THE vicar of Abergele will conduct her final service in the town on Sunday.
The Rev Shirley Griffiths will say farwell at St Michael’s Church after eight years in the parish where she has become a central figure in the community.
She is to become Archdeacon of Wrexham, the first Welsh-born woman to hold the position, as she and her husband Robin move to Llandegla.
Mrs Griffiths said: “There is bound to be a mixture of emotions at my last service. We have done a lot together and it will be very sad to leave behind the many friends we have made in Abergele.
“The response of so many people has been very touching. A lot has been achieved while we have been here but I would like to stress this is down to the efforts of many people.”
As well as her regular parish duties, Mrs Griffiths, 62, has been involved in the development of a number of community projects.
She has been helped lead the Canolfan Dewi Sant project to create a new church and community centre in Pensarn and has chaired the Abergele Fairtrade Coalition to help make Abergele a Fairtrade town. She has had a number of presentations, including a plaque of the Abergele town crest from the town council.
Cynthia Edwards, churchwarden at St Michael’s Church, said: “Shirley will be much missed. She is very popular within Abergele and has done a lot for both the church and the town. It will be emotional when she leaves.”
Sunday’s service at 11am will be a thanksgiving for Mrs Griffiths’ time as vicar of Abergele. The following Sunday she will lead her final service at St George Church at 9.30am.
Mrs Griffiths will be installed as an Archdeacon at St Asaph Cathedral on Sunday, September 26 at 3.30pm.