Members of St. Johns Church, Tenby, bade a fond farewell to their retiring minister, Rev. Nanette Lewis-Head, with a day of celebration on Sunday.

Joining them were friends from other churches in the pastorate, Templeton, Narberth, Reynalton, Pembroke and the recently closed Ebenezer URC, Amroth, together with a number of former members who had travelled from various parts of the country to attend.

Also present were Nanette's youngest son Lewis and his family and her sister-in-law Ann Head, who over the last decade have become firm friends of St. Johns too.

Morning worship opened with the choir singing 'Spirit of the Living God'; then Thomas spoke words of welcome.

Rev. Lewis-Head, said that the theme for her last Sunday as minister of St. Johns, was 'Follow Me'. In her prayers, she thanked God for the fellowship we share and the love that binds us all together. She asked the young people if they had played 'follow the leader'.

Some do not want to follow. Jesus said those words to His first disciples and they immediately obeyed Him. They saw in Him a leader they wanted to follow. She told the children that, during her time at St. Johns, they had helped her to grow in faith.

After the young people had left for their classes, Connor read from Mark, chapter 1, verses 14-20, and Corinthians, chapter 12, verses 14-20.

In her sermon, Nanette said that the first words Jesus spoke to Peter, on the shore of the Sea of Galillee, were 'Follow me' and the last words, also spoken by the lake, were 'Feed my sheep. Follow me'.

Our calling, and the calling of every single person here is the same as that of Peter. Don't let us think that this call to follow Jesus was easy for those first disciples. Here was Jesus inviting them to trust the good news that their God was doing something new. To get into the act they had to trust him and his message. We have a twofold calling.

We are called to be disciples, to be one who can walk with Jesus and learn from him and we are to go forward to speak and care; to allow Jesus to speak through us. Discipleship is not easy.

Nanette then paid her own tribute and gave thanks for 10 happy and memorable years at St. Johns.

She gave thanks to God for his grace and love and for the family she had been blessed with and for all the churches she had the privilege of working in. She paid tribute to the eldership, church secretaries and treasurers, with a special thanks to Tony Scullard, secretary, and Sue Bonser, treasurer, from St. Johns and Marilyn Davies from Amroth; for the hard work of so many engaged in the upkeep and running of the churches; for the joy and laughter of the young people and the welcome in so many homes.

She ended by saying: "I offer to you this day my sincere thanks and appreciation that God led me to travel this path with you and I know that we can trust in him for the future."

After her talk, Laura and Ieuan Davies were accepted into membership of St. Johns.

Communion was served by the elders and the service concluded with the saying of the grace.

Nanette, thank you for the wonderful service which you have given to St. Johns and the allied churches. You will be sorely missed.

Nanette rejoins us on Sunday for the service at 11 am. All are very welcome to join us.

NOSEN LLAWEN

In the afternoon, the church was once again full for a Nosen Llawen and tea in honour of Nanette.

Proceedings opened with Mrs. Eluned Brown, the church's longest-serving member, presenting Nanette with flowers, followed by Mrs. Audrey Scullard giving her a huge card signed by all the members of the pastorate.

Tributes were paid and thanks given by members - including the junior church - and the entertainment went with a swing, helped along by compere Ron Hurlow.

There were poems, musical items and jokes aplenty as Nanette's ministry here in Pembrokeshire was reflected upon. There was even a bagpipes solo from Paul Fifield, while the afternoon was rounded off with a duet from Jim and Melanie Walker.

At least, the congregation thought it had finished, until Mrs. Blodwen Jenkins (Hefina Lewis) came in to apply for the vacancy; a very improbable minister in a bright pink hat and a glittery cross who only worked one day a week.

A marvellous tea followed.

It was an afternoon of laughter and a few tears in which we paid tribute to our minister with love and gratitude for all she has done.