John's Jottings
(Or The Not-So-Secret Diary of John Hay, Anglesey Lay Worker, aged 61 and a half)
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It seems only yesterday that I last sat down to write my jottings, but I realise much to my dismay it was over two months ago! How time has flown and how the seasons have changed in that time. Back then there was almost a summer feel to the days still, but now we are in the grip of a wet and windy Winter with short grey days our standard fare. And of course, Christmas is hurtling towards us at top-speed!
For me in my role as Anglesey Lay Worker, it has been a complete whirlwind of events both on the island supporting our congregations at Amlwch and Holyhead, working with other church groups on the island and with various missional and pastoral activities across the Circuit, as well as more recently an involvement with the Connexional Team looking at Church Growth.
Below in pictures are a few of the highlights:
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Above left is me at Royce’s Celebration of 60+ years preaching with Rev Graham Thompson (Ex-President of Conference). I had not seen Graham for 40 years since we were young whipper-snappers in the Bramhall Circuit, so it was great to catch-up.
On the right is a picture of the Holyhead’s congregation Remembrance Day commemoration. I was unwell that day, so couldn’t go, but the team work so hard to put this together each year and I am so proud of them that I just had to include it!
Above left is a morning I spent with the Beyond Belief team (our faith in the outdoors group) led that day by the multi-talented, Mike Pilling teaching us bushcraft skills at Felin Bach Guides Camp near Caernarfon. I was so impressed that I have asked Santa to get me an axe and bush knife for Christmas – let’s hope he doesn’t do himself an injury bringing them down the chimney!
Above right is the Holyhead Cytun Open the Book Team at Ysgol Parc y Bont (Llanddaniel Fab) in early December just before we performed the Wise Men’s Visit (I was narrator).
Above left are folk from our Amlwch Churches Together team (made up entirely of people from the Methodist Church on this occasion) at the Amlwch Christmas Festival where we provided a biscuit decorating activity for children. We had 85 biscuits made by children/parents and were noticeably the only free activity on offer anywhere at the festival – in keeping with the Methodist Church’s Advent theme of Gifted, this was our gift to the community! We also had a tree decorated by us and entered in the Tree Festival section – sadly, not winners but still a presence alongside businesses and community groups. So proud of the team…….
Above right is me with some of the other leaders and guests at Tafarn y Rhos near Llangefni where for 12 weeks 5 churches (Methodists, Welsh Presbyterian, Baptists, the Barn Pentecostal and Capel Goleudy) have come together to run a bi-lingual Alpha course – apparently the only one of its kind and a great ecumenical adventure which bodes well for future cooperation between church groups across the island. I am now starting conversations about how we might come together to provide or assist Cytun with a presence at the Youth Eisteddfod in May 2026.
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​​​​And as we now get into the last 10 days before the big day itself, we start a round of Carol Singing at Care Homes in or near Amlwch with Amlwch Cytun Churches Together (Bryn y Mor and Brwynog) and at Valley (Plas Dwyffryn) with a team from the Holyhead Methodist Church on behalf of Holyhead Cytun. A great privilege to be able to build on the relationships built with residents and staff at these Care Homes where we have been attending to provide our elders an opportunity to worship together and take communion for some months now.
Speaking of work with our elders, at Hafan Cefni I have been leading a monthly bible study/Fellowship group for residents since January. This came out of doing a Blue Christmas Service with residents a year ago which was well received and led to the request to do something more. Consequently, I have rather a soft spot for the Blue Christmas Service and we repeated this again this year. Residents (plus Keith Alexander) were invited to write the name of a loved one or a message to them on a gift label and place it on the Memory Tree, as well as to sniff some myrrh (a symbol of death and suffering right there in the Nativity scene) and light a candle in their memory. It was quiet, reflective and deeply meaningful. The picture above left is the “altar” area with candles, memory tree and a borrowed nativity display. A quiet and reflective but very real time together.
Above right is me with group members of the Holyhead Renew Wellbeing Space (a safe space where it is “okay not go be okay”) doing a Christmas craft activity. This group meets weekly for friendly chat, refreshments and an opportunity to do craft and art activities, with an invitation for prayer in a separate space. I am one of three designated leaders and am usually there every two or three weeks – it has been a privilege to be part of this. Next month MP for Ynys Mon, Llinos Medi will be visiting to see what we provide and hopefully will help us promote it better.
And Finally…….a thought to reflect on (this was the message written on Amlwch Churches Christmas leaflet and delivered to 500 homes in the town)
Beyond the sparkling lights and wrapped gifts, the true meaning of Christmas is surely about giving from the heart, cherishing those we love, and reaching out to those in need. This Christmas let us celebrate not just with presents, but with presence—being there for friends, family, and our wider community. And as we do so, who knows, maybe we shall also recognise in our midst the presence of the one who it is all about. Jesus. God’s perfect present to us.
May the God who knows where we come from and where we should be going, go with us. May the God who knows our hopes and dreams, bless us – and others through us – more than we can possibly imagine. May the God who was with Joseph and Mary in all that they faced, be known to us as Immanuel – God with us. Amen.
