better future’. A candle in the window of the Deanery for Holocaust Memorial Day.

submitted 35 days ago • 0 comments

Pondering the challenge of how to get into this packaging. Two bottles of wine nailed into their wrapper! 🤷‍♂️ I don’t think this is a job for a hammer.

submitted 35 days ago • 1 comment

Deeply moving watching Holocaust survivors placing lighted lamps on a symbolic train carriage at the Holocaust Memorial Ceremony at Auschwitz. I can’t comprehend how such systematic, industrialised killing comes about. Lights shining in deep darkness.

submitted 35 days ago • 0 comments

Unity through dignity, honesty and humility with mercy. Reflections on Bishop of Washington’s sermon in Washington last week. My sermon this morning at Newport Cathedral. deanofnewport.wordpress.com/2025/01/26/u...

submitted 36 days ago • 0 comments

WH Smiths has felt tired on the high street for a number of years - its energy and life feels to be at service stations, rail stations and airports. The closure in Newport town centre would seem to be part of a bigger exit.

submitted 37 days ago • 0 comments

Watching BBC news and so far I’ve counted 4 different ways of pronouncing Storm Éowyn. Aye-o-win, Eye-o-win, Aye-win, Ee-o-win…

submitted 38 days ago • 0 comments

Unity based on dignity, honesty and humility with a plea for mercy. The full video of Mariann Edgar Budde’s sermon in Washington Cathedral yesterday. Simply brilliant. youtu.be/xwwaEuDeqM8?...

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

The government has announced today restricted help to churches and cathedrals for building repairs. Previously 100% of VAT could be reclaimed on certain repairs to listed places of worship. Now it is to be limited to £25,000 per organisation /1 www.gov.uk/.../23-milli....

submitted 40 days ago • 1 comment

Amen. Well spoken by the Bishop of Washington. www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

submitted 41 days ago • 0 comments

My room with a view. Bishop’s Staff residential in Cardiff.

submitted 41 days ago • 0 comments

Abundance. Sermon this morning at St Paul's Blaenavon on changing water into wine. Shorter version given at Newport Cathedral at 8.00am. deanofnewport.wordpress.com/2025/01/19/a...

submitted 43 days ago • 0 comments

On supply teacher duty this morning standing in for Stella Bailey at Blaenavon. Small church, small congregation but full bells and smells and in good heart.

submitted 43 days ago • 0 comments

Lincoln alumni will recognise this building. My study was at the top of that tower. Chapel on the left.

submitted 45 days ago • 0 comments

Thank you to Ruth Jones MP for raising the importance of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to support vital repairs and improvements for churches and cathedrals, and highlighting our work. The response from the Second Church Estates Commissioner is encouraging. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

submitted 46 days ago • 0 comments

Grateful to Newport MP Ruth Jones for tabling this question in Parliament tomorrow (16th) on VAT grant scheme for listed places of worship. It is worth millions to communities repairing churches and enabling them to be resources for those communities. It needs to continue beyond March.

submitted 47 days ago • 0 comments

Drinks station getting ready for Chapter drinks this evening. (We also have the youngest and newest member of the cathedral family coming so I thought he might enjoy some entertainment.)

submitted 51 days ago • 0 comments

Having made my Twitter/X account dormant I have now downloaded my archive and am in the process of deleting all content. I’m considering deleting the account. I’m not impressed with Facebook’s decision to ditch factchecking and moderation (though I can’t say I’d noticed either given some posts).

submitted 54 days ago • 1 comment

Something along these lines was coming in back in 2010, but the incoming Conservative Government scrapped them. How the past decade might have been different had those plans not been dumped.

submitted 56 days ago • 0 comments