Bethesda Baptist Chapel
Services at Bethesda Baptist Chapel, Narberth, in the week beginning Sunday, December 21, are as follows:
On Sunday, a family morning service will be held at 10.30 am, which will include a Christmas nativity by the children of the Sunday School. The evening service at 6 pm will be a carol service. Both services will be taken by Rev. Chris Rees, minister of Bethesda chapel.
A Christmas Eve carol service will be held on Wednesday night at 11 pm.
On Thursday, a Christmas morning service will be held at 10 am.
All are very welcome.
CHURCH services
St. Andrew's, Narberth: Sunday - 10 am Sung Eucharist. Wednesday (Christmas Eve) - 10 am Holy Eucharist; 11.30 pm Midnight Mass. Thursday (Christmas Day) - 10 am family communion.
Holy Cross, Robeston Wathen: Sunday - 6 pm carol and Christingle service.
Narberth Quakers
Worship on Sunday at 11 am, Bloomfield Centre, Redstone Road, Narberth, in the Lee Davies Day Centre. Everyone is welcome. For further information, call Rachel Matthews on (01834) 831481.
St. Andrew's Church Christmas Fayre
On December 6. St. Andrew's Church held their annual Christmas Fayre at the Church Hall. It was a lovely sunny day, which helped to make the event very successful. The hall had been very seasonally decorated and the stalls included a Christmas gift stall, cake stall and Christmas flower stall. The lady members provided refreshments, including tasty mince pies and cakes, with mulled wine, tea and coffee, something to suit everyone's taste.
In the unavoidable absence of the Rector, Rev. Peter Lewis, Mr. Eric George (treasurer) thanked the committee for all their hard work and proceeded to present Mrs. Enid Jones (people's warden) with a bouquet of flowers in appreciation of her hard work and enthusiasm in all their fund-raising events.
Enid then proceeded to draw the raffle and the winners were: Large Christmas hamper - Tom McMahon; turkey voucher (kindly donated by Andrew Rees, butcher, Narberth) - F. J. Davis, Kilgetty; a lovely Christmas cake (kindly made and donated by Mrs. Judith Scale) - Hayley Vallance, Robeston Wathen; basket of fruit - Mrs. Dilys Ray; Folly Farm tickets - Mrs. E. Hilda; toy snowman - Mrs. Val Brown; tin of biscuits - Mrs. Megan Scourfield; plus many other raffle winners.
A delicious gateau made by Mrs. Judith Scale was won by Mark Simpkins, Templeton.
Enid thanked all the ladies of the church for providing the lovely refreshments, the gentlemen for the very tasty mulled wine and all who had helped with decorating the hall.
She also thanked everyone for attending and helping to make the event as successful as last year, which encouraged such a happy and joyful time within the church.
GLANRHYD BAPTIST CHURCH
This Sunday, the Christmas service at 2 pm will be conducted by Rev. Hywel Brown, of Molleston.
NARBERTH BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP
CHRISTMAS SPIN
Holy Christmas is not wanted anymore
We must no longer worship and adore
Our lovely Lord, the Incarnate Word,
No faith of shepherds gently stirred
No wise men, frankincense or gold
No myrrh or ancient story now retold.
Our greeting cards say "Happy Holiday"
The Holy Season's selling hard on e-bay
No Star of Wonder, Star of beauty bright
We play on-line poker into the Divine night
And gamble thoughts of heaven out of here
Drinking hard to over-ride our growing fear
Ring out the thought police and the spin
Let there be room for Jesus at the inn
No last minute homage to Tesco.com
But to blessed Bethlehem we come
To kneel at tiny feet and humbly pray
And gaze at God Who in a manger lays.
New Year's Eve Disco and Buffet
Bookings are now being taken for the Narberth RFC New Year's Eve disco and buffet. Tickets are priced at £12.50. For further information or to make a booking, please contact club steward Anne Lonsdale on (01834) 860462 or club chairman John Owen.
Entertainment Evening
Narberth Rugby Club will hold a post-match entertainment evening at the clubhouse on Saturday, December 27, when players, officials and supporters return to the town after Narberth play Whitland away in a Division One (West) in a Division One West league clash.
Club chairman John Owen who in his playing days, made more first team appearances than any other player, explained the reason for holding the event when he said: "When Narberth play Whitland in any match, home or away, it is always a special occasion for all players and supporters. In order to show that we appreciate the commitment of the players, the work of officials and the record breaking support from supporters we decided to hold an evening of entertainment from 7 pm, including a 'sing along'.
Irrespective of the result at Whitland, there will be happy hour bar prices at the Narberth clubhouse after the match."
Rugby Fixtures
Tomorrow (Saturday, December 27), Narberth are home to Kenfig Hill in the fourth round of the SWALEC Welsh Cup. Kick-off is at 2.30 pm.
Hot drinks and light refreshments, including delicious home made soup, burgers and hot dogs, will be available from the food hut in the car park and a full range of club clothing, personalised gifts and other merchandise can be obtained from the well stocked club shop. Supporters are advised to park cars in parking areas outside the ground and to avoid obstructing exit from and entry to the fire station.
