Strawberry Tea

A big thank you to all supporters of the Strawberry Tea, in aid of Breast Cancer Care, held at the Liberty Café, Market Square, on Friday.

The excellent total of £381.04 was raised.

Thanks also go to Bargain Box, Fabric House, Lloyds Pharmacy, No. 47, Nobles, Sandra Jones, Audrey Bull, Wheatsheaf, Wisebuys, Spar, the new shop and Morillos.

Bangalore Bash

Indian orphanage dinner. On Friday, August 7, there will be an Indian meal at the Court House, Market Square, Narberth, to raise funds for the Moriel Orphanage, just outside Bangalore. This orphanage is one of the projects that is supported from the Grace world fund.

In addition to the dinner, and leading up to it, will be an auction of promises to raise funds for the orphanage.

If you wish to purchase a ticket - £8.50 - for the dinner or want further details of the auction, please contact the Liberty Café, Court House, Market Square, Narberth, or visit http://www.gracewales.info">www.gracewales.info

Cricket Club

Winners of the National Lottery bonus ball draw organised by the ladies committee of Narberth Cricket Club this week were: Group A - Albert Smith; Group B - Gill Harries.

Main sponsor is Young Brothers, Llandissilio, while junior sponsor is Wood Office Caravan and Tent Park, Cold Blow.

Williams Vision, Narberth, Balcony Suite man-of-the-match was Mike Williams 51 and 4 for 31, who received two pints courtesy of Narberth RFC.

Tomorrow (Saturday), the 1sts are home to Llangwm, the 2nds are away to St. Ishmaels 2nds and the 3rds are home to Pembroke Dock 2nds. Match ball sponsors for all games are Narberth RFC supporters committee.

Junior matches: Monday - U11s home to Kilgetty; Tuesday - U15s away to Kilgetty; Wednesday - U13s home to Hundleton. Also next week, Narberth play either Neyland/Johnston or Carew in the semi-final of the Ormond Cup.

Bethesda Baptist Chapel

Services at Bethesda Baptist Chapel, Narberth, in the week beginning Sunday, July 26, are as follows: 

Morning service takes place at 10.30 am and the evening service at 6 pm; both services will be taken by Rev. Chris Rees, minister of Bethesda Chapel.

The Bible study and prayer meeting is on Tuesday at 7.15 pm.

A Christian bookstall will be held in the Country Market in Narberth's Queen's Hall on Thursday between 9 am and 12 noon.

All are very welcome to these meetings.

Grace Church

Following on from the reality of a recession that hopefully will not become a depression, we have swine flu. As we ride through one storm, we are informed that another has arrived and may have a greater affect than the present one. For people wanting to get away from it all is understandable. The land of the living we find ourselves in is not always a holiday island, it can be a dangerous country and for some a war zone.

People of faith have a choice to make. On the one hand is recession, unemployment, lost savings or pension and health challenges. On the other hand there is faith, that God connection to purpose and promise for your life. The question is which hand will be dominant in life?

Faith is not the absence of fear. When fear knocks at the door, make sure faith answers. Faith is the courage to act in spite of fear. Fear can shut you down spiritually, relationally and emotionally and cause you to stop growing as a person. But instead of reacting to fear, you need to become forward thinking in spite of fear.

There is a place called forward. We must focus on who and not what. There is nothing wrong in wealth, leisure and wanting security in life, but our focus must not be in things that are temporal, but life that is eternal. The good news is that we can have life before death as well as after it, and the who is found in Jesus Christ.

What are you doing on Sunday? You can find all kinds of things to do, I'm sure you don't need anyone to suggest a few. However, first things first. We guarantee that if you give a Sunday morning to come to our 10.30 am morning service you will be pleasantly surprised. You will find people of all ages, different backgrounds and nationalities meeting as one family.

We will do our best to make it well worth getting up for, to enjoy serious fun, to hear a talk that is Biblical, challenges and is applicable to life today, good music and find new friends. You will be greeted and served by some of the amazing people who are part of Grace.

Come on your own, with friend or family, you are most welcome. Coffee is served from 10 am. There is an active programme for children and a crèche when the speaker commences.

Grace have their offices at the Court House, Market Square, Narberth, which also houses the Liberty Café.

Grace church meets every Sunday morning in the main hall of Queen's Hall, Narberth.

GLANRHYD BAPTIST CHURCH

This Sunday, the service at 10.30 am will be conducted by Pastor David Taylor, Broad Haven.

Narberth U3A

Turbulent forces occupied U3A this past week (writes Dave Dando).

The history group, with Phil Mahiques, looked at Napoleon, a military genius who started life as a boy with a strong Corsican accent. He went on to complete a two-year artillery course in one year and qualified as an officer at the age of 16.

Napoleon was an ambitious man who had a ruthless streak, revealed when he had his sick and wounded troops poisoned when he retreated from Acre.

