Cytûn – Churches together in Wales has announced that after the retirement of Rev Canon Aled Edwards OBE, its next Chief Executive is to be Rev Siôn Brynach.
Commenting today, Chair of Cytûn, Dr Patrick Coyle said:
“The handing over of the responsibilities of Chief Officer is always a time of anticipation and excitement. We look back with immense gratitude for the long service given with great distinction by the Rev Canon Aled Edwards during a time of great change for the Churches and people Wales. We now look forward to having the wide experience that Siôn will bring from his previous career in Church, public relations and public affairs. I know him to have a deep Christian faith and knowledge of ecumenism in Wales and beyond.”
Siôn Brynach is currently Head of Communication and Public Affairs for Arts Council of Wales, having previously been Chief Executive of Hanfod Cymru (2017-18), Accountability Adviser for the BBC Trust for ten years (2006-2017), Archbishop’s press officer and communication team leader for the Church in Wales (2000 and late 2006) and British Gas (1996-2000). He was ordained deacon in the Church in Wales in 2020 and priest in 2022 and has served as self-supporting assistant curate at Christ Church, Roath Park, Cardiff since 2020. He was born in Bangor and raised in Dyffryn Nantlle and Gorseinon, and also has strong family links with north Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. He was educated at the University of Bangor and Jesus College, Oxford. He has lived in Cardiff since 1993, is married to Cathrin and they have four children. He is a first language Welsh speaker.
Commenting today, Siôn said:
“I am delighted to have been appointed to this exciting and important post but well aware that I am following in the footsteps of some real giants in the field of ecumenism such as the Rev Noel Davies and the Rev Gethin Abraham-Williams. My immediate predecessor, Canon Aled Edwards, has also done much to bring the churches to the fore in the public’s attention in Wales as well as developing relationships with politicians and Welsh Government. I hope that I’ll be able to further build on these important foundations once I take up this post.
“At interview for this post I highlighted the challenges and dangers of the neo-tribalism which academics have identified as being a feature of contemporary society and one which has grown in recent years. The churches have an important role to play in bridging those tribes. Before God we are all loved equally.
“I also look forward to further developing links with churches beyond Wales as well as other faith communities in Wales and growing my own understanding of how we might actively work together both as Christian denominations and different faiths to the Glory of God.”
Siôn will begin in post as Chief Executive of Cytûn on 1 April 2023.