Many people regularly come to worship at our churches, but at different times of life, others may make contact with us for special services for weddings, baptisms, thanksgivings and funerals.  At these times, people come to worship God and to seek his blessing and presence with them.

 

Please note that anyone who lives within our parish (Glynneath, Cwmgwrach, Pontwalby, Resolven, Clyne) or who regularly worships at St David’s or St Cadoc’s or St Mary’s is entitled to have any of the above churches services after discussion with the Vicar. 

 

If you do not worship at these churches or do not live within our parish then it is usually more appropriate for weddings and baptisms to be arranged for you at your local church so that you might be cared for under their ongoing pastoral oversight.  The Vicar might allow a service to take place even if you do not fall into the official church regulations, but it must be stressed that you should make arrangements with him rather than assuming that the church will be available to you on certain dates.  Contact us to find out more details of how we can help you decide.

 

 

 

We are happy to invite couples to come to our parish churches for their wedding service as we believe that inviting God to be present at the start of a marriage is an important witness of his presence throughout that relationship.  Providing the couple fulfil all legal requirements of the law of the land and of the church, then a service can usually be arranged for any day of the week. 

 

Note that the divorcees may be married in our churches providing that the Decree Absolute has been given and that the couple are aware that the Vicar will ask some questions regarding former marriages.

 

The Church in Wales wedding service is a good celebration of marriage life as a gift of God to humanity, explaining that God calls men and women to the married state so that:

 

As part of the preparation for the marriage, the couple meet up with the Vicar several times to discuss the wedding day and to talk about marriage.  Many couples find this a stimulating time, as it is often the case that they have not had the opportunity for someone to ask interesting and challenging questions concerning their relationship.  Most couples find this very helpful to their preparation.  The Vicar will explain the system for announcing the forthcoming marriage through the publication of banns in churches where the couple presently live and he will arrange a rehearsal for the couple in the church a few days before the wedding.

 

The cost for a church wedding in 2009/10 is £250 (for those who are regular worshippers in the parish churches, the cost is less). 

 

Contact the Vicar to discuss arrangements for weddings or for a blessing following a service at the Registrar’s Office, or for a service of renewal of Wedding Vows.

 

 

 

Following God is a wonderful part of life and we are very happy to encourage people of all ages to come to church to express their love for God.

 

Christening and baptism are words used to describe the same event, but often people use the word Christening just for babies. We will refer to this service as Baptism, which involves the person (or parents of a baby) declaring their commitment to God, and the Vicar using water as a sign of God’s loving care offered to them. It is an ancient way of becoming part of The Church, God’s people and because of its importance, should be considered with some thought before arrangements are booked.

 

In our parish, most people who get baptised are in fact adults or young people.  Baptism is a public way of declaring that you want God to be an important part of your life and that you chose to follow him, receiving his love whilst giving him your praise. 

 

If you are a parent, then you may like to have a special service for your child in church. If you are Christian and worship as part of a church fellowship, then we would encourage you to have your child baptised as part of a regular Sunday service. 

 

However, if you don’t come to church, we would still like to offer a special time for your family to be present as we give thanks for the child’s life, pray for God to bless them and for you as family to be strengthen by God’s power. This is a service of Thanksgiving and can take place in any of our churches at any time.  It does not involve water, but as in baptisms, adults can take on the role of a god-parent.

 

If you would like to consider a Baptism, (Christening) or Thanksgiving, please contact the Vicar, who will help you chose which service best suits you. There is no charge for any of these services but you do need to get in contact some months before any desired date. 

 

 

We believe that Jesus brings peace to those who mourn and hope to us all as we live in human weakness and will all face death. We want you to receive any support that we can offer you. If you live within our parish, or have a connection with us, then we can offer you the use of our church buildings for funeral services, and the vicar will be pleased to lead a funeral service.

 

It is often the local custom to have a short service of prayer at the deceased's house, followed by the Church in Wales funeral service at the graveside or Crematorium.  The Vicar will visit the bereaved family and discuss details of the service and share the Christian message of resurrection and new life in Christ. 

 

There is the opportunity for continued contact following the funeral to offer support through grief, and counsel is available for further support.  There is a fee of around £55 for the attendance of a minister, and an additional fee of £100 if a church building and church staff are requested.

 

Every year we have a parish bereavement care group which is there to support people in their mourning. These are held for 5 weeks in different parts of the parish and many find them a comforting place to express feelings or listen to others.

 

 

Contact: Revd. Peter Lewis, 99a neath Road, Resolven, SA11 4AN 01639 711262
Growing in Faith, extending God's Kingdom.