Autumn is traditionally, as the poet Keats reminds us, the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’. But during the Vice President and President’s recent visit to Wales, it was also a time of sunshine and spectacular scenery for them both to enjoy.

Vice President (10-11th October)

Richard Vautrey came to spend the weekend in south Wales, just back from a trip to the World Methodist Council in Chile and visits to political Party Conferences.
We were keen to use his experience to explore issues of faith and practice in the field of medical ethics and so his visit began on the Saturday morning in a conversation with medical practitioners at Radyr church which quickly raised a range of issues not just in Wales but around the world. Taking advantage of the autumn sunshine, we were able to show Richard the sights of the Brecon beacons and the south Wales valleys, now increasingly greening over, and to take in a brief visit to Big Pit and the World Heritage centre at Blaenavon. Then in the afternoon, there was an open meeting at the recently refurbished church at Llanyrafon, with the opportunity to explore with Richard ‘Dr. Luke’s casebook’ and to reflect on contemporary medical issues in light of the biblical perspective.

On Sunday, Richard preached at Trinity, Porthcawl, a long-established Methodist-URC congregation in the Bridgend United area, reflecting on the story of the rich young ruler and the challenge of the Gospel, before going to have lunch with Win and Ceri Griffiths. Win is a former Health minister and currently Chair of the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, as well as a Local Preacher. In the afternoon, Richard preached at Trinity in the newly reconfigured Newport & Lower Wye circuit, reflecting on the story of the ‘widow’s mite’ and how we make us of the resources we have, before catching a train back to Leeds, we trust to catch up with wife and family.




The Vice-President, Dr Richard Vautrey with the Rev. Dr. Stephen Wigley, Chair of the Wales Synod and the Rev. Louise Gough at Trinity Church, Newport

President (14-18th October)

David Gamble came to us having just arrived back from a two week visit to India and Sri Lanka. Given the significance of the 1859 revival, it would come as no surprise that he was to be involved in a number of significant anniversaries, and so we began with a centenary celebration at Skewen on the Wednesday evening followed by a 150th anniversary at Green St., Aberdare on the Thursday. In both cases there were opportunities for David to make personal links; at Skewen where the local minister Soba Sinnathamby originally comes from Sri Lanka and in Aberdare where the local superintendent Robin Wood was a fellow student with David at Wesley House.

On Thursday there was the opportunity for an open meeting and conversation with ministers and their spouses at Radyr. Then in the afternoon we visited two significant Action for Children projects in Caerphilly, the Family Intervention Team and the Children’s Centre. The President was able to reflect on his own long experience in this area, as a previous Chair of Barnado’s, and since we were accompanied by Will Morrey, a former President and now Faith Communities Advisor for Action for Children we were also updated about the recent ‘Neglect’ campaign.

On Friday we drove in glorious sunshine up into mid-Wales to see the tiny little Chapel at Pentre Llifior which has been lovingly restored by local volunteers.




The President, the Rev. David Gamble (centre) with the Rev. Dr. Stephen Wigley and Andrew Mathieson at Pentre Llifior Chapel





The President was also informed of connection with Rev. James Buckley (of ‘Rev James’ ale fame) which in turn reminded him of his own connections with London Welsh.
We then took the opportunity to visit the ancient pilgrim and sanctuary church at Pennant Melangell which offered a new insight into the President’s theme of ‘Creating safer space’, before travelling through Snowdonia to the North Wales coast.

At Colwyn Bay David met and shared a meal with the Synod Cymru Chair, Patrick Slattery and the leadership team of the new Cylchdaith Cymru (Circuit) which came into being in September. The President was able to hear news of how the new circuit was developing and also to use his experience of CPD in response to some of the new issues raised. We then stayed overnight at Bangor with Alf and Mary Williams, long standing colleagues from Conference (and Scrutineers’ Committee) days, and David was able to hear news of how in Bangor the two circuits are exploring a new project to develop work among young people in both Welsh and English languages.

On Saturday morning St. John’s Bangor hosted a joint event between the Wales Synod and Synod Cymru at which David was able to share more of his Conference theme ‘Creating safer space’ before an interested and responsive audience. Then (having managed to commandeer a brief update on the weekend’s Heineken Cup rugby courtesy of Rhos-on-Sea Golf Club) we went to share in the 10th anniversary of the Methodist Home at Coed Craig in Colwyn Bay and a circuit celebration at St. John’s Llandudno, which included an innovative liturgy of light, darkness and the glow culminating in the launch of a prayer lantern from the North Shore beach!


Having stayed overnight with Trevor and Mal Pratt at Buckley, the President preached at Sunday services at Buckley and Wrexham which took the theme of ‘One World Week’ and during which David was able to reflect on his visits to India and Sri Lanka and to share stories of the ‘small miracles’ which he had seem brought about by the work of MRDF. We were also led to reflect on the reality of living in a world of rich and poor, when our lunch at Northop was accompanied by the gathering of a Rolls Royce owners club. ]However, it didn’t prevent David from going on to preside at the reopening of the refurbished premises at Northop Hall and being reminded of just how much the Methodist church is involved in local communities here in Wales.

David left us on Sunday evening to drive back to London. We were very aware of the huge distances which he and Richard had travelled, both before they came to us (from Chile and Sri Lanka) and while they were with us. We are hugely appreciative of the time and expertise which they gave to us in the midst of this very busy year for them and their families. And we were reminded once more from all these different places how it is in the engaging and encouraging of small groups of local people that we see the Gospel at work – and small miracles continuing to happen.

Stephen Wigley