The Church in Wales: A small guide to a big picture · future and our hope to work with you to achieve them. 02 / The Church in Wales –A small guide to a big picture ... The love

The Church in Wales: A small guide to a big picture

01 / The Church in Wales – A small guide to a big picture

A small guide to a big picture

This small and simple guide has a big purpose: to let youknow about the active presence of the Church in Walestoday. You might be surprised at some of the facts andfigures! Importantly, it also spells out some of thechallenges the Church in Wales faces at the very heart of Welsh communities. It shows our aspirations for thefuture and our hope to work with you to achieve them.


Since 1920, the Church in Wales has been anindependent Province within the world wide AnglicanChurch. The Church in Wales continues the traditionof Anglican worship and life within Wales. It has apresence in every community in Wales.

The Church in Wales works closely with the WelshAssembly Government and other agencies for thebenefit of the people of Wales. It is involved innational and international issues.

OrganisationThe Church in Wales is led by its Bishops andoverseen by a Governing Body consisting of Bishops,and mainly elected clergy and church members.

Your local parish is run by a parish priest, itschurchwardens and Parochial Church Council (PCC)consisting of volunteer members of thecongregation. Parishes are clustered into area

Who we are

deaneries which make up a diocese. We have sixdioceses in Wales, each led by a bishop. They are St Asaph, Bangor, St Davids, Llandaff, Monmouth,and Swansea & Brecon. The Archbishop of Wales is the Bishop of one of the dioceses and hasadditional national responsibilities.

The property of the Church in Wales is owned by acentral trustee body (the Representative Body ofthe Church in Wales) but managed locally throughdiocese and parish. The Representative Bodyadministers financial matters including pensionsand investments as well as providing professionalassistance and guidance.

Dioceses also hold some property in their own rightand organise church schools in their area as well asa host of other activities including socialresponsibility projects.

04 / The Church in Wales – A small guide to a big picture 05 / The Church in Wales – A small guide to a big picture

From churches and cathedrals to chaplaincy andcongregations; from marriages to membership; fromhousing to homelessness; from families to famine relief;from Abbey Cwmhir to Ystradyfodwg, the Church inWales plays its full part locally and internationally. We are about activity and aspiration, community andcommitment, presence and partnership. The followingsections reveal aspects of the Church’s activities whichwill leave you saying: I didn’t know that…

What we doWhat we believe

The Church believes in God as a loving creator,redeemer and inspirer.

The love of God is revealed uniquely in the personof Jesus of Nazareth and can be found in all people.

The values which flow from our beliefs mean thatthe Church in Wales:

– Cares about the things that really matter inpeople’s lives

– Has a presence and purpose in every part ofWales through its parishes

– Works with and for people in communities and organisations within that parish area andbeyond

– Is actively involved in local needs andopportunities and the wellbeing of people

– Encourages new kinds of involvement throughsocial projects and partnerships

– Opens and shares its buildings for widercommunity use

– Welcomes people from whatever backgroundand age in its worship and activities

– Responds to people’s spiritual needs at times of great importance and change in their lives

– Provides primary, secondary and tertiaryeducation with a distinctive Christian character


Each of our churches is managed by local volunteermembers of the church congregation. They areresponsible for the maintenance and repair of eachchurch including fundraising.

We take the care of our churches very seriously. Weoperate a system for overseeing work to our buildings(called faculty procedure) based on professional andexpert advice. Every church is formally inspected by aqualified architect every five years.

As well as being places of worship, and venues forweddings (3,538 in 2007), baptisms (8,170 in 2007) and funerals, churches and cathedrals are vital heritagebuildings. They are important visitor destinations andplaces of pilgrimage which we keep open as regularly as possible. They often host unique collections of art and local history; churches promote music and the artsand are centres of community life.

There is a continuing challenge to fund these vitalcommunity assets.

Church buildings

1,430places of worship including cathedrals,parish churches, and chapels

29%of the Grade 1 listed buildings in Walesare Church in Wales churches. Two-thirdsof our churches are listed buildings

1,000,000people visit our churches and cathedrals each year

£70 millionis the estimated cost of repair to ourlisted buildings over the next five years

The Cloisters at St DavidsCathedral, Pembrokeshire –our most visited Cathedraland a place of pilgrimagefor generations.


Whilst the church hall is often the place for communityactivities, increasingly churches are being adapted to provide for a wide range of activities e.g meeting rooms, cafés, crèches, social clubs, surgeries, exhibitionsand galleries.

The church can be a focal point for communitycohesion – a place where people are welcomed,involved and valued.

We want our churches to be places of joy and hope with flexible and imaginative programmes and activities.

The church is increasingly the last public building left in a community and it plays a key role in helping to inspireand transform communities and congregations.

