Easter 2006

Our guest preacher this year was Dr Dale Ralph Davis, formerly Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi, and currently pastor of Woodland Presbyterian Church, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Having been privileged with his ministry at Easter 2003, we had been waiting expectantly for this return visit.

Dr Davis’ highly regarded and popular Old Testament commentaries led us to expect a series of exhilarating sermons on Old Testament texts, and we were not disappointed, though the overall title, The God of Hope, was taken from Ro 15.13, and the opening sermon was on Rev 1.4,5 (‘Greetings from the Trinity’).

The series proper consisted in ‘God so loved the world that He called Abraham’ (Genesis 12:1-9), ‘The God of the bush’ (Exodus 3:1-15), ‘God keeps bringing His Kingdom’ (1 Samuel 16:1-3), ‘International grace’ (2 Kings 5), ‘Insomnia and salvation’ (Esther 5:9 - 6:14), and ‘The church of the future’ (Zephaniah 3:9-20). The material preached under these intriguing titles encapsulated the rich wonders of God’s saving grace. It was a joy and blessing to hear these passages of Scripture vividly brought to life and powerfully applied to our minds and hearts. May God be pleased to work them out richly in our living.

The series passed all too quickly, so that we were left looking forward eagerly to any future return visit of Dr Davis, as well as to the appearance of further commentaries from his pen.

Welsh Evening 2006

Our speaker was once again (2001- ‘A light in the land’; 2003 - ‘William Williams, Pantycelyn’) Dr Gwyn Williams of the Evangelical Theological College of Wales. He had announced his cryptic title, ‘A candle in the dark – the Dodge City of Wales’, some weeks previously.

There had been some speculation as to its meaning, but everyone was surprised to discover that ‘Dodge City’ was the small market town of Llandovery. The link with America’s Wild West was, of course, cattle, for Llandovery was a great gathering point for the drovers taking their herds to market in London and elsewhere.

The ‘candle in the dark’ was a reference to Rhys Prichard (c1579-1644), famous throughout Wales for centuries as ‘Vicar Prichard’, or simply ‘The Vicar’. Born in Llandovery, he left for Jesus College, Oxford at the age of 18. He returned to Wales still unconverted, even after becoming vicar of Llandovery a few years later. His behaviour was worse than most of his parishioners; but after his conversion he devoted his life to teaching God’s Word in the town. His widespread and long-lasting influence through the whole of Wales was principally due to his great skill in versifying the teaching of the Bible. These verses, were later published as Canwyll y Cymry (‘The Welshman’s Candle’), hence Dr Davies’ title.

In his inimitable style Dr Davies outlined the Vicar’s life and ministry, giving numerous apt selections of his verses (translated into English). These verses enabled the truths of the Bible to become fixed in the minds, hearts and lives of vast numbers of people. In days before the well-known revivals of the 18^th Century, with Catholicism still deep-rooted and morality at a low-ebb, Rhys Prichard was himself a true candle in the dark, doing God’s work in difficult times. Dr Davies closed by urging each of us to be ‘like a little candle, burning in the night’, each in his or her ‘small corner’, shining for God in our own difficult days.

For further information, see, for example 'The Vicar'

2005

Easter preaching services, 2005

This year's preacher was the Rev David S Carmichael of Lesmahagow, Scotland. From Friday 25th to Sunday 27th March, he gave a forthright presentation of the Gospel, with special reference to departures from Biblical truth within contemporary evangelicalism. We are grateful for his challenging messages and for his encouragement to hold firmly to the fundamentals of the faith.

David Carmichael

An acknowledgement of gratitude, 15th March 2005

Since the departure of Gareth Lloyd, we have had much cause to be grateful to God. After just a few weeks, preachers had been found for most of the remaining Sundays of 2004, and after a few months, for the rest of 2004 and the whole of 2005. Under God, many men have kindly put themselves out in order to help us maintain the preaching of the Word on the Lord's Day, and some have also ministered to us in our mid-week meetings. We have been variously challenged, rebuked, thrilled and strengthened by the ministry of these men, and we trust that the same will continue to be the case right up to the time when the Lord sees fit to give us a minister of our own once again. And in all this we have been helped to worship and serve our glorious God.