The popular 'Open the Box Draw' will take place after the post match presentation ceremonies. The winner of the initial draw for £25 will have the opportunity to choose a key to open the box for the jackpot prize.
On the same day, Narberth Youth team are away to Aberystwyth.
Meat Draw
Winners of the Narberth RFC Supporters' Club meat draw this week are as follows: turkey - Horner; turkey - John Morris; turkey - Leyton Evans.
The supporters' club raises money each week on behalf of the rugby club through the meat draw. Supporters interested in having a ticket at £1 per ticket with three chances to win a joint of meat for the weekend, should contact Shelley Morris on (01834) 861897 or any member of the supporters' committee. The draw takes place every Friday evening.
Templeton and Reynalton United Reformed Churches
The evening service at Templeton United Reformed Church will be held at 6.30 pm and will consist of items by the Junior Church. The congregation will be invited to join in the carol singing. Members and friends of St. Johns Church, Templeton and Molleston Baptist Chapel have also been invited to the service to take part in the communal carol singing.
The united service on Sunday, December 28, will be held at Reynalton URC at 11 am and will be led by Rev. Elwyn John.
Christian Community Church
This Sunday's service will be in Bloomfield House Seminar Room at 10 am. The speaker will be Trevor Jones from Carmarthen, together with a special Christmas service. A warm welcome to all.
Grace Church
Christmas around the world. There is a carol service this Sunday morning at the Queen's Hall, Narberth, at 10.30 am, when the speaker will be George Verwer, of Operation Mobilisation.
A Christian Missions organisation founded by George over 40 years ago, Operations Mobilisation now has 4,000 volunteers throughout the world and two ships taking teams, books and practical aid.
This is George Verwer's third visit to Narberth on the invitation of Paul Dando, senior pastor of Grace Church. Coffee is served from 10 am.
The traditional carol service at the Queen's Hall was excellent. The Goodwick Town Brass Band, with their new musical director, Colin Hogg, delighted the full hall. Traditional carols played by the band and sung by the church congregation made Christmas real. Favourite carols sung by the trio from Grace again lifted the occasion and applause repeatedly broke out.
This was serious fun, times when the reading of the Christmas message was quietly listened to, prayer for those in difficult situations this Christmas, fun with contributions from young and old.
Paul Dando spoke on 'All I want for Christmas is...' and challenged all with the question 'What does God want for Christmas?' The answer came many years ago from a man by the name of Micah, 'to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God'. That is what is required from all of us - not just for Christmas - even if those around are not doing the same, do not get down to their level.
An offering was taken for a mercy mission orphanage, Salem House in Coimbatore, India.
The Beach was an enthusiastic fun night for all ages dressed in Hawaiian shirts, shorts, sun hats, wet suits, with matching accessories of beach balls, towels, picnic chairs, snorkels and sun tan cream, held at the Court House, Narberth.
A large bouncy castle, sandcastle competition, coconut shy, hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn, to name a few of the attractions for another 'serious fun' occasion. The court room was suitably decorated with nine palm trees, beach scenes, sun umbrella, gazebo, seagulls and a whale, with suitable music playing in the back ground.
Funds were raised for the orphanage in India. Do not miss this event next year!
The Narberth seniors Christmas party was held in the Liberty Café. A change in the menu was well received by all, noting that diets are more adventurous by those in senior years - in a few years time they will probably want an Indian meal - carols and drama thoroughly entertained the guests and they expressed their grateful thanks to all who served.
The Avenue Centre Christmas lunch was a hit! Served in the Liberty Café, this was one of the highlights of the year. A delight and privilege to be there, the carols sung by many as solos to rapturous applause from all. A presentation was kindly made by them for the Court House being made available throughout the year.
On Sunday, December 28, Grace Church will meet in the Court House, Market Square, Narberth. The Liberty Café will be open from 10 am to serve coffee and tea on your arrival, the family service in the court room will commence at 10.30 am and close at 11.30 am.
University of
the Third Age
It's been another busy week at U3A (writes David Dando). The well-attended music appreciation group tends from time to time to have a strong jazz content.
This is hardly surprising considering that the group's leader, Brian Harvey, has his own internet jazz radio show (http://www.radiojazz.co.uk">www.radiojazz.co.uk) and is a veteran jazz writer and historian.
Currently, Brian is looking at the history of jazz and it was intriguing to learn how jazz beat the tune of social history. I had never heard of Buddy Bolden before, but suddenly, the story of his sound blew out from the colourful yet bigoted world of the American Southern States. Early pioneers did not succumb to misery; they played right through it. This fascinating story will continue early next year.
The discussion group debated whether life had any meaning. The range and quality of opinion was impressive, and the good humour and mutual respect was a lesson to the many strident voices which have aired this issue. One view was that we all resemble a jazz band playing a common tune, with each individual able to make a solo effort given space and inspired by the collective endeavour of others.
Walking, Mah Jongg, garden group, and the history of the gunpowder plot continue this week. Also, one of the reading groups moves on to Mark Twain who writes of the world in which early jazz flourished. Buddy Bolden appears to have been a presence all week.