Rotary says “Hello!” to 2021

A logstanding tradition of Llandudno Rotary has been to invite a local person of the cloth to address the Club on any lessons learned from the year just gone that might be employed in the year to come.

Fittingly, to review 2020, Revd Sam Erlandson spoke to the 10 members present on Zoom and pithily summarised the drama, tragedy and even the good side of a year dominated by the COVID pandemic.

For Sam, the challenge was also a personal one ; as incoming Mission Area Leader ( modern Church-speak for Rural Dean) for Aberconwy and Vicar for the parishes of Llanrhos and Craig y Don, he found that churches – like so many organisations – were prohibited from meeting, which for someone whose core duties comprise preaching from the pulpit did cause a problem!

Sam saw his role in the same light as millions, that is making the best sense he could of a world turned upside-down by the virus, with the added realisation that his pastoral services were in greater demand than ever, and that ability to heal and help trumped any amount of theological studies and training.

The “good side” of the year was that for millions of us, the compulsory “grounding” that replaced a busy work and social scene gave time for reflection and maybe a re-think on what really matters – that is to say, family, relationships,and maybe helping each other a little more.

Can there be any better credo for 2021?