Cytûn is pleased to support the development of two new events bringing faith communities and the media together in Wales this November.

The Religion Media Centre’s Creating Connections: Religion and the Media in Wales events will take place in Bangor on 2 November and Cardiff on 9 November 2026.

Cytûn has been keen to support the development of these events as an opportunity to strengthen relationships and understanding between faith communities and those working across the Welsh media.

Creating Connections will bring faith leaders and organisations together with journalists and other media professionals, providing an opportunity to make new contacts and explore how religion and belief are woven into the life of Wales.

Professionals from television and radio, as well as editors and reporters working in print and online media, will be present to answer questions and explain how they work. Faith representatives will also have an opportunity to talk about their work and identify stories emerging from their communities.

For Cytûn, encouraging this kind of dialogue is particularly valuable. Wales has a diverse religious landscape, while churches and other faith communities continue to contribute to public life at both national and local level. Developing stronger connections with journalists can help faith communities understand the media better, while enabling journalists to develop contacts and a deeper understanding of religion and belief in contemporary Wales.

Bangor

Monday 2 November 2026, 13:30–18:00

Powis Hall, Main Arts Building, Bangor University, LL57 2DG

Book a free place: Eventbrite – Bangor

Cardiff

Monday 9 November 2026, 13:30–18:00

Temple of Peace, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AP

Book a free place: Eventbrite – Cardiff

Places are free, but advance booking is required.

The United Reformed Church’s daily devotion for 8 June 2026, written by a familiar friend of Cytûn offers a timely and theologically rich reflection on Romans 13 and the limits of civil obedience.

Each morning, the United Reformed Church sends out a reading, reflection, and short prayer to help Christians focus on their journey of discipleship. The devotions are written by over 100 contributors from across the denomination and beyond, and are available by email, on URC social media, and on the URC Daily Devotions website where you can also sign up to receive them directly to your inbox.

Today’s edition, the first in a two-week series on Church and State, is written by the Revd Gethin Rhys — a retired URC minister, long-standing ecumenical voice, and former Policy Officer at Cytûn : Churches Together in Wales. Gethin remains an active friend and supporter of Cytun’s work, and his contribution to the daily devotion programme is warmly welcomed.

Drawing on Romans 13, Gethin opens up the apparent tension between Paul’s call to submit to governing authorities and the URC’s own Basis of Union, which asserts that the Church “is not subordinate to the state” in matters of obedience to God. It is a distinction, as Gethin notes, that often surprises those who come from an established church tradition.

With characteristic wit and pastoral wisdom, Gethin challenges a too-easy invocation of Christian vocation as a licence to break the law — using the example of clergy who treat speeding fines as a badge of spiritual dedication. The reflection asks a harder question: does God truly call us to risk others’ safety in the name of ministry?

The devotion closes with a prayer for the discernment needed to distinguish genuine obedience to God from what is merely convenient to ourselves — a challenge as pressing for churches in Wales today as it was in first-century Rome.

This is the first in a series Gethin will contribute over the coming fortnight, and we commend it warmly to all who engage with questions of public theology, civil authority, and the witness of the Church in society.

Read the full devotion and sign up to receive the URC Daily Devotions.

Cytûn is pleased to confirm that the 2026 Welcome to Wales course will take place from 23–25 September 2026 at Sport Wales’s Centre, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

The course is designed for ministers and Christian workers who are coming to work in Wales for the first time, or returning after a period away. It offers an opportunity to become more familiar with the Welsh context, meet others beginning ministry or service in Wales, and prepare well for working within Welsh communities.

Both residential and non-residential applications are welcome. The closing date for applications is 30 August 2026.

For more information, or to apply, visit the Welcome to Wales 2026 course page. For queries, please contact Sasha Perriam at post@cytun.cymru.

With every main party’s manifesto now published, Cytûn has released an updated analysis of party positions to help faith communities engage with the Senedd election on 7 May — and reminds voters that independents and smaller parties will also be on the ballot.

Now that all six of the main parties contesting the Senedd election on 7 May 2026 have published their full manifestos, Cytûn – Churches Together in Wales has released a Senedd Election 2026 Manifesto Briefing Update — a detailed supplement to the document published in March 2026.

The original briefing drew on pre-manifesto policy signals and party commitments available at that time. The update reviews the completed manifestos in full, together with independent economic analysis — including assessments by the Institute for Fiscal Studies — to offer a sharper and more comprehensive comparison of what each party is actually promising.

What’s new in the update?

The update examines all six parties across Cytûn’s five priority policy areas: Health, Education, the Economy, International Affairs and Climate Change, and the Church and the Citizen.

On health, NHS waiting times dominate every party’s agenda. Labour proposes a £4 billion Hospitals of the Future Fund; Plaid Cymru sets specific waiting time targets; the Conservatives would declare a health emergency on taking office; the Liberal Democrats would invest £300 million in social care funded by a 1p income tax rise; and the Greens place prevention and early intervention at the centre of their health vision. Reform UK commits to cutting waiting times through efficiency savings.