Open for all

350church halls and parish rooms

15,000sessions of community use of buildingseach week in Church in Wales buildings

160,000people use our buildings each monthfor community activities

30%of community uses of church buildingsinvolve young people

St Matthew’s Church,Swansea – the church hasbeen divided into a worshiparea and a resource centrefor disadvantaged people(operated by CyreniansCymru).


Through crèches and after school clubs, disability groups and arts projects to senior citizens luncheonclubs, I.T. and parenting classes, local churches arecontributing positively to the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities across Wales.

Thousands of volunteers from our congregations leadand support community groups as carers, listeners,reconcilers, advocates, mentors, coaches, friends,supporters, funders, helpful pairs of hands, loving hearts…

Our Social Responsibility projects, organised by eachdiocese in the disadvantaged areas of Wales, work withvulnerable people, building confidence and esteem,teaching new skills, supporting the longer termprevention of social problems such as crime, substancemisuse, unemployment, poor parenting and poverty,

This is the Church in Wales in action.

Community activity

160staff employed to run SocialResponsibility projects

3,000volunteers helping with these projects

8,000individuals helped by our projects

£2.5 millioninvestment in communities throughour projects

Children learning throughplay at Little Sunbeams,Swansea – a childcareproject run by the Dioceseof Swansea and Brecon.


We are concerned about the need for more affordablehousing in Wales. We have a number of successfulschemes already built on our land with more planned.

We work to alleviate homelessness through outreachprojects in urban and rural areas such as flats for singleparents, shelters and street support.

We work closely with Local Authorities, Welsh AssemblyGovernment, Shelter Cymru and Community HousingCymru to develop strategies to address housing issues.

Our parish priests are provided with houses so they canlive within the communities they serve. We let a numberof houses and seek to ensure proper standards ofaccommodation.

Places to live

Sitesfor affordable housing have beencreated and are being investigated

Homelessnessinitiatives to offer help and support

Partnershipwe work closely with others onhousing issues

696houses for parish priests

St John’s Church, Hafod,Swansea – this church wasconverted (by Tai Cartrefi) toprovide ten flats for theelderly as well as retaining anarea for worship.


The Church has always been committed to educationand life long learning. We work with local authorities and the Welsh Assembly Government to provide schools across Wales.

Our schools don’t serve churches; they servecommunities, reflecting and including every religious and cultural flavour in inner cities, outer estates and the rural countryside. Their vision and commitment is to be truly comprehensive in their intake and outlook.Local churches develop close pastoral links with theseschools, supported by a network of church educationstaff across Wales.

Our schools are committed to helping all children toreach their full potential and to do so in an atmosphereof acceptance and reflection that gives direction andpurpose to their lives. In today’s world, attitudes andspirituality, values and aspirations will be as important as technical competencies.

Schools

168Church in Wales schools

2,978teachers and other staff

2,086governors supporting Church in Wales schools

21,261children and young people in our schools

St Joseph’s High School,Wrexham – a joint RomanCatholic/Church in Walessecondary school.


We believe the Earth and its resources are God’s precious creation.

We run national conferences often dealing withcontroversial issues such as sustainable populations(organised with the Open University) and nuclear energy,as well as multi agency events on the implications ofclimate change (with the Institute of Welsh Affairs andthe Institute of Directors).

Our group ‘Church Action on Sustaining theEnvironment’(CHASE)’ has representatives on a variety of national and international environment bodies andseeks to guide church policy on this vital topic. We havealigned our approach with the Welsh AssemblyGovernment’s sustainable development policy.

Local churches throughout Wales are active in differentcampaigns, and worship and church life include a focuson environmental concerns and action.

Care for the environment

10principles for sustainability have beendeveloped to guide our approach to theenvironment

Fair Tradewe encourage ethical purchasing at every level

Guidewe have produced a Parish Green Guideto help take forward our policies andprocedures

Awardswe give an award each year for greenprojects in each diocese that pursuethese issues

St Joseph’s Church,Cwmaman – Solar panels on this church which alsoprovides space forcommunity activity.


We have always been an integral part of rural Wales andwe care deeply about its future. Rural parishes play a keyrole in the life of the community with all its social andeconomic challenges.

Through our Rural Life Advisers and their networks ineach of the six dioceses, we work with other agenciessuch as the Welsh Assembly Government, FarmingUnions, Farm Crisis Network, and the Institute of RuralHealth as well as markets, food co-ops, tourism bodiesand third sector organisations.

We administered the Addington welfare fund during theFoot and Mouth Disease outbreaks and offer support tolocal farmers’ families and communities.

We contribute to the Rural Development Plan (2013) and Farming Food and Countryside 2020 and support the vision of a secure future for agriculture in Wales.