The following men have already preached to us, some more than once (listed in chronological order):

Stephen Jarvis; Alan Watkins; Tim Wells; Evan Richards; David George; Ron Clarke; Washington Were; Roy Hamilton; Gary McKee; Malcolm Jones; Jeremy Bailey; Sulwyn Jones; Stephen Darby; Jeff Gilbert; Vincent Tracey; Tom McKendry; David Jones; Owen Griffiths; Andy Christofides; Gwynn Williams; John Legg; Owen Blackwood; Noel Gibbard; Dennis Jenkins; Andrew Wigham; Alun Higham; Neville Rees; Derek Rhapps  

God willing, we are expecting the following to preach to us (again in chronological order):

Irfon Hughes; David Carmichael; David Finnie; Derek Swann; John Cook; Russell Williams; Neil Evans; Paul Crowe; Gwilym Roberts; Ifan Mason Davies; John Woolley; Eryl Davies; Tim Curnow; Bill Lollar; Alun McNabb; Peter Reynolds; Oliver Gross; John Hall; Alan Levy; Yona Mwampulo; Richard Wigham; Philip Eveson; Dewi Higham; Stuart Olyott; Paul Whiteley; Gareth Edwards; Graham Harrison; Owen Jones

We are especially indebted to some very close friends among these men, who have continually helped us at short notice, given us much wise counsel, and prayed constantly for us. (We are grateful, too, for the many others near and far who have prayed for us during these months.) Several could be named, but particular mention must be made of the Rev David George of Maesycwmmer, who graciously agreed to moderate in our church meetings, and has frequently met with the elders to guide and advise. 

We are truly thankful to all these men, but pre-eminently to our Saviour, the Lord of the Church. It is to the Lord Jesus we are looking for blessing now and for a new minister in His good time. Soli Deo gloria!

Welsh evening, 2005

On Friday 4^th March, our former minister, Rev Sulwyn Jones, addressed us on Christmas Evans (1766-1838), the famous Welsh preacher. A remarkable and idiosyncratic individual, from a difficult and unhappy childhood he became one of the best known men in Wales, greatly respected by fellow ministers of various denominations and often referred to as ‘the Welsh Bunyan’. Beginning as a Calvinistic Methodist (‘Welsh Presbyterian’), he became a Baptist in 1788. With four pastorates spanning the years 1789 until his death, his life and ministry spanned a remarkable period in Welsh church history. There were times of hard labour and little fruit, but also times of rich blessing and great revival from God. We were also reminded of Evans’ temporary infatuation with the error of Sandemanianism, which eventually brought him to a state where ‘To a very great degree had I lost the spirit of prayer, and the spirit of preaching.’ God mercifully restored him, and soon his ministry knew great fruitfulness once again.

Sulwyn Jones

A very enlightening and profitable evening was closed with our customary Welshcakes, Bara Brith, etc.

For further information about Christmas Evans online, see, for example, http://www.siteone.com/religion/baptist/baptistpage/Portraits/evans.htm and http://www.puritansermons.com/pdf/evans.pdf
 

New Year Preaching Service, 2005

On Saturday 1^st January, Rev Gwynn Williams, Cardiff , once again prepared us for another year of serving the Saviour. Preaching on Matthew 9.36-38, he drew our attention to the need for ‘bringing in the harvest’. Long summer holidays spent on a family farm as a teenager enabled him to speak with vivid force on the requirements and the possible dangers of harvesting. All present were very encouraged, and challenged to give themselves, under God, to bringing in the harvest during this present year. May God be pleased to prosper our labour for His glory.

Washington Were, July 2004

We were recently privileged to enjoy the fellowship of a beloved brother and friend from Kenya , Pastor Washington Were, who is responsible for three congregations of the Africa Inland Church . Washington preached at Hebron whilst a mature student at ETCW in 1989, and we were able to continue and deepen our relationship with him during a church house-party later that year. Since then our only contact with one another has been by letter.

This year, kind friends in England have enabled him to spend some weeks in the UK , and to attend the recent ‘Word & Spirit’ and ‘Revival’ conferences at ETCW. As soon as we knew that Washington was to be in the UK , we made arrangements for him to stay with us at Hebron for a short time. As we’d hoped, he was able to preach to us, and challenged us powerfully on matters that are very appropriate to us at this time when we are without a minister and seeking a new one. In our morning service on Sunday 18^th July, he preached on Eph 4.1-16 (every member called to works of ministry), and in the evening service on Acts 6.1-6 (the priority of the Word and prayer). His visit was all too brief, a bitter-sweet reunion and parting again of those whom the Lord has graciously bound together through His providence over these last 15 years. May He be pleased to bless Washington ’s life and ministry richly, and make us obedient to the Word brought by His faithful servant.

