1806-1964-2016 THE MESSENGER NOVEMBER 2016 Remembrance worshipping, sharing, serving, caring :: Bethany Baptist Church RHIWBINA STREET FOOD FESTIVAL: DECEMBER 2 A nn was only four years old when her father died . . . She does not remember much about him except for funny little incidents, such as seeing a massive figure of a man in oilskins, standing in the pouring rain at the front door of St Helens Road, Birchgrove, Cardiff. She hid behind her mother’s skirts, fearful of the shadowy figure standing there. It was her father. Home on leave from the Royal Navy. There is no reason why should she should remember detail. After all, it was 76 years ago . . . and her father, William Matthew Fuller, was a rare visitor — in every respect as he belonged to the Silent Service at a time when Walls had Ears, as the campaigning poster declared. Until recently, Ann Stanbury knew little about his record of service in the Royal Navy. You did not talk about it in those far off days of World War II. You did not ask questions. You kept Mum. Today, however, Ann Stanbury can share much of his story with us. You will recognise Ann as one of the Thursday morning service regulars, the All Saints’ girls who welcome us so warmly at our door, help to hand out the hymn books and make the tea. Cardiff-born, Cardiff-bred, daughter of an Irish man and a Welsh mother with an English grandfather. Her father, Bill, was one of the rare breed of Royal Navy personnel who sailed in submarines, and I quote from his Record of Service, was a man of very good character throughout. On Remembrance Sunday Ann and her family will be in Bethany to place a special Poppy Wreath in memory of her father — and all other submariners. Why not join us for the Two-Minute Silence? F or two years, Bethany’s organist had been researching and writing a book that was dear to his heart, entitled simply Cardiff Baptist Churches. As the title implies it tells the complete history of the Baptist movement in the fishing town that grew into a city. The book is John Howells’ labour of love, with articles on churches — and lists of every minister who preached from their pulpits. It is a meticulous record of dates and places and people compiled by a one- time lecturer and mathemetician who checked and then double-checked the details before putting it in writing. Having written the text, and chosen pictures his next challenge was to proof- read the book, make final amendments and offer suggestions to the editor, designer and publisher. The proofs were returned at the end of the summer, marked in red to emphasise the changes John wanted. Yet while the book was being designed and prepared for printing there came a shock — the author John Ieuan Howells, organist at Bethany for 30 years — died suddenly on September 17, 2016, much to the shock of his family, partner Rod Pryce-Jones and countless other friends and colleagues — including those at Bethany. Without much decision-making it was agreed that the book would be completed and published in his memory with the proceeds going to charity. It will be available shortly, price £10. Every care has been taken to faith- fully translate John’s manuscript into the completed book and we hope that people will remember John by buying a copy It was a great privilege to attend the Thanksgiving Service for John at Bethany, on October 3 and to hear the organ reverberate to the power of the largely Welsh hymn tunes and music that John himself had chosen, matched as it was by the full-voiced singing of the large congregation. With John’s good friend Jeffrey Howard, Musical Director of Cambrensis Choir as the skillful accompanist and organ recitalist, it was a fitting tribute to a gentle man, musician and author. Gareth Jenkins Labour of love: Now read John’s book Ann Stanbury reads her father’s service record, — see inside
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1806-1964-2016
THE
MESSENGERNOVEMBER 2016
Remembrance
worshipping, sharing, serving, caring : : Bethany Baptist Church
RHIWBINA STREET FOOD FESTIVAL: DECEMBER 2
Ann was only four years old when her father died . . .She does not remember much about him except forfunny little incidents, such as seeing a massive
figure of a man in oilskins, standing in the pouring rain atthe front door of St Helens Road, Birchgrove, Cardiff.
She hid behind her mother’s skirts, fearful of the shadowy figure standing there. It was her father. Home onleave from the Royal Navy.
There is no reason why should she should rememberdetail. After all, it was 76 years ago . . . and her father,William Matthew Fuller, was a rare visitor — in everyrespect as he belonged to the Silent Service at a time whenWalls had Ears, as the campaigning poster declared.
