Joy at Confirmation service
Friends, families, and members of all seven churches in Abergavenny Ministry Area packed St Mary’s Priory for a joyous service of Confirmation on Sunday, July 19.
Bishop Cherry Vann confirmed eight people from throughout the ministry area, with many of them giving testimony about why they felt called to take this next step in their Christian life. The group included two couples, a mother and daughter, our team vicar’s son, and a new member of St Mary’s.
Please pray for Aaron, Bethan, Cameron, Chloe, Dilys, Jessica, Joseph and Simon as they continue their journey of faith.
Revd Dawn Lindsay licenced as Team Vicar
In a wonderful service, with family, friends, people from the MAs in which she has served, and representatives from every church in our MA, the Bishop of Monmouth licensed the Revd Dawn Lindsay as our Team Vicar on Wednesday, June 24. Revd Dawn has been with the ministry area since January, serving the final months of her curacy. The service was full of joyful music, solemn oaths (from Rev Dawn, the Ministry Team and the congregation. Here Revd Dawn gives her reflection on the evening…
What an absolute joy Wednesday, June 24, was for me and my family. To be licensed to Team Vicar in this amazing Ministry Area three years to the day after my ordination to the diaconate, what a privilege!
To look out and see the church absolutely filled with people from all stages of my journey; past and present parishioners, people who have loved me and supported me through discernment, those who walked with me through college and curacy, and my very dearest friends (my sparkle sisters) was a blessing beyond words. And to have so many of my family there, some travelling great distances on the hottest day of the year, was simply wonderful. I was overwhelmed with the turnout, especially with the heat, and please know I appreciated each and every one of you for coming along.
Sharing that joy with you meant more to me than I can say. And knowing that you are now well and truly stuck with me for as long as God wants me here (and I currently never want to leave!) fills me with such happiness.
The music was divine, thank you to Tim and the choir, Cheri on guitar, Martin on the organ, and Judith on the piano. You were all outstanding. Thank you, too, for every card, gift, and prayer; I felt deeply loved and very emotional throughout the service.
Thank you also to Samiya and Gaynor, who read so well.
A special thank‑you to everyone who organised the refreshments, especially the much-needed water in the 30‑degree heat. And my greatest thanks go to Lea, for simply being you, and for making my transition here such an absolute joy. I’m genuinely excited for the next stage of this journey together, and to see where God leads us as we continue to serve this wonderful Ministry Area.
My heart is full. God bless you all,
Revd Dawn Lindsay,
Team Vicar (yay!)
MA welcomes the Revd Dawn Lindsay
Abergavenny Ministry Area welcomed the Revd Dawn Lindsay at a special Evensong at Christchurch North Street on Sunday. The congregation – from our MA, the Heart of Newport MA and Chepstow MA – gathered in Christchurch Hall afterwards for refreshments and lots and lots of chatter. Revd Dawn is pictured centre left, with Revd Lea centre right, together with family and just some of the well-wishers.
*******************************************************************
Christmas Week Reflection: A Season of Giving
As we enter Christmas week, I’m reminded that this season is truly about giving, writes John Meredith of Abergavenny Ministry Area. Not just wrapped packages under a tree, but the giving of ourselves, our time, and our compassion to those who need it most.
It’s my pleasure and privilege to coordinate the Christmas Gift Collection for Care Leavers this year, working in partnership with Monmouthshire Social Services. For over 20 years, the churches of Abergavenny have been reaching out to young people leaving care, and I’m honoured to continue this beautiful tradition.
Why This Matter: Leaving care is one of life’s most challenging transitions. These young adults are stepping into independence often without the safety net that many of us take for granted—no family home to return to during difficult times, no parents to call for advice, no certainty of where the next meal might come from. At Christmas, when the world celebrates family and togetherness, care leavers can feel especially isolated and forgotten.
That’s why this gift collection means so much. Each toiletry pack, each pair of gloves, each thoughtful gift says: “You are not forgotten. You are valued. You matter.” These simple items meet practical needs, yes, but more importantly, they send a powerful message of love and remembrance.
The Joy of Community: What fills my heart with gratitude is seeing how our local congregations and businesses have embraced this initiative. When we come together—churches of different denominations, local shops, community members—we embody what Christmas is truly about. We become the hands and feet of Christian love in action.
Every gift dropped off at the Tithe Barn represents someone who paused in their busy December to think of a young person they’ve never met. That’s the magic of this collection—it connects strangers through kindness and transforms individual acts of generosity into a wave of hope.
Every contribution, however small it may seem, will help bring warmth and hope to a young person this Christmas. Together, we can ensure that care leavers know they are part of our community, that they are loved, and that they are not alone.
This Christmas week, let us show love in action. Let us give generously, not just from our wallets, but from our hearts. These gifts are a simple but powerful way of showing Christian love in action.
With gratitude and hope, Abergavenny Churches Christmas Gifts for Care Leavers.
*******************************************************************
Churches support Wales Air Ambulance
Revd Lea Ryder presents a cheque for £333.50 to Wales Air Ambulance, the proceeds of the collection at the commissioning of Lay Worship Leaders earlier this year. Wales Air Ambulance is an all-Wales Charity providing critical care 24/7 to those suffering a life or limb-threatening injury or illness.
*******************************************************************
Revd Dawn to be welcomed to our ministry area with a special service
Revd Dawn Lindsay will be welcomed to Abergavenny Ministry Area at a special service at Christchurch, North Street, on January 4, at 5pm. Do come along and say hello – there will be light refreshments in the hall afterwards.