He was a brilliant tactical general who 'invented' new warfare ideas, but his overall strategy could be faulted. His Egyptian and Iberian Campaigns both failed, as did most memorably his assault upon Russia. Having said that, in 17 years, he lost very few battles, but what about the wars?

The music appreciation group, with Brian Harvey, concentrated on the spread of jazz from its birthplace, New Orleans, and its metamorphosis into big band swing. The group also noted, for future study, the fact that jazz was introduced to the UK when King George V attended a Royal Command jazz concert in 1919 and that the New Orleans band - the Original Dixieland Jazz Band - the first to record jazz music - also appeared in England in 1919.

The music group's next meeting in early September will hear a recital of satirical music, including hitherto unpublished songs about the credit crunch.

In the art appreciation group, this coming Tuesday, Graham Goodeve will look at the life of a masterpiece, 'The Last Supper' by Leonardo da Vinci.

If you are retired and now have time to take an interest in art, music, bridge, history, poetry, novels, tai chi, walking, natural history, gardening, geology, lunch club, mah-jong, or topical discussion, then telephone Peter Hughes on 862964 or Beryl Millington on 861019 for more information.

Templeton and Reynalton United Reformed Churches

The united service on Sunday will be held at Templeton United Reformed Church at 10.30 am and will be led by Rev. David Mercy, of Llanddewi Velfrey. The service will celebrate the anniversary of Templeton URC. A warm welcome to all visitors.

RNLI Barbecue

Tonight (Friday), the Narberth branch of the RNLI will hold a barbecue at Cresswell Quay by kind permission of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Cole, of the Cresselly Arms.

The fun starts at 6 pm and admission is free. Donations for the cake and bottle stalls will be most welcome.

NARBERTH BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP

Some years ago, a British conference on world religions was debating what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith.

After a long discussion, they were still not agreed until the famous author C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. "What's all the fuss about?" he asked, and his colleagues replied that they were discussing Christianity's unique contribution among world faiths. Lewis responded, "Oh, that's easy. It's grace."

Grace is the belief that God's love comes to us free of charge, no strings attached - an unconditional love. Jesus was aware that many of us do not like the idea of grace, so He talked about it often. He discussed the world as filled with God's grace: where the sun shines on people good and bad; where birds gather seeds free of charge, without working for them, where untended wildflowers burst into bloom on rocky hillsides.

Like a visitor from a foreign country who notices what the locals overlook, Jesus saw God's grace everywhere, but rarely talked about it directly, but in parables. The parable of the Lost Son tells of a father publicly humiliating himself by rushing out to embrace a son who has rejected his family, moved out with half the family's fortune and squandered the lot on wine and women. When he returns destitute, depressed and pathetic - there is no lecture of "I told you so." Instead, Jesus says that the father is overjoyed that his Son who was lost is now found.

Grace is shockingly personal. God rejoices because one of his children who was lost is found and has come spiritually home.

RFC BARBEcUE

Narberth Rugby Club will hold a barbecue at Cresswell Quay on Friday, July 31, by kind permission of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Cole, of the Cresselly Arms.

The fun starts at 6 pm and admission is free. Donations for the cake and bottle stalls will be most welcome.

Narberth RFC Annual Sponsors' Evening

Narberth RFC annual sponsors' evening will be held in the clubhouse on Wednesday, July 30, at 7.30 pm promptly. There will be a free buffet and club officers will present a report on expectations for the First XV for next season with details of player movement. Next season's fixture list will be available for those who attend.

There will be an opportunity to reserve match and ball sponsorships, confirm next season's advertising and generally have the opportunity of discussing with club officials any matters of concern or suggestions for improvements or changes.

The sponsors' evening is open to all patrons, sponsors, advertisers and vice-presidents, who should contact Brian Murray of Vallen Farm, Lawrenny, tel. (01834) 891534, or email: [email protected]">[email protected], if they have not accepted or received the invitation to attend.

Narberth AFC

Monday, July 20, saw the Lotto envelope draw at the rugby club. The numbers were 13, 16 and 19, but the £3,285 prize was not won. This is now a roll-over to Monday, August 3.

The lottery bonus ball on Saturday was number 12 and the winners were Sheila/Wendy and Peter Hughes.

Christian Community Church

This Sunday's service will be in Bloomfield House Seminar Room at 10 am. The speaker will be Chris Bacon from Cardigan. Prayer meeting Tuesday at 3.30 pm and house groups meet Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30 pm. A warm welcome to all.

Meat Draw

Winners of the Narberth RFC Supporters' Club meat draw this week are as follows: beef - Hughie John; lamb - Cliff the Post; pork - John Owen.

The supporters' club raises money each week on behalf of the rugby club through the meat draw.

Supporters interested in having a ticket at £1 per ticket with three chances to win a joint of meat for the weekend, should contact the club steward, Anne Lonsdale, on (01834) 860462, or any member of the supporters' committee.

The draw takes place every Friday evening.