Until recently, Ann Stanbury knew little about hisrecord of service in the Royal Navy. You did not talk aboutit in those far off days of World War II. You did not askquestions. You kept Mum.
Today, however, Ann Stanbury can share much of hisstory with us. You will recognise Ann as one of theThursday morning service regulars, the All Saints’ girlswho welcome us so warmly at our door, help to hand outthe hymn books and make the tea. Cardiff-born, Cardiff-bred, daughter of an Irish man and a Welsh motherwith an English grandfather.
Her father, Bill, was one of the rare breed of Royal Navypersonnel who sailed in submarines, and I quote from hisRecord of Service, was a man of very good characterthroughout. On Remembrance Sunday Ann and her familywill be in Bethany to place a special PoppyWreath in memory of her father —and all other submariners.
Why not join us for theTwo-Minute Silence?
For two years, Bethany’s organist hadbeen researching and writing a bookthat was dear to his heart, entitledsimply Cardiff Baptist Churches. As
the title implies it tells the complete historyof the Baptist movement in the fishingtown that grew into a city.
The book is John Howells’ labour oflove, with articles on churches — and listsof every minister who preached from theirpulpits. It is a meticulous record of datesand places and people compiled by a one-time lecturer and mathemetician whochecked and then double-checked thedetails before putting it in writing.
Having written the text, and chosen pictures his next challenge was to proof-read the book, make final amendments andoffer suggestions to the editor, designer and publisher. The proofs were returned at theend of the summer, marked in red toemphasise the changes John wanted.
Yet while the book was being designedand prepared for printing there came ashock — the author John Ieuan Howells,organist at Bethany for 30 years — diedsuddenly on September 17, 2016, much to
the shock of his family, partner RodPryce-Jones and countless other friendsand colleagues — including those atBethany. Without much decision-makingit was agreed that the book wouldbe completed and published inhis memory with the proceedsgoing to charity. It will be available shortly, price £10.
Every care has been taken to faith-fully translate John’s manuscript intothe completed book and we hope thatpeople will remember John by buying a copy
It was a great privilege to attendthe Thanksgiving Service for John atBethany, on October 3 and to hear theorgan reverberate to the power of the largelyWelsh hymn tunes and music that Johnhimself had chosen, matched as it was bythe full-voiced singing of the large congregation. With John’s good friendJeffrey Howard, Musical Director ofCambrensis Choir as the skillful accompanist and organ recitalist, it was afitting tribute to a gentle man, musicianand author. Gareth Jenkins
Labour of love: Nowread John’s book
Ann Stanbury reads herfather’s service record, —see inside
To most of us, thethought of sailing almostblindly under the sea for
hours, days sometimes, weeksaway from home, sends shivers of admiration for thosecourageous men who lived ina cramped, claustrophobic,metal tube. But that was thelife that Ann Stanbury’s fathereventually chose when hejoined the Navy — to see the sea fromunderneath.
Viv and I recently experienced claustrophobic life under water when wevisited the bomb-proof submarine pensat St Nazaire in Brittany.There, the Frenchexploratory submarineEspadon (Swordfish) isopen to the public. Youenter at the bow andwalk through a tunnelwhere 65 crew lived, ateand slept, and taking it inturns to use the oneshower near theCaptain’s quarters and,surprisingly, a scarcity ofwater. They worked andslept in relays in whatwere called warm bunks.
Conditions were socramped that some evenmade up beds on thetorpedo racks, once thedeadly weapons hadbeen fired at unsuspect-ing ships.
Yet it was a career choice for E.R.A.2Fuller for, having served in a battleship,several cruisers and a minesweeper, thenwith a submarine depot ship, HMSDolphin, finally chose to serve on a smallship the submarines HMS Oxley,
Submarine H31, HMS L54 and in July,1937, he joined HMS Salmon.
The submarine had an impressive,well documented early war record:Sinking U-boat 36 in the North Sea, anddamaging two cruisers in a fleet of
German war-ships. OnDecember 12,1939 the Salmonsighted theGerman liner SSBremen. Whilechallenging theliner an escortingDornier seaplaneforced Salmon todive.