On the economy, the sharpest divergences concern taxation. The Welsh Conservatives propose a 1p cut to the basic rate of income tax and the abolition of Land Transaction Tax on home purchases — commitments the Institute for Fiscal Studies has described as difficult to reconcile with the party’s wider spending plans. The Liberal Democrats are the only party proposing a tax rise. The Greens propose replacing council tax entirely with a Land Value Tax.

On the Nation of Sanctuary — Wales’s framework of support for refugees and asylum seekers — Labour, Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats, and the Greens all support maintaining and developing the policy, while the Conservatives and Reform UK have both pledged to scrap it. Members should be aware that most immigration pledges in this election cannot be delivered by the Senedd, as immigration remains a reserved matter for Westminster.

Hear from the parties directly

Cytûn has published interviews with representatives of five of the six main parties, exploring their positions on issues of concern to faith communities in Wales. The interviews are available now:

Peredur Owen Griffiths Plaid Cymru

Darren Millar Conservative

Paul Rock The Green Party

James Evans Reform UK

Huw Thomas Labour

An interview with a Welsh Liberal Democrat representative is currently being arranged and will be published on the website in due course.

Cytûn encourages readers to engage with all of the interviews as part of their prayerful reflection ahead of polling day on 7 May.

Who will be on your ballot paper?

While the six main parties — Wales Labour, Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Conservatives, the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, and the Wales Green Party — have all published full manifestos and are contesting seats across Wales, voters may find candidates from a wider range of political viewpoints on their ballot papers. Smaller parties and independent candidates will be standing in constituencies across Wales and, under the new proportional system, their votes carry real weight.

This is the first Senedd election held under a proportional system: 96 Members will be elected across 16 six-member constituencies using the D’Hondt method. No single party is expected to win an overall majority, meaning that the priorities of smaller parties and independents may prove decisive in shaping the next Welsh Government.

To find out who is standing in your constituency — including all smaller party and independent candidates — visit whocanivotefor.wales, an independent, non-partisan resource listing every candidate on the ballot in your area.

Engaging prayerfully and thoughtfully

Cytûn does not endorse any party or candidate. These briefings exist to help denominational leaders, local church communities, and individual members of faith to engage with this election thoughtfully, prayerfully, and well-informed. Faith communities are encouraged to host or attend hustings events with candidates from across the parties, to use this briefing as the basis for group discussion, reflection, or prayer, and to encourage all eligible members to exercise their democratic right and vote on 7 May 2026. The full Senedd Election 2026 Manifesto Briefing Update is available at www.cytun.co.uk. For further information, contact post@cytun.cymru.

The lecture, available to view in Welsh only, explores the complex relationship between Christian faith and national identity from a Welsh perspective. As with the first lecture in the series, the resource aims to encourage thoughtful theological reflection on issues shaping contemporary public life.

In the lecture, Dr Llwyd examines the growing international conversation around Christian nationalism and considers how it has emerged in different political and cultural contexts. Drawing particularly on developments in the United States and elsewhere, he reflects on how Christian language and symbols are sometimes used to support political movements and ideologies. At the same time, he asks what lessons might be drawn from the Christian traditions of Wales when considering these questions today.

An English language version of the lecture, can be downloaded from the following link:

The title, Cleddyf Dau Finiog (“a two‑edged sword”), captures the lecture’s central theme: that the relationship between Christianity and national identity can both inspire positive social engagement and present significant dangers if faith becomes closely tied to political power. By exploring this tension, the lecture invites churches and individuals to reflect critically on how Christian faith should shape public engagement in a changing political landscape.

This second lecture complements the wider aims of Cytûn’s Public Theology programme, which seeks to equip churches across Wales to engage thoughtfully with the social and political questions facing the nation.
The Welsh-language lecture by the Revd Dr Rhys Llwyd is now available as a resource on the Cytûn website for churches, students and anyone interested in the intersection of theology, culture and public life in Wales.

The series has been launched to encourage thoughtful Christian engagement with public life
in Wales, offering space for reflection on how faith informs responses
to social, political and cultural issues. By bringing respected
theologians and practitioners into conversation with contemporary
challenges, the lectures aim to support churches and individuals in
thinking more deeply about the public dimensions of Christian belief.

The opening lecture was given by the Revd Dr Helen Paynter, Director of
the Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence at Bristol Baptist
College. Dr Paynter is widely known for her work on biblical
interpretation, justice and the ethical use of scripture, and she has
written extensively on how the Bible is sometimes misused to justify
harm or exclusion. In Claiming Christianity: the Challenge of the Far
Right, she explores how Christian language and identity are being used
within current public debates, and reflects on what it means for
Christians to speak responsibly and faithfully in the public sphere.

