Westgate Evangelical Chapel, Pembroke, attracted yet another encouraging congregation for its fourth annual 'Christmas Without' service earlier this month.

"Christmas Without was the brainchild of one of my members," explained Rob James, Pastor of Westgate Evangelical Chapel.

"As a widow she finds life particularly hard at this time of the year. Our culture's intense focus on family can prove deeply painful for those who have lost loved ones."

The short service included scripture readings and prayers, together with a selection of helpful poems and music. Visitors were allowed to stay as long as they required and opportunities for personal prayer were also offered.

"We tend not to sing so much as sit and meditate," Rob continued.

"And we have discovered that even non-conformists find it helpful to light a candle in memory of a loved one. And, of course, we prayed and talked a lot after the service, knowing that the God of all peace can do more than we imagine for those who turn to Him.

"We are aware that the pain of losing someone can tempt people to give up believing in God altogether, which is why I often spend time reflecting on the life of Jesus' earthly father, Joseph. I guess he must have been confused and wondering what was happening to him at the time. The Bible tells us that he had tried his best to live a good life, and yet, in spite of his best efforts, everything seemed to have gone 'pear-shaped'.

"And yet Joseph finally chose to put his faith in the God who has promised to be our Immanuel. And so at times like this I try to assure those who are grieving the loss of loved ones that Joseph's God hasn't changed. He can be our Immanuel too," he added.

The service was the most successful to date and the leadership expects it to be a regular feature of their active Christmas programme in the foreseeable future.