News

In the mercy of God, Rev Roy Hamilton, formerly minister of Calvary Evangelical Church, Penybryn, has accepted our call to become the minister of Hebron. We give God profound and joyful thanks for this.

On Saturday 27th September at 3pm (DV), Mr Hamilton will be inducted as pastor and minister of the Word of God. The service will be led by Rev David George (Maesycwmmer), with Rev Tom McKendry (Co. Antrim) preaching.

The church warmly invites all friends and visitors to this service and to the refreshments following.

21st August 2008

Our dear brother, friend, and fellow-labourer in the Saviour's cause, Ron Burgum, has today been taken into the immediate presence of the Lord. Just a few months ago he was suddenly taken ill and diagnosed with a brain tumour, and despite undergoing a course of radiotherapy, it was clearly the Lord's will to take him home after enabling him to bear peacefully the difficulties of his illness with confidence in the saving grace of God. Our loss is very great, but Ron's gain is immeasurable, for he has now passed through the river and entered the Celestial City where his and our Saviour reigns in glory and holy joy with the spirits of just men made perfect - 'So he passed over, and the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.' (The Pilgrim's Progress).

The funeral is to take place at 11.30 on Friday 29th August, at Hebron and then at Pant cemetery, with Revs Roy Hamilton and Malcolm Jones officiating.

Easter 2007

This year we were privileged with the ministry of Rev Geraint Richards (Newport, Gwent) and Rev Dr Iain D Campbell (Back, Isle of Lewis).

Mr Richards preached to us on Good Friday evening, expounding Hebrews 12.2b, which deals with the Lord Jesus enduring the cross for guilty sinners. We were greatly encouraged by this warm, clear and powerful presentation of the Lord’s atoning death, and non-Christians present were challenged directly and urgently to put their trust in the Saviour. 

Dr Campbell preached a series of powerful messages from Saturday evening through to Monday evening:

            Saturday 7pm               Christ’s sanctification and ours (John 17.19) ¹

            Sunday 10am               Christ’s liberation and ours (Ephesians 2.5) ²

            Sunday 6pm                 Christ’s transformation and ours (Philippians 3.21) ²

            Monday 3.15pm            Christ’s intercession and ours (Romans 8.34) ¹

            Monday 6.30pm            Christ’s mission and ours (John 20.21) ¹

(¹ Mt Pleasant, Maesycwmmer         ² Hebron)

Each sermon presented an aspect of Christ’s experience or ministry, concluding with the parallel one of Christian believers – based on and empowered by Christ’s. Both individually and as a series, Dr Campbell’s sermons were rich and deep, without being difficult to follow. Those who heard him were greatly encouraged and challenged, and God was glorified.

Welsh Evening 2007

Our guest speaker this year was Rev Dr Noel Gibbard (Cardiff, and President of the ETCW, Bridgend), his subject being ‘R B Jones’ (always known in Wales as ‘RB’).

(Dr Gibbard is hoping shortly to publish a new biography of R B Jones.)

Rhys Bevan Jones (1869-1933), was born and brought up a matter of yards from Hebron chapel, where his parents were members and his father a church officer. He was converted at the age of twelve, and later trained for the ministry at Pontypool Baptist College, being ordained in 1893. He was pastor of Baptist churches in Treharris (1893-1895), Llanelli (1895-1899) and Porth, (1899-1933). He founded the South Wales Bible Training Institute at Porth in 1919, remaining its honorary principal until his death - the Institute can be linked in the providence of God through the South Wales Bible College at Barry to the Evangelical Theological College of Wales at Bridgend.

After giving a brief overview of RB’s life and ministry, Dr Gibbard concentrated on his involvement in the revival of 1904-5. RB is perhaps best known for the remarkable work of God attending a series of meetings he led at Rhosllanerchrugog near Wrexham, but Dr Gibbard described in detail his faithful preaching both at home in Tabernacle, Porth and whilst itinerating throughout Wales during the revival. Without question, RB was a man of great significance in Welsh Evangelicalism before, during, and perhaps most of all after the revival, and we were grateful for the opportunity to hear Dr Gibbard remind us of this servant of God.

The meeting was concluded as always with Welshcakes, Bara Brith, etc.

'Whitsun' 2006

Rev Dr Joel Beeke, President and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, favoured us with a series of sermons on ‘Sovereign grace’, from Saturday 27th to Monday 29th May, as follows:

            Saturday 7pm               Sovereign grace in election (1 Peter 1.1-16) ¹

            Sunday 10am               Sovereign grace in calling (Luke 19.1-10) ²

            Sunday 6pm                 Sovereign grace in prayer (Romans 8.26) ²

            Monday 3.15pm            Sovereign grace in persevering (Daniel 1.8,14,15,21) ³

            Monday 6.30pm            Sovereign grace in evangelism (Acts 13.48,49) ³

Firmly based in the passages considered, Dr Beeke explored all the Biblical data on the various subjects, bringing it to bear on the minds, hearts and wills of his hearers.  We are grateful to Dr Beeke for this excellent series of expositions, and to our great God and Saviour for His sovereign grace towards us.

(¹ Tabernacle, Porth       ² Hebron       ³ Mt Pleasant, Maesycwmmer)