The lecture also considers the ways in which Christianity can be invoked
to support particular political or cultural agendas, sometimes in ways
that do not reflect the breadth or depth of the Christian tradition. Dr
Paynter examines how elements of the far right have sought to claim
Christian identity in support of nationalist or exclusionary narratives,
and invites listeners to reflect critically on these developments. She
encourages churches to recover a richer and more compassionate public
witness rooted in the life and teaching of Jesus and as an Old Testament
scholar, she reflects on the role of the prophets in speaking truth to
power.

Cytun’s Public Theology series will continue with further lectures
exploring the relationship between Christian faith and public life in
Wales. By making the lectures available online, Cytun hopes to widen
participation in these discussions and provide resources that can be
used by churches, students and others interested in the role of theology
in the public square. The lecture by the Revd Dr Helen Paynter, Claiming
Christianity: the Challenge of the Far Right, can now be viewed via the
Cytun website.

What’s different about this election?

This is the biggest change to Welsh elections since devolution began in 1999. For the first time, the Senedd will have 96 Members — up from 60 — and they will be elected by a system of proportional representation. That means the results are likely to be much more spread out between the parties, and no single party is likely to win outright. Whoever governs Wales after 7 May will almost certainly need to work with others to do so. If you are 16 or over, you can vote.

Who’s standing, and what are they offering?

A wide range of political parties and independent candidates will be standing for election. Here is a brief over view of the policy priorities of the six main parties which are likely to return candidates as Members of the Senedd following the vote.

Wales Labour want to invest £4 billion in rebuilding and upgrading NHS hospitals, expand same-day mental health services, and introduce cheaper bus fares. They are the current government but are facing their toughest election for a generation.

Plaid Cymru are polling strongly and are promising action on child poverty, stronger support for the Welsh language, and investment in the rural economy. They have set aside any prospect of a referendum on Welsh independence during a first term.

The Welsh Conservatives are focusing on economic growth — promising to cut income tax, build new roads including the M4 relief road, and invest in the NHS. Independent economists have raised questions about whether the numbers add up.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are putting the NHS and social care at the heart of their campaign, and are the only party honestly saying they would raise income tax slightly to pay for it.

Reform UK are polling very highly and have made immigration the centrepiece of their campaign — though most of their immigration policies are actually decisions for Westminster, not the Senedd. Their most clearly devolved pledge is to scrap the 20mph speed limit.

The Wales Green Party are entering the Senedd for the first time with a real chance of winning seats. They are proposing ambitious action on climate change, free public transport for young people, and a fairer economy — linking the cost of living with the need to look after the planet.

What should faith communities be looking for?

Cytûn has produced a full briefing setting out where all six main parties stand on the issues that matter most to churches and faith communities: health and social care, poverty and the cost of living, housing, education, the environment, and Wales’s responsibilities to refugees and asylum seekers.

One important thing to be aware of is that several parties have made promises in their manifestos about things the Senedd cannot actually control — particularly on immigration, welfare benefits, and overseas aid. These are decisions for the UK Government in Westminster, not the Welsh Government. It doesn’t mean those issues don’t matter — they do — but it’s worth knowing which promises a Welsh Government can actually keep.

What does Cytûn ask of its members?
Cytûn does not tell anyone how to vote. What we do ask is that you engage thoughtfully, prayerfully, and with as much information as possible.

Follow the Cytûn website for updates and online resources
Pray for candidates, for the people of Wales, and for wisdom.
Vote on 7 May 2026.

Cytûn has published a new bilingual briefing to help churches, member bodies and the wider faith community understand and engage with the significant changes to the 2026 Senedd Cymru election.

The 2026 election will be unlike any Wales has seen before. The Senedd is expanding from 60 to 96 Members, the familiar mix of constituency and regional seats is being replaced by 16 new, larger constituencies, and voters will cast a single vote under a new proportional representation system.

The briefing, available in both English and Welsh, sets out clearly what is changing, how the new voting system works, and what to expect at the polling station. It also offers practical guidance for churches wishing to support democratic engagement in their communities — from hosting hustings events and encouraging voter registration to engaging with candidates on issues that matter locally.

The briefing is part of Cytûn’s ongoing commitment to supporting informed and prayerful engagement with Welsh democracy. With the election approaching on 7 May, it is important that faith communities are equipped to help their members and neighbours participate confidently in this new process.

The briefing can be downloaded from the Cytûn website in English and Welsh. For further information on the new voting system, the briefing directs readers to the Senedd Cymru website and to the Who Can I Vote For? service, an external site which lists declared candidates by constituency.

Downloads:

• A Changing Senedd: What Churches and Communities Need to Know for 2026 (English)
• Senedd sy’n Newid: Yr Hyn y Mae Angen i Eglwysi a Chymunedau ei Wybod ar gyfer 2026 (Cymraeg)

Useful links:

• How will the new voting system work? — Senedd Cymru
• Voting in Senedd Elections – Senedd Cymru
• Find your candidates — Who Can I Vote For?

Links to external websites are provided for information and convenience only. Cytûn is not responsible for the content, accuracy or availability of external sites, nor does the inclusion of a link imply endorsement of the views, opinions or information contained within them.