**We have just been informed (1/3/2005) that our dear brother has been called home to his Lord and Saviour**

2004    

Departure of Gareth Lloyd, May 2004

It is with great sadness and reluctance that we announce the leaving of our deeply loved and appreciated minister, Gareth Lloyd. Gareth has been with us for almost 5 years, first as assistant to Rev Sulwyn Jones, and then as our minister from the time of Mr Jones’ retirement.

From before his time with us Gareth had been torn between pastoral and church planting ministry, and he is now taking the opportunity to give himself to the latter. All who have had the opportunity to hear him will acknowledge with us his remarkable preaching ability, but only the members at Hebron can fully appreciate his pastoral gifts, his zeal for reaching the lost, and his passion for the glory of God.

We are grateful to God for giving us Gareth for these few years, and for using him in the conversion of some and the growth in grace of many others. Though we had hoped to keep him for many more years, we must accede to God’s will in this, and trust that God will soon provide us with another minister equal to Gareth in his gifts and graces.

Gareth preached for the last time as our minister on Sunday evening, 23^rd May. His text was the Apostle Paul’s magnificent prayer in Ephesians 3.14-21, and he did justice to its soaring themes, leaving us with a parting ministerial message that could hardly have been bettered. The service was followed by a brief farewell meeting, in which Gareth was presented with a token of our love and appreciation, and assured of our prayers for him and his family, as well as for his future ministry.  

Gareth Lloyd

ETCW student placement 

We were glad to have with us from 8th - 29th February Gary McKee, a first year student at the Evangelical Theological College of Wales. Gary was involved in every aspect of the church's fellowship and ministry - preaching twice, leading the prayer meeting, etc., enjoying (we hope!) meals at members' homes, and spending a great deal of time with Gareth Lloyd. It was a privilege and a blessing to us, and we hope that it was for Gary also. We hope that Gary will visit us as much as he can, and  pray that he will know the Lord's rich blessing at the College and during his future ministry. 

Welsh Evening 

For quite a number of years it has been traditional at Hebron to hold a ‘Welsh Evening’, as close as possible to St David’s day. The purpose is to remind ourselves of the wonderful works of God in the history of our greatly favoured nation – so as to be moved to pour out our adoration and thanks to Him, and to seek His favour for our own day. Previous speakers have included Dafydd P Morris ('Spurgeon in Wales '), Geraint Fielder (‘Four centuries of Welsh evangelicalism’, ‘John Pugh & the Joshua brothers’), Noel Gibbard (‘R B Jones & revival, 1904-5’), Gwyn Davies (‘A light in the land’, ‘William Williams, Pantycelyn’)

Dr Eifion Evans

This year we were privileged to welcome Dr Eifion Evans, author of The Welsh Revival of 1904, Revival Comes to Wales, Daniel Rowland &c., and Fire in the Thatch. Dr Evans and his wife Meira had worshipped at Hebron until 1988, so it was a joy to renew fellowship with them. But it was an even greater joy to hear Dr Evans tell the story of the 1904-5 revival, with special reference to its beginnings and progress in Dowlais. Quotations from the Merthyr Express of the time, describing the remarkable work of God at Hebron in the autumn of 1904, revealed how widespread the revival was even in its early stages. Dr Evans kept us enthralled for a very swift hour, leaving us eager to hear more of the story - and much more eager to know similar blessings in our own day. It was entirely appropriate to conclude the meeting with a time of open prayer, when there was a measure of genuine, fervent desire expressed for God to glorify Himself in a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Wales.

For further information on revival, visit Revival Library

The 1904 Revival in Dowlais – unpublished personal memories

The commissioning of David Jones to the work of the ministry

Sunday 7^th March was a day of mixed emotions, as we were sending one of our families into a new work for the Lord. David and Rhian Jones, and their daughters Gwen, Kate and Jenni, were leaving us for Calvary Evangelical Church , Rhymney. We were loath to lose them, but glad to fall in with the Lord’s leading, and conscious that our loss is very much Rhymney’s gain.

David was brought up in Hebron from infancy, and has for many years been an elder and the church secretary. Many churches apart from Hebron have benefited from his preaching over the years, as well as from his wise counsel and encouragement. Rhian – attending for some 17 years – has been a very valuable member, not least as a pianist and organist. However, it is not only for their gifts that they will be missed, but also for their graces. Their Christian character, friendship, and devoted service of the Lord and His people have been a blessing and an example to us all. The girls too, though very young, have become very much part of our church family. In many respects, therefore, the day was a great wrench for us – and no doubt for them also. Yet how glad we are that the church at Rhymney has been given a new minister of the Word, a new organist/pianist, and a new family, including a nucleus of young children for future outreach to the community.

