New chair of Penarth Cytun (Council of Churches) is Keith Howells (From Penarth Times)

New chair of Penarth Cytun (Council of Churches) is Keith Howells

12:00pm Sunday 7th October 2012 in News

IN THE recent Penarth Cytun (Council of Churches) AGM, Keith Howells was chosen as Chairman for the coming year.

Captain Steve Mayo of the Salvation Army will formally hand over this responsibility in an Induction Service on Sunday, October 21 at 6pm in Stanwell Road Baptist Church, where church leaders, members and friends of the churches of Penarth will be in attendance.

The meeting heard reports of the various work of Penarth Cytun. Derek Day, co-ordinator of the Social justice group, referred to the talk at the June Cytun meeting by Elizabeth Freeman from the local group Act for Justice, which supports the charity Hope for Justice in its work to eradicate sex trafficking - the third biggest industry in the world.

The group will talk to All Saints' Parochial Church Council and other Churches are urged to invite the group along too.

The Christian Aid report was given by Dr Valerie Major who said that since the last Cytun meeting, the House to House collection had been completed and seven churches raised a total of £5731.58, an increase of about £300 over last year's collection.

A street collection was held during the Penarth festival week raising £469.36. The AGM reported that during the financial year 2011-2012 a total of £13,474 was raised for Christian Aid.

Thanks were expressed to Canon Edward Dowding for years of faithful and cheerful support as Chairman of the Christian Aid committee and welcomed the Rev Kevin Davies who will succeed him.

Tricia Griffiths on behalf of the Gwyrddio Penarth Greening group delivered a most enthusiastic report. The food festival had been hugely successful and followed on from the equally successful open meeting on food with the local Co-op manager, a forager and an academic speaking.

Harvest will again see a collection of unwanted apples and pears put to good use to highlight food wastage. All were encouraged to support Apple Day in Belle Vue Park on Sunday, October 21, from 11am to 3pm.

Arriva Trains have agreed to GPG putting planters and seeding at Penarth Station and the Shop in Penarth scheme continues its success. It was suggested that an ethical group within Cytun be formed to support GPG, whose young committee is enthusiastic and challenging.

The chairman praised the growth of GPG from its seeds as a Social Justice sub group of the Council of Churches.

Jeremy Dix, secretary of the Penarth and District Lesotho Trust, highlighted the inspiring visit by Godfrey Kakande and the generosity of the people of Penarth which allowed him to return to Lesotho with funds to continue the work there.

As a result of the website www.padlt.btck.co.uk Philip Fouche from Braintree has been inspired to set up a rugby link with TY. This is another of the offspring of Penarth Cytun that is now an independent charity and has succeeded in achieving much to benefit Lesotho.

The next event of PADLT will be a Quiz Night with Alun Jenkins in All Saints Church.

Penarth Cytun continues to be involved in social and local issues. Ann Niblett referred to the book Slaying the Dragon (an everyman's rejection of God and religion) by Robert Griffiths.

Rev Dr John Weaver will lead a debate, speaking against the notions of the book, at a meeting chaired by Gethin Abraham-Williams at All Saints' Lesser Hall on Saturday, 3 November, at 10.30am.

The Chairman looked forward to the many events that had been highlighted and hoped that the people of Penarth would give them deserved support.