Lenten Bible Studies

Les Miserable

During lent we held a series of Bible Studies, using characters, themes, some words and music from ‘Les Miserables’

(both the book and the musical) and linking these to Bible passages, with help from a book produced by Anglican Priest,  Rev Jonathan Meyer.

Palm Sunday

On Palm Sunday we focused on the song ‘Do you hear the people sing’……. 

              and the comparisons to

              Jesus riding into Jerusalem……

              with the shouts of Hosanna

               ringing in peoples ears.

Holy week services

At the all age worship in Church house we followed The URC poppy planting initiative and planted Red and White Poppy seeds and yellow poppy seedlings – churches from all denominations, have been planting poppy seeds throughout Holy Week, with the hope that they will bloom on or around 4 August, the 100 year commemoration of the declaration of the First World War.

Red poppies have been used since just after the First World War as a symbol of remembrance for those who have died in war, whilst white poppies have come to be a symbol for peace and an end to all wars.

Maundy Thursday

Our service was led by Rev James Karran ….as people arrived  and settled into a circle of chairs a series of pictures and paintings setting the scene for the evening were  displayed on the screen, we then heard again the events leading up to the arrest of Jesus, accompanied with background music, and shared communion together.

Good Friday

At our morning service we reflected on the Crucifixion with Beverley Humphreys using words and music including : ‘the theme music from ‘Schindlers List’ , ‘I wonder as I wander’, ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord’, ‘All in the April evening’’  a ‘Taize’  piece and, from Steiners ‘Cruxifixion’,  ‘God so love the world’.

Following the service some then joined the ‘Silent Walk of Witness’ through the town, which ended with a short service in Market Square.

Easter Day

The day dawned bright and sunny and about 30 people arrived at the church hall by 8.30am to share breakfast, when Rev Simon Walkling, Moderator of URC Wales  Synod (our former Minister) led our worship using hymns he had written. The order of worship including the hymns can found under the ‘Church Life’ tag.

Our Easter Family Service was also led by Simon and included an infant Baptism; we opened the service with Michael Forster’s hymn :

From the very depths of darkness springs a new and living light, Our service closed with Brian Wren’s triumphant hymn ‘Christ is alive! Let Christians sing.’

We also sang one of Simon’s hymns to the tune ‘Oes Gafr eto’, this can also be found under the ‘Church Life’ tag

There were very few empty seats!