GLANRHYD BAPTIST CHURCH

This Sunday, the church will be closed for the Longstone anniversary.

Bethesda Baptist Chapel

Services at Bethesda Baptist Chapel, Narberth, in the week beginning Sunday, August 2, are as follows:

The morning service takes place at 10.30 am and the evening service, followed by communion, at 6 pm. Both services will be taken by Rev. Chris Rees, the minister of Bethesda Chapel.

The Bible study and prayer meeting is on Tuesday at 7.15 pm.

A Christian bookstall will be held in the Country Market in Narberth's Queen's Hall on Thursday between 9 am and 12 noon.

All are very welcome to these meetings.

CHURCH services

Sunday: St. Andrew's - 10 am Sung Eucharist; Holy Cross, Robeston Wathen - 11.30 am Holy Eucharist.

Wednesday: St. Andrew's - 10 am Holy Eucharist.

Christian Community Church

This Sunday's service will be in Bloomfield House Seminar Room at 10 am. The speaker will be Colin Joy from Narberth. Housegroups meet on Thursday at 7.30 pm. A warm welcome to all.

children's

treasure hunt

Over 36 teams took part in the children's treasure hunt which was very pleasing to the Civic Week organisers. 

Age 10 and under winners were: 1. The Coakers; 2. Amy Griffith; 3. Jacob, Zac and Evan Thomas.

Ten years and over: 1. Jessica and Charli; 2. Saffon and Dylan; 3. The Lunchbox Crew.

NARBERTH BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP

The estate agent said: "This house has both its good points and its bad points. To prove to you I'm honest, I'm going to tell you about both. The disadvantages are that there is a chemical plant one block south and a slaughterhouse one street up on the north."

"What are the advantages?" inquired the prospective buyer.

"The advantage is that you can always tell which way the wind is blowing."

It is important to know 'which way the wind is blowing'. But it is also possible to allow that knowledge to affect us more than it ought to. There was a tramp during the Great Depression of the 1930s who was asked how he decided which direction he would go every morning. He said: "It's easy. I find the way the wind is blowing, face away from it, and just let it blow me along."

And it's easy for us all to live our lives in just that way. It's easy to allow the 'majority opinion' around us to shape who we are and what we do. Rather than make an effort to change the world (which is very difficult), we follow the easier path of letting the world determine the direction we take. May St. Paul's words serve to remind us of what our task as Christians is: 'Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.' (Romans 12:2)

Thanks to Michael Edwards for his inspired word last Sunday. The speaker at the meeting this week is Martyn Williams. NBF meet 6.30 pm Sundays in the chapel at Pant-y-Gorphwys Farmhouse on the main A478 from Penblewin to Narberth. Do visit.

Grace Church

Following on from the reality of a recession that hopefully will not become a depression we have swine flu. As we ride through one storm, we are informed that another has arrived and may have a greater affect than the present one.

For people wanting to get away from it all is understandable. The land of the living we find ourselves in is not always a holiday island, it can be a dangerous country and for some a war zone. People of faith, have a choice to make. On the one hand is recession, unemployment, lost savings or pension and health challenges. On the other hand there is faith, that God connection to purpose and promise for your life. The question is which hand will be dominant in life?

Faith is not the absence of fear. When fear knocks at the door, make sure faith answers. Faith is the courage to act in spite of fear. Fear can shut you down spiritually, relationally and emotionally and cause you to stop growing as a person.

But instead of reacting to fear, you need to become forward thinking in spite of fear. There is a place called forward. We must focus on who and not what. There is nothing wrong in wealth, leisure and wanting security in life, but our focus must not be in things that are temporal but life that is eternal. The good news is that we can have life before death as well as after it, and the who is found in Jesus Christ.

What are you doing on Sunday? You can find all kinds of things to do, I'm sure you don't need anyone to suggest a few. However, first things first. We guarantee that if you give a Sunday morning to come to our 10.30 am morning service you will be pleasantly surprised. You will find people of all ages, different backgrounds and nationalities meeting as one family.

We will do our best to make it well worth getting up for, to enjoy serious fun, to hear a talk that is Biblical, challenges and is applicable to life today, good music and find new friends. You will be greeted and served by some of the amazing people who are part of Grace.

Come on your own, with friend or family, you are most welcome. Coffee is served from 10 am. There is an active programme for children and a crèche when the speaker commences.

Grace have their offices at the Court House, Market Square, Narberth, which also houses the Liberty cafe.

Grace church meets every Sunday morning in the main hall of Queen's Hall, Narberth. Visit http://www.gracewales.info">www.gracewales.info for more details.

Templeton and Reynalton United Reformed Churches

The united service on Sunday, August 2, will be held at Reynalton United Reformed Church at 9.30 am and will be led by Rev. Norman Gilbert, of Cosheston.

The service will celebrate the anniversary of Templeton URC. A warm welcome to all visitors.

Meat Draw

Winners of the Narberth RFC Supporters' Club meat draw this week are as follows: beef - Megan; lamb - Brian Murray; pork - Vincent Rees. 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 the club steward Anne Lonsdale on (01834) 860462 or any member of the supporters' committee. The draw takes place every Friday evening.

