St Deinst Church
The Church​​
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St Deinst Church, situated in the centre of Llangarron, is the only church in England dedicated to the first Bishop of Bangor in Wales. It belongs to the Herefordshire Churches Tourism Group which is a network of some of the best churches and chapels in the county. The selected churches are all ones that have dominated the landscape and life of communities for more than a thousand years, as is the case in Llangarron.
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In addition to being a fascinating church building, the churchyard is part of the ‘Caring for God’s Acre’ Project and boasts many species of amphibians, butterflies, moths, wild flowers, grasses and lichens. The tower is also home to a colony of Pipistrelle bats which can be seen flying around the church yard at dusk on summer evenings. Consequently, it constitutes a truly interesting and delightful church to visit for either church services or recreational purposes.
Activities and Events
The PCC has had a long-standing aim to try to draw more people into the church for various events with a view to opening up church usage to the broader community and fundraising to pay for the maintenance of the church and the church yard and help fund the development of the North Aisle as a new community venue.
Central to this programme are the monthly Coffee in the Church sessions on the second Saturday of the month when the church is open from 10.30 am to 12 noon for people to drop into The Garron Centre for freshly made ground coffee and home-made cakes. Free range eggs, local produce and plants are likewise available. Everyone is welcome to drop in, including visitors, for friendly chat in a relaxing environment.
If you would like to find out more about these sessions or join the team of volunteers who help organise them, please call Judith Price on 01600 719881.
Concerts in the Church are also a key part of the programme. Given the firmness of the pews, we have coined the phrase “Bring a Cushion” concerts!
Concerts have included a Baroque Concert “The Am’rous Flute” and Hereford Concert Band who performed the Big Band sound.
More recent Concerts include the Chepstow Male Voice Choir, the Charles Medlam Viola da Gamba Lunchtime Recital and Liberty Street Jazz Band.
Prompted by the interest generated in Llangarron’s series of concerts, we are planning to mount a Programme of Quality Classical Concerts on an on-going basis. We are hoping to access grant funding for these in order to make quality music accessible to people who otherwise may not have the opportunity to enjoy live performances.
A ‘first’ in 2010 was the Medieval Mystery Play Programme Notes which played to a packed audience at both the matinée and evening performances. The plan is to repeat this on a 2 yearly basis
The Vicar
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Revd Ben Bentham and his wife Lisa joined the community in March 2017 and live at The Vicarage, Llangrove, Ross-on-Wye, Hereford HR9 6EZ. Telephone 01989 770454.
Services​
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St Deinst Church, Llangarron, is part of 'The Borders Group of Parishes'. The benefice comprises Goodrich with Welsh Bicknor, Marstow, Llangarron, Llangrove and Welsh Newton with Llanrothal.
Regular services at Llangarron Church are as follows:
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Second & Fourth Sundays Parish Communion 11.00 am
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First Sunday Matins 11.00 pm
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Third Sunday Morning Prayer 11.00 am
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Fifth Sunday See Border News
Morning Prayer is traditionally followed by coffee and biscuits, enabling the congregation to meet one another and have a friendly chat.
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Opening Hours The church is open from approximately 9.00am to 5.00pm daily but does close at dusk during the winter months. Visitors are welcome to visit the church and enjoy both the grounds and the interior.
The churchyard is maintained by a small team of volunteers. Areas are set aside for wild life For more information on the principles used see www.caringforgodsacre.co.uk
The Parochial Church Council​
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Not to be confused with the Civil Parishes of England which are run by the Parish Councils, PCCs are the executive body of the Church of England Parishes.
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The powers and duties of the PCC are defined in two acts of Parliament which outline firstly the principal functions and purpose of the PCC and the way it should work with the incumbent in promoting the mission of the church in the Parish and, secondly, how the PCC should be constituted.
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A PCC consists of the clergy and churchwardens of the parish, together with a number of representatives of the congregation elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. To be considered, individuals must be nominated and seconded at the meeting and also be listed on the parish roll for at least six months.The incumbent is the Chairman of the PCC and a lay member is appointed;Vice Chairman. The PCC must meet at least four times a year.
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The PCC is responsible for the financial affairs of the church and the care and maintenance of the church fabric and its contents. These latter responsibilities are executed by the churchwardens or other volunteers. It also has a voice in the forms of service used by the church. Churchwardens are elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting and attend the PCC and the standing committee meetings.
The Llangarron PCC comprises the following:
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The Incumbent and Chairman: Revd Ben Bentham
Churchwarden: Peter Harries
Treasurer: Lisa Hill
Secretary: Judith Price.
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If you are interested in becoming a member of the PCC and/or helping to make your church a more vibrant and sustainable asset, please start by asking for your name to go on the Parish Roll by contacting Ben Bentham on 01989 770454.