Rural life

6Rural Life Advisers – one in eachDiocese

80%of our parishes are in or close to a rural area

Farmingremains a key industry for Wales(although it accounts for less than 2% of GDP)

Identityrural self-image is widely felt in Walese.g 280,000 visitors to the Royal WelshShow each year

Rural life adviser – the Revd Eileen Davies talking to a local farmer inNewcastle Emlyn.


Churchyards tell the story of the Welsh nation and recordthe lives of the people of Wales. They are vital signpoststo the past; the land around the church indicates the areaknown in Welsh as the ‘llan’. They are places that offercomfort and solace.

Churchyards are important habitats for wildlife as well as settings for listed church buildings. Churchyards areoften vital green spaces in built-up areas.

Our churchyards are essential community assetsproviding local burial space for communities. Most of our churchyards are maintained by each local ParochialChurch Council (even after there is no further space forburials) without any formal state aid. We estimate that in 10 years, two-thirds of our churchyards will have nospace for further burials.

Community Councils and Local Authorities do offer grantassistance in some places but more help is needed if ourchurchyards are to continue to serve Welshcommunities.

Churchyards

1,217churchyards across Wales

8,100funerals in 2007

125,000hours of volunteer time in every yearmaintaining our churchyards

£16 millionof repair works required to ourchurchyards

St Bridget’s Church, St Bride’sMajor – school childreninvestigating local history inthe churchyard.


We have an active presence within the life and structuresof many different organisations working with their staffand those they serve. Chaplains are appointed to thepolice, prisons, hospitals, armed services, localauthorities, businesses, educational establishments and fire brigades.

Chaplains serve on committees and project groups,which make decisions affecting the whole life of theorganisation, as well as providing a range of services to particular individuals and groups. The role of thechaplain is valued as a model and catalyst for spirituality,care, social action and personal transformation.

Chaplains are seen as key colleagues in the variousinstitutions. Different faiths and value systems areincreasingly recognised and valued as part of the ethos,health and wellbeing of these institutions.

Chaplaincy

20chaplains in Further and HigherEducation serving 340,000 students,and 29,000 staff

27chaplains in 4 prisons, with 1,517 staff,and 2,807 inmates

61chaplains in 117 hospitals with 88,000staff and 13,354 beds

Armed Servicesministering to personnel at home andoverseas

Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor –Revd Wynne Roberts,hospital chaplain, talkingwith catering staff.


Just as God cares about all aspects of life, so does theChurch. That is why we get involved where decisionsare made which affect the social, economic andenvironmental wellbeing of us all.

We work in partnership with others, both locally and strategically, because the challenges of Wales are greater than any one organisation or sector canaddress on its own.

We are involved in a broad range of issues, includingrural affairs, deprivation, poverty, the environmentand energy, binge-drinking, offending, anti socialbehaviour, international affairs and relationships with other faiths.

Our aspiration is to help make a real difference to the communities of Wales. We believe this is aspiritual agenda.

Working with…

Governmentfrom the European Union to localauthorities

Public sectorincluding NHS Wales and the fourPolice Forces

Private sectorbusiness organisations and localcompanies

Third sectorWelsh Council for Voluntary Action and local groups

The National Assembly forWales – one of the partnerswe are working with topromote a fair and justsociety for all.


On weekdays, as well as Sundays, you can share yourconcerns with God and with others and give thanksfor all that is good. The Church supports you atsignificant moments in your life, whether ofcelebration or difficulty, as you join in the pattern of shared worship throughout the year.

We believe spirituality is central to every part of lifewhether at work or at home and we offer help,counsel and advice on all matters which concern you.The Church brings the rich traditions of the past tothe questions and challenges of the 21st Century.

All are welcome – at the very heart of worship is thelove of God for each person. As we respond to thislove in new and different ways, we contribute to thetransformation of organisations and communitiesacross Wales and discover more of what the Bible calls ‘life in all its fullness’.

And by the way…

Quietnessplaces of peace and tranquillity

Meditationa chance to think and to pray

Musicinspiring and uplifting

Learning andsharingto explore wisdom and ideas together

St Brynach’s Church, Nevern– the Nevern cross remindsus of the timelessness ofspirituality and the Christianfaith.


Telephone Numbers:Provincial Office: 029 2034 8200

Diocesan Offices:St Asaph 01745 584321Bangor 01248 354999St Davids 01267 236145Llandaff 01656 868868Monmouth 01633 267490Swansea and Brecon 01874 623716

www.churchinwales.org.uk

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The Church in Wales: A small guide to a big picture · future and our hope to work with you to achieve them. 02 / The Church in Wales –A small guide to a big picture ... The love