|
Dylan Thomas Evening
Click Here to read the thank you.
Christingle Service 2009
Click Here to see all the pictures.
Christmas Fayre 2009
Click Here to see all the pictures.
Guides Centenary Celebrations
Click Here to see all the pictures.
Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning Event
Click Here to see all the pictures.
Gilead Harvest Festival 2009
Click Here to see all the pictures.
News From Our Pastor
Click Here to read it.
Pictures Before & After
Click Here to see them.
*******************************************
Thank You
Thanks to all the village and community for their support in making our Christmas Fayre a total success. We will be sending a donation to Sandville Self Help Centre of £400.00 thanks to the generosity of the attendees of the fayre. Well done everyone and thanks from all your friends at Gilead Chapel Coity.
*******************************************
Mothering Sunday Service 22nd March 2009, conducted by Rev Ken Adams, Cefn Cribwr.
*******************************************
Great News!!!!
After successfully achieving funding from The Community Facilities & Activities Programme (CFAP) 2007-2010, under sections 126-128 of The Housing Grants, Construction and Regenerations Act 1966, Work commenced on the hall refurbishment on Monday 3rd December 2007. The work has been completed and we have had our "OPEN DAY" on June 21st where everyone was invited to view the renovations and to enjoy an activity packed day. (See details on our Welcome page).
Gilead started on the road of application for funding in May 2005. With the help and assistance of the Welsh Assembly Government Regeneration Unit officer Mr. Anthony Pugh, the application for funding was finally granted in August 2007.
Gilead Chapel was built in 1826 and is classed as a building of Historical Interest. The Hall was built in 1938. Both have been restored to their former glory and the added facilities for the disabled by way of access and toilets have been installed.
The Welsh Assembly Government have awarded the sum of £170,678.24 under CFAP, and this funding will ensure that both the Chapel and Hall continue to serve the village of Coity, and the community at large into the next century.
Our sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. Carwyn Jones A.M.P. and Mrs. Jackie Radford for their help, and a very special thank you to Mrs. Ella Dodd for her tireless assistance during the application period.
*******************************************
The wedding took place on Thursday the 28th of June at 3.30 between Mr. Michael Paul Finlay and Miss. Sharon Wong both of Bridgend.
*******************************************
Hi friends,
As we celebrated Pentecost last Sunday, May 23 I thought I might share my sermon notes with you.
I hope you do not mind as I do not want to fall into the error of becoming presumptuous. If you find them helpful please share your thoughts too, Much love because of His constant eternal love.
Read the sermon notes here.
*******************************************
Dear friends,
The Rev. Colin Davies was preaching at Gilead last Sunday and I thought you might like to read his sermon notes here.
*******************************************
"The local florist in Coity, Precious Petals, made the flower basket arrangements and my wife bought the Easter poster to pin to the pulpit.
Please read the accompanying Easter message".
Easter Good Message.
Once again, in terms of the religious calendar, Christians come together to both recognise and remember Easter. Like Christmas time, due to repetition, it is in danger of being commercialised and misused.
Again, another attitude that is becoming more popular in religious circles is that this time of reflection leads to a sense of pity backed up with a sense of deep piety and solemnity, often acted out before us in a liturgical drama. Black dress, black veils, a foreshadowing of a spirit of gloom.
Even further, may I say that there can be this lurking doubt, this suspicion of inevitability concerning tragedy, whether it is personal or world wide; this reluctant acceptance of disaster that is like of fog slowly creeping around a mountain until it is completely covered.
You begin to wallow in self pity and deep down you begin to enjoy it.
Easter, just like Christmas, can be such a time.
Thus there is this danger that there are many genuine Christian whose thoughts and events can influence us to be just like that.
Doubting and even lonely.
I am not sure my sins are forgiven.
What about all the sins I have done after saying I have become a Christian?
What about all my failures?
I haven’t done anything for Jesus.
I’m afraid.
I’m afraid of tomorrow.
I’m afraid of dying.
What about my children; my family; my friends?
The most important principle for all Christians, actually for the whole world is what JESUS said:- NKJ John 16:33 "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
This statement is as relevant now as it was 2000 years ago when Jesus said it.
Notice that it is Jesus who said this.
When He too was in this world, because He knew that He was going to die for the sins of the world; for yours and mine.
So think of His life; the social isolation; the misunderstanding leading to this final rejection by His own Jewish people, His betrayal by His friend, His desertion by His disciples, His brutal treatment and then His crucifixion. All the world’s sin laid on Him plus the Satanic conflict.
Then we must not belittle the reality of our troubles nor make light of them.
But we need to deeply meditate on the reality of the tribulations that Jesus experienced throughout His life, in this last week and particularly on the cross where the burden of all the sins of the world was laid on Him.
He conquers the world.
The world and Satan, the enemy of God, threw everything at Him and lost.
He took on Himself our tribulations, our hurt, our diseases.
By His stripes we are healed.
But remember, we are still in the world.
We are not in heaven yet.
Therefore we will continue to experience the joys of heaven in the circumstances and reality of a world that continues to hate Him.
But be of good cheer.
Your pain is real, as is your anguish and distress. Don’t pretend it is not happening and
shrug it off. That is not being true and honest.