David, after preaching frequently at Calvary for many years, had in recent years been asked to take increasing responsibility there, due in part to the declining health of the minister, D J Williams. Finding within himself a growing desire to preach more, and a greater freedom in preparation and delivery, he was very glad to give whatever help he could. Then, at the beginning of this year he was asked by Mr Williams and the rest of the church to become their pastor, and after proper consideration he was convinced that this was the Lord’s will for him. Though very reluctant to lose David, the members at Hebron were glad to agree with him, seeing in this the answer to many years’ prayers for God’s blessing upon the church at Rhymney.

So it was that on 7^th March, after a church tea, when gifts were presented to all the members of the family and our best wishes expressed, the evening service concentrated on commissioning David to the ministry of God’s Word at Rhymney. Two brief but very stimulating and challenging sermons were preached, one by our previous minister, Sulwyn Jones, and the other by our present minister, Gareth Lloyd. The first was rooted in the description of God’s faithful messenger in Malachi 2.4-6, and the second in 1 Thessalonians 2.5-7, where the Apostle Paul writes of the need to fear God rather than men. The three ministers were then joined in the pulpit by Hebron ’s three remaining elders to represent the church as Gareth Lloyd called down the Lord’s blessing upon David and his ministry at Rhymney.  

New year's day meeting

2003

2001

The induction of Gareth Lloyd as minister of Hebron

Saturday 6^th October 2001 was a very happy day for the congregation of Hebron 

At 3pm the church gathered with many friends from near and far for the induction of the Rev Gareth Lloyd, when he was officially recognised and set apart as the new minister.

The much esteemed and loved Rev Sulwyn Jones retired from the pastorate of Hebron at the end of June, after faithfully teaching the Word of God and making known the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ there for 37 years (1964-2001). In the goodness and mercy of God, Mr Jones’ work was continued without a break by Mr Lloyd, who is a graduate of the Evangelical Theological College of Wales, and who had received additional ministerial training over the previous two years as assistant to Mr Jones. Mr Lloyd and his wife Angela both grew up in Nelson where they attended Bethel Evangelical Church; they have three children – Matthew, Thomas and Lydia. During these two years the church at Hebron had come to love and respect Mr Lloyd more and more, so that when Mr Jones gave notice of his retirement in January, it might have seemed obvious and natural that Mr Lloyd would succeed him. However, the members of the church were determined to seek God’s will rather than to follow their own wishes. Only after much prayer and careful consideration was Mr Lloyd warmly and enthusiastically asked to serve as the new minister of Hebron. He very gladly accepted the invitation, and began his ministry at the beginning of July.

The Rev Terry Williams of Nelson chaired the induction service, and the Rev Malcolm Jones of Maesycwmmer read an appropriate chapter of the Bible and led the congregation in prayer. One of the elders of Hebron outlined how Mr Lloyd had come to be invited to be the minister, and the Rev Stuart Olyott of the Evangelical Theological College of Wales inducted Mr Lloyd as the minister of Hebron. The Rev Sulwyn Jones then preached a challenging and encouraging sermon on ‘Samuel: a model for the Christian minister’, and the service was closed in prayer by the Rev Alan Watkins of Tredegar.

The members and minister of Hebron are very conscious of God’s leading and blessing up to this point, and are heartily grateful to Him for all that He has done for them in the past. They are now eagerly looking forward to what He has planned for them as they seek to serve Him in this new chapter of the church’s history.

The retirement of Sulwyn Jones as minister of Hebron

Sunday 24^th June 2001 was a very special day in the life of Hebron.

We came to the end of an era, as our Minister of 37 years (1964-2001), Rev Sulwyn Jones, retired from the pastorate of the church.

It simply is not possible to express adequately our gratitude to him for his long and faithful ministry, and to our great God and Saviour for giving him to us and supporting him over all these years. On Friday 22nd we held a service of thanksgiving and farewell, when contributions from within the church and from friends near and far combined to give an overview of Mr Jones' ministry. But on Sunday we were able to spend time ‘alone’ with him, when he brought God’s Word to us for the last time as our own Minister. And we were each individually able to express to him something of our thoughts and feelings as we parted for the last time as pastor and people. We trust and pray that God will keep him, bless him and use him for many years to come, along with his wife Enid who has also played an important part in the life of the church.