*******************************************************************
Revd Dawn to move to our ministry area
Archbishop Cherry is delighted to announce that following a successful application and interview Dawn Lindsay will be moving to the Abergavenny Ministry Area.
She will move at the end of the year from the Heart of Newport Ministry Area, initially serving the end of her curacy in Abergavenny with an anticipated licensing as Team Vicar in May or June.
Excited about her appointment, Dawn wrote: “Hello! I’m Revd Dawn, and I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to be joining the Abergavenny Ministry Area.
“I’ll be arriving with my lovely husband Adrian, we’ve been married for 34 years, and our cheeky little dog Chewie, who’s very much part of the family! We also have four grown-up children and three gorgeous little grandchildren, so life is never dull.
“I’m currently serving as a third-year Assistant Curate in the Heart of Newport MA, where I’ve learned so much and been deeply blessed by the people and experiences there. Before ordination, I spent 30 years working as a travel agent, mostly in the centre of Newport, and later joined Adrian in running his own business.
“Thank you so much for the warm welcome I’ve already received from the few of you I have met, it truly means a lot. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all, to worship together, to share in the life of the church and to be a part of the team bringing God’s kingdom to the area.
“Please do come and say hello if you see me out and about, I really am so excited to walk alongside you in faith, hope, and love.”
While Dawn will be licensed in May or June, we are hoping there will be ‘Welcome to our MA’ service at Christchurch North Street on January 4 at 5pm—details to be confirmed.
*******************************************************************
Eleven Lay Worship Leaders commissioned
In the latest celebration of lay ministry, 11 Lay Worship Leaders were commissioned at St Mary’s on September 14, 2005, in a wonderful service which saw a celebration of the varied forms of worship in our ministry area—from Choral to Open House. They are now formally commissioned to lead services of the Word, for instance Morning and Evening Prayer, and to help the clergy in other services.
The taste of Open House came in the reflections on the readings, the prayers, a worship song and an activity celebrating Holy Cross Day.
The congregation also bid farewell to Jez Piper (pictured left with Revd Lea) who is now studying for ordination to the priesthood at St Padarn’s College. It has been a privilege to be part of Jez’s journey and he will be much missed.
******************************************************************
Eleven Lay Pastoral Assistants commissioned
In a joyous service on Sunday, July 6, 2025,11 Lay Pastoral Assistants were commissioned by Minister Area Leader the Revd Lea Ryder to serve in Abergavenny Ministry Area.
They were just some of those who have trained for lay ministry in the MA – a couple were unable to attend the service – which was put together by members of the Lay Worship Leaders team, who will themselves be commissioned later this summer.
Nearly 100 people came to support those being commissioned from the seven churches in the MA and the service included a special anthem composed to celebrate musical director Tim Pratt’s 25 years of service to St Mary’s Priory Church, Abergavenny. The setting for Psalm 121 was composed by David Evan Thomas.
In her address, Rector the Revd Lea Ryder said: “Pastoral ministry is incarnational. It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about being present. It’s about showing up in the name of Christ and trusting that He is already there.
“In pastoral care, you may not always have the right words or the perfect solution. But if you bring love, patience, gentleness, and faithfulness, you are bearing the fruit of the Spirit—and that is powerful. That is ministry. These qualities are not achievements to strive for in our own strength, but signs that the Spirit is at work in us.”
The commissioned ministers were presented with certificates during refreshments after the service, to much applause.
********************************************************************************
Director of Music celebrates 25 years of service
A special Evensong celebrated St Mary’s director of music Tim Pratt’s 25 years of service. Over that time he has arranged and composed various pieces of music, and enabled countless adults and young people to develop their musical gifts and ability. Over the years, he has calculated he has trained 140 trebles (young people), some of whom came to the celebratory Evensong.
During the service the choir sang an anthem especially composed for Psalm 121 by David Evan Thomas.
*******************************************************************
New Ministry Area Leader appointed
Following a competitive interview, Bishop Cherry is pleased to announce that Revd Lea Ryder has been appointed as the Ministry Area Leader for the Abergavenny Ministry Area (August 2024).
In making the announcement Bishop Cherry said, “Lea has been acting Ministry Area Leader for some time and, much to her surprise, came to feel that is the role God was calling her to. She brings an enthusiasm and passion for the gospel and a deep love for the churches and communities of the MA which was evident in her application and interview. Her vision for what the church could be and become is compelling and I look forward to working with her and the churches she serves in sharing the love of God with all who live and work in that part of our diocese.”
Lea began her ministry in Abergavenny just over three years ago after serving in Chepstow and before that Raglan Ministry Area. She has been fortunate to be part of the team as it became a MA and feels ‘blessed’ to work with such amazing people in the seven churches.
She is currently the Rural Life Advisor for our Diocese and a member of the Diocesan Prayer and Spirituality group. She is also a chaplain to the Monmouth FCN group and a sports chaplain.
Lea said: “It is an honour and privilege to be offered the role as Rural Dean and Ministry Area Leader in Abergavenny MA.
“Although I feel I have always been called to rural ministry, I do believe God has called me here to this time and place. I have always had a heart for Ministry Areas, and I passionately believe God has some amazing things in store for us as we strive to not only grow numerically but also spiritually.”
Lea has run her own business riding horses competitively for a living most of her life and still competes and rides horses for pleasure, more recently she has been given the nickname ‘the galloping vicar’.
Along with husband Miles, Lea enjoys watching and supporting their son in his sporting pursuits, which includes playing rugby for Usk rugby club and representing Wales and borders in Tetrathlons, which is running, shooting, swimming and Cross-Country horse riding. As a family they value the time they spend together in God’s amazing creation, especially where they live.