A year ago on Sunday (22nd February 2014), I stood in front of the Bishop of Bangor and was given the responsibility of working with him to lead the Bro Cybi Ministry Area. Time has flown.

It was more of a wrench than I imagined to leave Bartley Green in Birmingham, and am more grateful than they know to those who have led the wonderful people there since I left.

Arriving in Trearddur Bay or Bae Trearddur as I have come to prefer was something of a culture shock. I don’t think it is possible to imagine the scale of change that moving across the border brings to those of us who are English unless you actually do it. It is true that there are commonalities between the two nations: people are always people, and traditional churches both in Wales and England have declined somewhat in numbers and influence. However, you quickly discover living in Wales that what passes for British history the other side of the dyke is in reality English history. Then there is the language gap, and whilst I have done my utmost to Dysgu Cymraeg, the language gap goes beyond words and is embedded in the spirit, land and sea. If all that sounds a tad poetic or spiritual, I think it genuinely is.

A year ago, I became the Vicar of Holy Island (Bro Cybi) and Leader of a Ministry Area. I was conscience almost straight away that I had been entrusted with a geographical area whose history was full of saints, and a place to where many had made pilgrimage. The ancient fort of Cybi, Celtic saint (Caergybi) or Holyhead as it is called in English. Much of this history is overlooked, just as easily as we have forgotten how to pronounce holy-head.

How would I sum up my first year: it has been one of challenge. There have been the occasional offices, beginning to get a feel for the Welsh Liturgy (both in Welsh and English), discovering new people, learning new stories, discovering beauty in the natural world as well as within the human community, and catching a glimpse of the fragility of that beauty as well.

It has been one of intensive listening and of re-learning who I am. I know that people have been kind and complimentary about the tenacity I have shown about learning to be in tune with Welsh culture. I do think that moving to a different culture forces you either to retreat into what you already know or readjust how you live, move and have your being. I think this first year has been about that in the main.

It is also a good place to be. Ministry Areas are supposed to be about changing the culture of the church. Only perhaps when a Leader has had to adjust can work begin in challenging others.

Here’s to the next year. Thanks be to God.

Noah looked slightly silly too