Go back to Jesus. Present it to Him. Lay it at the foot of the cross and trust the Lord to take you through it. Throw yourself into His everlasting arms and plead for mercy, forgiveness and grace to continue witnessing for Him.
NKJ Revelation 1:18 "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
Easter, resurrection.
Are you alive?
*******************************************
Here is an interesting story about Handel from www.bobgas.com/todayswordphp
George Frideric Handel was a musical prodigy. At twenty-one he was a keyboard virtuoso. When he turned to composing he gained immediate fame and soon was appointed Kapellmeister to the Elector of Hanover (later King George I of England). When Handel moved to England his renown grew. By the time he was forty he was world famous. But despite his talent and fame he faced considerable adversity. Rivalry with English composers was fierce. Audiences were fickle; sometimes they didn’t turn out for his performances. He was the victim of the changing political winds.
Several times he found himself on the verge of bankruptcy. His problems were compounded by failing health. He suffered a stroke which left his right arm limp and damaged the use of four fingers in his right hand. Although he recovered, it left him battling depression. Finally, at fifty-six, Handel decided it was time to retire. Discouraged, miserable and consumed with debt, he felt certain he’d land in a debtor’s prison. So on April 8, 1741, he gave what he considered his farewell concert. Disappointed and filled with self-pity, he gave up. But that year something incredible happened. A wealthy friend named Charles Jennings encouraged Handel by visiting him and giving him a libretto based on the life of Christ.
The work intrigued Handel, so he began writing. Immediately the floodgates of inspiration opened. For three weeks he wrote almost nonstop. Then he spent another two days creating the orchestrations. In twenty-four days he had completed the 260-page manuscript of The Messiah.
NIB 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
*******************************************
Jim Trecek
When I was in the Navy, at least one of the readings and hymns that were frequently part of Chapel and Sunday services, were the pieces that I have included here. These photos will demonstrate to you the power of their words in bolstering faith and spirituality and why they are universal maritime prayers.
Psalm 107
(Lines 23-30)
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end.
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Eternal Father, Strong to Save
(aka: Eternal Father, The Navy Hymn)
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea
Oh Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!
Most Holy Spirit Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!
O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
“Eternal Father, Strong to Save”, was originally written as a poem in 1860 by William Whiting of Winchester, England, for a student who was about to sail for the United States. An Episcopal Priest, Rev. John Bacchus Dykes, a fellow Englishman composed and published a melody to accompany the poem for use as a hymn.
“Eternal Father, Strong to Save”, found in most Christian Hymnals later became known as: “Eternal Father, The Navy Hymn” because it was frequently performed in public by the Midshipman Choir of The United States Naval Academy, at Annapolis, starting in the early 1870’s. This tradition was borrowed from the “British Royal Navy” which had adopted it almost immediately after publication. It was very quickly translated into French and adopted by “Marine La Royale” (now: “Marine Nationale” aka “The French Navy”) . Because it the “Official Hymn” of three countries’ maritime military forces, it has become known universally simply as “The Navy Hymn
*******************************************
MORE INTERESTING QUOTES.
"Each day try to do something nice for someone who cannot reciprocate your kindness." - John Wooden
"I will permit no man to narrow and degrade my soul by making me hate him." - Booker T. Washington
"You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein
"To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge it, requires brains." - Mary Pettibone Poole
"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance." - H. Jackson Brown
"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."-Isaac Newton
Subject: Tennessee Football !
This is a statement that was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane County High School, Kingston , Tennessee , by school Principal, Jody McLeod.
"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games, to say a prayer and play the National Anthem, to honor God and Country."
Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a Prayer is a violation of Federal Case Law.
As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to approve of sexual perversion and call it "an alternate life style," and if someone is offended, that's OK.
I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity, by dispensing condoms and calling it, "safe sex.." If someone is offended, that's OK.
I can even use this public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a "viable! means of birth control." If someone is offended, no problem...
I can designate a school day as "Earth Day" and involve students in activities to worship religiously and praise the goddess "Mother Earth" and call it "ecology.."
I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depicts people with strong, traditional Christian convictions as "simple minded" and "ignorant" and call it "enlightenment.."
However, if anyone uses this facility to honor GOD and to ask HIM to Bless this event with safety and good sportsmanship, then Federal Case Law is violated..
This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.
Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone, except GOD and HIS Commandments.
Nevertheless , as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to abide by rules with which they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical... I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not need to add an intentional transgression.
For this reason, I shall "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," and refrain from praying at this time.
"However, if you feel inspired to honor, praise and thank GOD and ask HIM, in the name of JESUS, to
Bless this event, please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the law----yet."
One by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands with one another and began to pray.
They prayed in the stands.. They prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand and they prayed in the Announcer' box!
The only place they didn't pray was in the Supreme Court of the United States of America- the Seat of "Justice" in the "one nation, under GOD.." Somehow, Kingston , Tennessee remembered what so many have forgotten. We are given the Freedom OF Religion, not the Freedom FROM Religion. Praise GOD that HIS remnant remains!
JESUS said, "If you are ashamed of ME before men, then I will be ashamed of you before MY FATHER.."
If you are not ashamed, pass this on
|