The Salmon’scommanderdecided not totorpedo the linerbecause hebelieved she wasnot a legal target.His decisionprobably delayedthe start of
unrestricted submarine warfare in thewar. Then any ship, no matter how innocent, became a target.
The Salmon, with Bill Fuller on board,left Rosyth on July 4, 1940 for Norway onwhat was to be her last voyage. Afterradio contact was lost she was believed
to have been sunk by a mine off SouthNorway. A German communique of July 6 claimed a submarine had beensunk. There were no survivors.
Many years later Ann was told by theMinistry of Defence, “The official recordeddate for the loss of all crew was given as 14thJuly, 1940 and sadly your father was amongtheir lives at this time.”
For the years that followed, Ann andher late husband Ray, who died 15 yearsago, and their children Tim and Caroline,had always wanted to find out moreabout Dad. And also to pay tribute toWilliam Matthew Fuller and, indeed, tohonour all submariners who lost theirlives. We are proud at Bethany to helpthem fulfil that promise.
On Remembrance Sunday we will beinviting Ann and her family, includinggrand children Tim and Caroline, great-grandchildren Luke — Tim’s son —India and Jake — children of Carolineand Mike — to place a special poppywreath to all submariners at our ownmemorial, to join all the other wreathsthat represent the services with connec-tions with Bethany, that have been laidbefore God over the past few years.
In tribute we will repeat the words,They shall grow not old as we that are leftgrow old . . . We will remember them . . .particularly William Matthew Fuller.
Gareth Jenkins
Remembrance with the Evergreens
Rememberingthe submariners
Fifty-nine Evergreens and guests celebrated their GoldenAnniversary with a lunch at Llanishen Golf Club, exactly 50
years to the day that the Evergreeens first met on October 11,1966. We were delighted to have previous leaders with us andespecially thrilled to have as our Guest of Honour Mrs MargaretFletcher-Davies. Margaret, along with her friend Enid Jennings,had the vision to start an organisation in the Rhiwbina community to cater for the needs of the older generation,providing somewhere to meet, chat and make friends. This,together with interesting speakers, entertainment and outingshas seen the Evergreens flourish. Margaret, an elegant and eloquent 92-year-old, took us back to the beginnings ofEvergreens as she recounted stories of the early days. It was alovely three-course lunch, too . . .A wonderful start to our year of Golden Celebrations.
BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH
HEOL LLANISHEN FACH
RHIWBINA, CARDIFFwww.bethanybaptist.org.uk
Minister : Rev Philip DunningTel : 029 2069 2I75e-mail: [email protected]
Church Secretary : John TownsendThe Messenger Editor : Gareth Jenkins Tel : 029 2088 5389e-mail : [email protected]
6th: 10.30am: Morning Service — including Holy Communion.6.00pm: Service of Commissioning for our new Regional Ministry Team at Albany Road Baptist Church.No service at Bethany
13th: 10.30am: Morning Service forRemembrance Sunday4pm Remembrance LighthouseChildren and Youth ServiceWith the music group.Both Services led by Rev Phil Dunning
20th: 10.30am: Shoe Box Morning Worship with Holy Communion.6.00pm: Evening Service
27th: 10.30am: Morning Service for Advent Sunday including Holy Communion.6.00pm: Joint Service of Advent Music led by the Choir of Three Churches at Beulah URC
A warm welcome awaits you at these services
NOVEMBER SERVICESThe season of Remembrance is once again upon us, and
as usual Bethany joins with many other Churches toensure that young and older have ample opportunity toremember the fallen, and those who continue to fight in
our armed forces today.This year we are marking the life of a particular serviceman;
who along with many of his fellow men had to remain silent —even to his family — about what he did, how he served andwhere he was going. You can only imagine the affect that thiswould have had on the young man involved, whose war wouldhave been fought, and ultimately his life lost, without a greatdeal of encouragement or feedback as to whether or not he wastruly making a difference.
