SOUND of Wales returns to Pembroke Castle on Sunday, June 14 for this year’s Picnic Prayer and Praise event, featuring Youth Gospel Choir and local Pembrokeshire churches.

Korean Christians from London will also be taking part in their very own distinctive way.

Entry is free for worshippers between 12 noon and 5pm, with the programme beginning at 1pm. The invitation is to to bring friends, chairs, and a picnic too - or enjoy food and drink from the Castle Café.

This year’s Picnic Prayer and Praise follows the cancellation of the event scheduled last September after the castle management informed organisers that the forecast conditions made it impossible to hold the outdoor gathering.

Pembroke Castle’s Picnic Prayer and Praise is something of a ‘dream come true’ for Baptist Pastor Rob James.

“It’s hard to believe,” he said in 2022, “but what was the germ of an idea is rapidly growing into an annual event that is clearly meeting a real need and in so doing enjoying the blessing of God.”

At the fourth event of its kind, in the autumn of 2023, 700 gathered at the Castle despite the weather, and far from dampening everyone’s enthusiasm, the spasmodic outbursts of rain only seemed to fan the flames. Pastor Rob James said: “To our delight, Christians gathered from all over Pembrokeshire to celebrate our unity and to pray and praise the Lord for all He does for us, not least for overruling the weather so that we can witness for Him in this historic place.”

Of that event, Worship Leader Cath Woolridge said ‘It was a joy and privilege for Sound of Wales to be a small part of Worship in the castle. As we gathered to pray throughout the day as a team - in the castle grounds - a place of legacy of kings, it jolted us into intercession about praying that the King of Kings would come and take his rightful place in Pembroke and in Wales.”

She continued: “Had this been a day where King Charles was visiting the castle, you can imagine the pomp. Yet here we were, a bunch of wonderful riff-raff sons and daughters, soaked in the rain – with the King of Kings in our midst.”

Of the Cardiff-based worship group, Sound of Wales, Rob James has said: “They are a very special group of people and are having a real impact in various parts of Wales.”

Inviting people to attend the Picnic Prayer and Praise event on June 14, Castle Trustee Roger Baker, says: “This is an extraordinary opportunity to unite Christians in one of the great castles of Wales, and I pray that it will be attended by a huge crowd. What a way to give Pembrokeshire a united voice of praise to our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

For more information, Contact Pastor Rob James: [email protected] .