Welcome to the website of the Shrine Church of Saint Melangell. Here you will find information about our services, events and facilities. Please use the menus at the top and bottom of the page to navigate to the page you need, or click the news links for up to date information.
Mae ein gwefan Gymraeg i’w gweld yma
Our booking form system for retreats is currently being developed and will be updated as soon as possible. In the meantime please email admin@stmelangell.org concerning booking enquiries. Thank you for your patience.
August and September Services at the Shrine Church of St Melangell
August heralds the last of the ‘dog days of summer’, from July 3rd to August 11th, which tend to be the hottest and most humid of the year, caused by the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth tilting towards the sun and its rays hitting more directly. In ancient times, stargazers put this down to the appearance of Sirius, the brightest night star, which they thought also brought extra heat. Sirius, which means ‘scorching’ or ‘glowing’, is the Dog Star, the brightest in the constellation Canis Major, the Big Dog. It was thought by the Greeks to represent the biggest of Orion’s hunting dogs with Canis Minor representing his Little Dog. That still has subtle references today, one being that Sirius Black, Harry Potter’s Godfather, turns into a huge black dog rather than any other animal. From the ancients’ belief about Sirius has developed the ‘dog days of summer’ with August then being the bridge to autumn and the change of season and weather.
In a normal year, no other month starts on the same weekday as August, although in a leap year it begins on the same day as February. It’s the peak holiday month and, in these times of rising prices and international uncertainty, more people are having a ‘staycation’ in the UK which the various heatwaves have sometimes made hotter than the continent. Many enjoy the warmer weather but it can take its toll of the elderly and vulnerable, with crops and animal welfare affected by such intense heat recently. Here at St Melangell’s, the spring ran dry and, although it is slowly refilling, the pressure remains low with bottled drinking water having to be bought and water from the river being used for other purposes. In realising that what is so often taken for granted had to be rationed and other ways found of eking it out, it was impressive to see a retreatant here using cherry juice rather than water colours for her painting!
These are changing times – the Greeks and Romans blamed Sirius for the warmer weather whereas it seems that climate change, pollution and deforestation may be some of the causes today. Whatever the reasons, there is much to consider and it’s sometimes said that we should appreciate what we have before it turns into what we had. That applies to people and relationships as well as commodities and belongings – in these dog days of summer, how does that apply to our own lives or does having to consider all this drive you barking mad?!
With my prayers; pob bendith,
Christine, Priest Guardian.
The following services will be held in August and September:
Ninth Sunday after Trinity, August 2nd, 3pm: Due to a funeral taking place at 12pm Thursday 6th August, there will not be a Holy Eucharist service held that day.
Tenth Sunday after Trinity, August 9th, 3pm: Service of reflection.
Thursday 13th August, noon: Holy Eucharist and service of healing.
Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, August 16th, 3pm: Service of reflection.
Bernard, Abbot, Thursday 20th August, noon: Holy Eucharist.
Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, 23rd August, 3pm: Service of reflection.
Monica, Thursday 27th August, noon: Holy Eucharist and service of healing.
Friday 28th August, 10.30am: Julian Group at the Centre.
Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, 30th August, 3pm: Songs of praise in the open air, weather permitting. Please choose your favourite hymn, prayer or poem and share it with others present in these beautiful surroundings.
Thursday 3rd September, noon: Holy Eucharist.
Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, 6th September, 3pm:
Thursday 10th September, noon: Holy Eucharist and service of healing.
Fifteenth after Trinity, 13th, 3pm: Service of reflection for Education Sunday.
Thursday 17th September, noon: Service of the Word, due to the clergy synod.
Sixteenth after Trinity, 20th, 3pm: Service of reflection for the Eve of St Matthew.
Thursday 24th September, noon: Holy Eucharist and service of healing.
Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, 27th September, 3pm: Service of reflection.
For further details about any of the above or to book the Shepherd’s Hut, please contact admin@stmelangell.org or ring 01691 860408.
If you need any help or support you can contact us here.