Community gathers for Mayor's annual Civic Service

* The Mayor, Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam, lights the Community Candle during the service as a sign of shared responsibility and hope for every part of life in Llangollen. Looking on is Father Lee Taylor who led the service. Picture: Andrew Daniel

Like many other things in life, churches change and evolve, which is certainly true of Llangollen's ancient parish church.

And that's because faithful stewardship isn't about freezing a building in time. It's about ensuring it continues to bless the people it exists to serve, according to its priest-in-charge, Father Lee Taylor.

In his address during the Mayor's annual Civic Service at St Collen's yesterday morning (Sunday) Father Lee outlined the measures being taken by the ongoing Genesis Project to make the building fit for the future while carefully preserving its glorious heritage.

He told the congregation of town councillors and officers headed by the Mayor, Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam, county councillors and representatives of a range of local organisations and neighbouring local authorities that he was listening to the radio recently as familiar sayings of parents and grandparents were under discussion when one struck a particular chord, "I remember when all this was fields".

* Father Lee delivers his address.

He said: "It’s the sort of phrase that seems to get truer the older you get. Of course, places do change.

"New houses appear. Shops come and go. Roads are rerouted. Communities grow and evolve. Before long, somewhere that once looked familiar looks quite different.

And yet, when we think about Llangollen, most of us aren't really thinking about buildings. We're thinking about people. 

"It's the neighbour who keeps an eye on someone living alone. The volunteer who gives up evenings to help run the Eisteddfod, the railway or one of our many community events. The teacher whose encouragement is remembered years later. The familiar face behind the counter in a local shop. Councillors who seek the common good. Churches, charities, and community organisations, each playing their own part.

"The strength of a community has never depended on whether everything stays the same. That's how communities work as well. 

"That truth is perhaps illustrated by the very building in which we are gathered today.

"At the back of St Collen's hangs a painting showing the church before the great Victorian restoration of the 1860s. Look closely and you'll notice just how different it was.

"The tall oak box pews have disappeared. The south aisle had not yet been built. There was no west entrance. Even the chancel did not exist."

Father Lee went on: "The St Collen's we know and cherish today was itself the result of bold decisions taken by an earlier generation.

"When those works were carried out, the Shrewsbury Chronicle explained why. It said they were undertaken: 'On account of the growing wants of this thriving and attractive town, it was felt that additional church accommodation was imperatively required.

"Our predecessors looked around them and asked not, 'How do we preserve everything exactly as it is?' They asked instead, 'How do we best serve the people of Llangollen?"

"That same question continues to shape us today. Many of you will know about the Genesis Project. Over the summer we've been fairly quiet, and I've had plenty of people asking whether anything is happening. The answer is yes.

"I want to reassure you that a great deal continues behind the scenes. Projects like this take time, and we're enormously grateful for the support we've received, including significant grant funding, as we continue through the necessary approvals.

"The vision hasn't changed. Just as our Victorian predecessors adapted this building to meet the needs of their generation, so our hope is to preserve this remarkable heritage while creating a church that is warm, welcoming, accessible and equipped to serve the people of Llangollen for generations still to come.

"Faithful stewardship isn't about freezing a building in time. It's about ensuring it continues to bless the people it exists to serve."

After the service the Mayor, Cllr Richards-Gwilliam commented: “It was a real privilege to welcome our community, alongside visiting guests, dignitaries and local groups to my Civic Service.

"My heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who was involved in making it such a special occasion. It was wonderful to see so many familiar and new faces come together, both at the church service and afterwards for refreshments at the Town Hall. It was a lovely reflection of the community spirit we are so fortunate to have here in Llangollen.

“Father Lee’s sermon also felt particularly fitting for the Civic Service, focusing on the Genesis Project and the vision for the future of St Collen’s Church. 

"As such a prominent and much-loved part of our town, the church has an important place in our community, and the message of creating a welcoming space at its heart is very good to see. I look forward to watching the work progress and wish everyone involved every success for the future.”

Following the service a reception was held at the Town Hall to the accompaniment of a musical selection from the Silver Band.

* The procession, including the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, Cllr Charlie Jones, arrives for the service.

* Llangollen Silver Band plays during the service.

* John Gambles, chair of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, reads the first lesson.

* Dyfed Thomas gives the second reading.

* Dyfan Parry reads the poem Dream a World.

* Vera Heath leads the intercessions.

* The Silver Band plays during the town Hall reception which followed the service.