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From the desk of the Diocesan SecretaryIt has been a busy few weeks, with the usual wide variety of tasks and reacting to emails and phone calls, but heightened by the quarterly round of Committee meetings – which were, of course, Bishop Mary’s first. So it is my pleasure to shed some light on the discussions and decisions that have been going on in the diocese, as we pledged last year following requests in the clergy survey and other meetings for more transparency.In fact, this very question was on the agenda of the Standing Committee of Diocesan Conference (or DSC for short) in March, who agreed to publicise the work of the DSC. In this month’s meeting, DSC welcomed Bishop Mary and heard of her three priorities for the year: prayer and spirituality, vocation and leadership, and Welsh Anglican identity. Watch this space as these are unpacked over the coming months, in particular at the Diocesan Conference on 30th September. DSC approved a draft growth agenda for Conference which will be held at St Joseph’s high school in Port Talbot, and will have space for stalls – contact me if you want to bring one!Usually DSC considers territorial reorganisations but although none were agreed this time, we rejoiced in the licensing of St Edward’s Roath for marriages. Hearing from the Governing Body of the Church in Wales, the DSC endorsed the Carbon Footprint tool for all MAs, which can be found at https://eft-wales.parishreturns.info/, and the Dignity Charter which all MAs are encouraged to adopt.Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF), as you would expect, focused on the 2022 Annual Report, as well as wrestling with how to finance growth, and how to support Ministry Areas in the midst of a cost of living crisis. Although still in draft, the 2022 Accounts are expected to show a significant deficit due to rising costs, the Ukraine war, and poor investment performance. We pray for more stability looking ahead, but central “Structural Resilience and Partnership Funding” from the Church in Wales is not yet clear. Meanwhile Finance Advisor Revd Peter Watson, supported by our new Finance Officer Julie Thomas, is working his way round the Ministry Areas so do take advantage of him.The final piece of news from the diocesan office is that there isn’t one! We have now almost completed our move out of the Old Rectory in Coychurch, and the teams are working in Deanery hub offices at St Catherine’s Pontypridd, Christ Church Radyr, St Illtud’s Llantwit Major, St Paul’s Aberavon, and St Elvan’s Aberdare. We are working with St David’s Pencoed on a suitable office there too. We are digitizing the remaining files in Coychurch, and might have some spare office furniture – contact me if it might be helpful for your MA or Deanery office!