New Welsh church venture

A former minister in the Church of Wales is planning to set up a new congregation after the denomination liberalised its views on same-sex blessings.

The venture is being spearheaded on the Angle Peninsula, Pembrokeshire, by the Revd Josh Maynard (see photo) and his wife Rachel Maynard, along with others.

Josh Maynard handed in his resignation to the Church in Wales on 23 September and is currently working out his three months notice.

A group of 15 people from the ‘Angle Peninsula Churches’ where he currently serves also expressed their desire to leave the denomination. They have been meeting together weekly to worship and plan for the future.

The congregation will seek to come under the umbrella of GAFCON as part of the Anglican Convocation in Europe, made up of Anglicans who are not in the older denominations.

It is hoped that the church will launch in February. Until the church and charity is established and can reasonably pay a salary, Josh and Rachel will support themselves. The new church will be called Wellspring and may also include some form of retreat centre.