Rhodd y Nadolig wrth Bro Cadwaladr
Mae’n bwysig rhannu’r hyn sydd gyda ni, gyda phobl sydd heb lawer. Mae’r Nadolig yn amser arbennig pan rydyn ni’n cofio Iesu fel anrheg i’r byd, felly dylen ni roi anrhegion i bobl sydd efallai’n cael trafferthion ar hyn o bryd. Ond ni ddylem wneud iddynt deimlo eu bod yn dlawd.
- geiriau a lefarwyd gan ddwy ferch ifanc 11 a 14 oed o Fro Cadwaladr ar Ynys Môn.
Yn dilyn sgwrs Esgob Mary yng Nghynhadledd yr Esgobaeth ym mis Hydref, cytunodd cynulleidfaoedd Bro Cadwaladr ag un meddwl ei bod yn bwysig cefnogi a rhannu gyda’r rhai a allai fod angen ychydig o help y Nadolig hwn. Ers hynny mae’r Eglwys yng Nghymru wedi lansio ei hymgyrch Bwyd a Thanwydd i helpu i fynd i’r afael ag achos tlodi bwyd ac ynni ac i fyw neges yr Efengyl o obaith, cyfiawnder a chariad. Fel rhan o’r ymgyrch mae menter gydag allweithred ymarferol iawn wedi’i lansio gan yr Eglwys yng Nghymru gan roi ffocws i ni drwy Adfent – Anrheg ar gyfer y Nadolig. Mae Archesgob Cymru yn gofyn i eglwysi roi o leiaf 10 bocs o bethau ymolchi a nwyddau hylendid i fanciau bwyd lleol a phartneriaid elusennol. Cytunodd pob eglwys ar draws Ardal Weinidogaeth Bro Cadwaladr y byddent yn gwneud eu gorau i gynhyrchu 10 bocs.
Soniodd Miss Catrin Jones am ei rheswm dros gymryd rhan:
Meddwl oedd hi yn bwysig gan fod fy ffrind lawr yn Lundain mewn women and children's refuge am fisoedd llynedd a nhw efo nesa peth i ddim, a peth bach iddi allu cadw 'dignity' oedd i gael ei hylendid.
Meddai’r Parchedig Emlyn Williams, Arweinydd Ardal Weinidogaeth Bro Cadwaladr:
"Mae pobl wedi cael eu hannog i ddod â’u bocsys i’r eglwys cyn yr wythnos gyntaf ym mis Rhagfyr, a byddan nhw’n cael eu dosbarthu i elusennau neu deuluoedd lleol ar Ynys Môn. Mae gennym ni hefyd flwch casglu yng nghefn pob eglwys, ar gyfer derbyniadau un eitem, os bydd unrhyw un yn gweld y gost o lenwi bocs llawn ychydig yn ddrud. Bydd yr eitemau yn cael eu defnyddio i lenwi ychydig o focsys rydym yn eu rhoi at ei gilydd yn adeilad yr eglwys. Mae nifer o wirfoddolwyr wedi cytuno i lapio’r bocsys, os bydd unrhyw un yn gweld hyn yn anodd neu’n ddrud, y cyfan sydd angen iddynt ei wneud yw gollwng eu bocs yng nghefn yr eglwys ar ddydd Sul."
Pan ofynnwyd iddi pam ei bod yn teimlo ei bod yn bwysig bod yn rhan o’r fenter, dywedodd Mrs Stephanie Williams:
Yr un rheswm ag y trefnais y blychau eglwys y llynedd i roi trît bach i bobl nad oes ganddynt ddim byd ac i helpu pobl pan fo costau byw yn cael cymaint o effaith andwyol ar fywydau pobl, yn awr yn fwy na dim.
Ymatebodd Mrs Mandy Williams hefyd gan ddweud:
Teimlaf fy mod am helpu pobl sy’n llai ffodus na mi fy hun, i helpu ‘gwneud gwahaniaeth’ ac i wella bywydau eraill yn ein cymuned leol.
Gobeithio y bydd haelioni’r eglwys yn atgoffa pobl o wir ystyr y Nadolig.
A Gift for Christmas from Bro Cadwaladr
It’s important to share what we have, with people that don’t have much. Christmas is a special time when we remember Jesus as a gift to the world, so we should give gifts to people who may be struggling at the moment. But we shouldn’t make them feel they’re poor.
- words spoken by two young girls aged 11 and 14 from Bro Cadwaladr on Anglesey.
Following Bishop Mary’s talk at Diocesan Conference in October the congregations of Bro Cadwaladr agreed with one mind it was important to support and share with those who may need a little help this Christmas. The Church in Wales has since launched its Food and Fuel campaign to help tackle the cause of food and energy poverty and to live out the Gospel message of hope, justice and love. As part of the campaign an initiative with a very practical outworking has been launched by the Church in Wales giving us a focus through Advent - A Gift for Christmas. The Archbishop of Wales is asking churches to donate a minimum of 10 boxes of toiletries and hygiene products to local food banks and charity partners. Each church across the Ministry Area of Bro Cadwaladr agreed they will do their best to produce 10 boxes.
Miss Catrin Jones spoke of her reason for getting involved:
I have a friend who spent several months in a women and children’s refuge in London last year. They had next to nothing. One small way for her to retain a sense of dignity was to be able to be clean.
The Revd Emlyn Williams, Ministry Area Leader of Bro Cadwaladr, says:
“People have been encouraged to bring their boxes to church before the first week in December, and they will be distributed to local Anglesey based charities or families. We also have a collection box at the back of each church, for single item drop offs, if anyone may find the cost of filling a full box a little expensive. The items will be used to fill a few boxes we are putting together in the church building. A number of volunteers have agreed to wrap the boxes, if anyone may find this difficult or expensive, all they need do is drop their box off at the back of church on a Sunday.”
When asked why she felt it was important to be involved in the initiative Mrs Stephanie Williams said:
Same reason as I arranged the church boxes last year to give people who don’t have anything a little treat and to help people when the cost of living is having such a detrimental effect on peoples’ lives, now more than any year.
Mrs Mandy Parry-Williams also responded saying:
I feel I want to help people less fortunate than myself, to help 'make a difference ' and to improve the lives of others in our local community.
Hopefully, the generosity of the church will remind people of the true meaning of Christmas.