Father Richard Retiring

 Father Richard, at St Mary's, will be retiring next Easter - I hadn't realised that he had been here for 22 years!  

He's transformed the church while he's been here, with the magnificent organ, and the musical events that take place there - and, of course, the vastly popular showings of silent movies with Father Richard providing the musical accompaniment!

And even at the end of his tenure, there is a new venture.  Hay Forums will be starting in the church on Thursday 3rd August, at 6.30pm.  It's planned to be a monthly meeting with local speakers and musicians, on a range of topics including arts, travel, music, books and history.  The first event will be Aspects of Capel-y-ffin.  Diana Powell will be speaking about her novel Things Found on the Mountain, and Deborah Rose will be performing songs from her new album The Shining Pathway and Anam Cara.  Father Richard will be talking about the spirituality of Capel-y-ffin. Tickets are £5 on the door.

So Hay will be getting a new vicar, Father David Wyatt, who will also be the vicar for Llyswen, where they haven't had a vicar since the sad death of Rev. Ian Charlesworth.

Father David will be welcomed to St Mary's on Wednesday 2nd August, at 7pm, in a service taken by the Bishop.

He has been the curate at King's Pyon in Herefordshire, and the plan is for him to take over at Llyswen first, and then leave Llyswen to come to Hay, Llanigon and Capel-y-ffin when Father Richard retires.

[Edited to change the above - I thought he would be serving both parishes, but he's actually going to Llyswen first, and then leaving Llyswen to come to Hay.]