  

Narberth Ladies Probus Group

Having welcomed members and guests to the July meeting and concluded the business part of the day's agenda, it was a pleasure welcome Trish - Mrs. Patricia Campion as guest speaker.

Members were all totally fascinated with the wonderfully detailed talk about her various visits to Tajikistan where her daughter had been living until recently.

Dressed in their beautiful, colourful native dress, Trish went on to speak about the lives, customs and traditions of women in that part of central Asia.

She showed many items of their local handicrafts, including beautifully embroidered clothes, cushions, bedclothes etc, glittering with sequins and many coloured beads. A magical show only interrupted by lunch.

Trish joined members and kindly answered the many questions which followed. After thanking her for such an enjoyable talk, the meeting was then closed.

The next meeting will be held on Friday, August 7, at Plas Hyfryd Country Hotel at 11.45 am.

Ladies who are interested in obtaining further information about meetings, talks, social outings and membership can telephone Margot Parker on (01834) 891471 or Ann Green on (01437) 711107.

Narberth U3A

The U3A book groups read widely differing novels this month (writes Dave Dando). One choice was 'The White Tiger' by Aravand Adiga which was chosen as the winner of the Booker Prize. It is an example of Indian English literature which is a genre all on its own.

These are not books translated into English, neither are they books written in English about India. They are works written by Indian writers in the English language. They include numerous great novels by the likes of Salman Rushdie, Kiran Desai, and Arundhati Roy who have all been Booker winners.

'The White Tiger' gives us a view of the darker side of an emerging superpower, not the shining jewel in the crown of Paul Scott and E. M. Forster. It is an India compressed into two castes those with full bellies and those without.

The rich live near the ocean while the poor follow the river into the dark ignorance of the vast interior. It is a dog eat dog world where the route to the top is often by the most expedient means no matter whoever gets hurt in the process. Everyone found it an easy book to read and it is full of dark humour.

The other group read 'Labyrinth' by Kate Mosse. Different from Adiga in that all the main roles, be they 'goodies' or 'baddies', are women. The plot leaps back and forth between the 13th century and modern times and probably appeals to the Holy Grail brigade.

A good thing about reading with a group is that you do look at books you would not normally bother with. We all tend to choose the newspapers, history, and politics that we prefer and anything that moves us out of our comfort zone is positive.

If you are retired and like to share literature or art, music, bridge, history, poetry, tai chi, walking, natural history, gardening, geology, lunch club, mah-jong, or topical discussion, telephone Peter Hughes on 862964 or Beryl Millington on 861019 for more information.

Rugby Club Barbecue

Narberth Rugby Club will hold a barbecue at Cresswell Quay tonight (Friday), by kind permission of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Cole, of the Cresselly Arms.

The fun starts at 6 pm and admission is free. Donations for the cake and bottle stalls will be most welcome.

Templeton and Reynalton United Reformed Churches

The united service on Sunday, August 2, will be held at Reynalton United Reformed Church at 9.30 am and will be led by Rev. Norman Gilbert, of Cosheston.

The service will celebrate the anniversary of Templeton URC. A warm welcome to all visitors.

Meat Draw

Winners of the Narberth RFC Supporters' Club meat draw this week are as follows: beef - Megan; lamb - Brian Murray; pork - Vincent Rees. 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 the club steward Anne Lonsdale on (01834) 860462 or any member of the supporters' committee. The draw takes place every Friday evening.

  

Narberth Ladies Probus Group

Having welcomed members and guests to the July meeting and concluded the business part of the day's agenda, it was a pleasure welcome Trish - Mrs. Patricia Campion as guest speaker.

Members were all totally fascinated with the wonderfully detailed talk about her various visits to Tajikistan where her daughter had been living until recently.

Dressed in their beautiful, colourful native dress, Trish went on to speak about the lives, customs and traditions of women in that part of central Asia.

She showed many items of their local handicrafts, including beautifully embroidered clothes, cushions, bedclothes etc, glittering with sequins and many coloured beads. A magical show only interrupted by lunch.

Trish joined members and kindly answered the many questions which followed. After thanking her for such an enjoyable talk, the meeting was then closed.

The next meeting will be held on Friday, August 7, at Plas Hyfryd Country Hotel at 11.45 am.

Ladies who are interested in obtaining further information about meetings, talks, social outings and membership can telephone Margot Parker on (01834) 891471 or Ann Green on (01437) 711107.

Cricket Club

Winners of the National Lottery bonus ball draw organised by the ladies committee of Narberth Cricket Club this week were: Group A - Patricia Belt; Group B - Josh Simpkins.

Main sponsor is Young Brothers, Llandissilio, while junior sponsor is Wood Office Caravan and Tent Park, Cold Blow.

Williams Vision, Narberth, Balcony Suite man-of-the-match was Ben Quartermaine, 4 for 7, who received two pints courtesy of Narberth RFC.

On Monday, Narberth play away to Whitland in the semi-final of the Ken Morris Cup, while on Wednesday, they play in the Ormond Cup away to Carew.

Junior matches: tonight (Friday) - U15s away to Carew; Tuesday - U15s home to Crymych.

All players, seniors and juniors, are asked to bring back their raffle tickets to either John or Richard Howell as soon as possible. The draw is to be made on Saturday, August 8.