It strikes me that today men and woman ‘want to know’ thattheir efforts matter often before they will do anything. Millionsrely on feedback and encouragement from text and social mediabefore they will help, and where public opinion is perceived tobe against them — many more will not do what they know tobe right.
At this time it is vitally important that we pause and paytribute to the many for whom war service was, and oftenremains, a silent service — a task to be done with only fellow
comrades truly knowing what they gothrough. Experience tells us that our peace
is for the most part maintained because ofthose who serve in this way, and wewould do well simply to be thankful.
For our own part, I think it shouldalso challenge us to step up to help oth-
ers even when we don’t know how ourefforts will be received. In the Church weknow that our Lord Jesus served in this
way without counting the cost —his silent service shouldremain the ultimateinspiration for us all.
The Lord bless youthis year, as youremember.
Phil
VIEW FROM THE MANSEA Message of Remembrance from Rev Phil Dunning, Minister of Bethany Baptist Church
Silent Service
THURSDAY MORNING SERVICES10am-10.30am. All denominations are welcome to listento talks, messages and music in this informal mid-week half-hour interlude: November 3: Rev Randall Morgan;10: Peter Jackson; 17: Rev Phil Dunning; 24: Rev SamHighway. December 1: Rev Randall Morgan; 8: Mrs LynOwen; 15: Rev Phil Dunning; 22: Rev Sam Highway;29: Mrs Eleanor Sanders, of Rhiwbina Baptist ChurchCHRISTMAS CARD SHOP. Now open. Follow the signs atBethany to the Card Shop. Opening Hours: Monday toFriday: 10am to 4pm. Saturday 10am to 1pm. Coffee/teaavailable. 70p in the pound of all you spend goes to thecharitiesEVERGREENS: November 1: The Incredible life of Dr William Price, by guest speaker Dean Powell. 8th MarkEvans Entertains. 15: Christmas Shopping with Tiger BayGifts. 22: The Welsh Paintings of Julius Ibbetson, by BrianDavies. 29: Paddington goes Home, with Delyth Parry WHITCHURCH, RHIWBINA & BIRCHGROVE MONTHLY PRAYER
GROUP: November 26: St Mary’s, Penlline Road,Whitchurch
DATES FOR THE DIARY and
BLOODWISE CONCERT WITH CAROLS, Cardiff High School,Llandennis Road. December 10, 7pm. Tickets online at www.bloodwise.org.uk or from Tom and Gill Jones 2062 8696
RHIWBINA STREET FOOD FESTIVAL: We are excited to announceRhiwbina’s first Street Food Festival on December 2 on Heol LlanishenFach and around Bethany Baptist Church. This will take place between4.30pm and 7.30pm. Already, we are delighted to announce a number ofstreet food vendors, including Got Beef, Mr Croqenwich and Flour’dUp and not forgetting the sale of Caws Cenarth award-winning cheese.There will also be music and entertainment — from Morris Dancers tochildren’s singing around a giant Christmas tree. It will be a charityfund-raising night in conjunction with Bethany’s popular ChristmasTree Festival. Details in next month’s Messenger — Jayne Cowan
40 Days of Mission NOW, GO FORTH AND TELL
Bethany is being challenged as areour sister churches in the EGAssociation. The challenge is toface up to, accept and put into
action the commission given by the resurrected Lord Jesus to his disciples. It isas relevant now as it was then.
In Matthew 28:18-20 we read, All authority in heaven and on earth has beengiven to me. Go, therefore and make disciples ofall nations, baptizing them in the name of theFather and of the Son and of the Holy Spiritand teaching them to obey everything I havecommanded you. And remember I am with youalways, to the end of the age. (NRSV).
The commission given by Christ is atthe heart of the mission bestowed on theChurch throughout the ages; endowed bythe Holy Spirit it is the power of God atwork in each one of us.
Mission is not just a single task for thechurch and the individual Christian to perform; mission is the blanket service toand for the church and individuals to offerthe world about us. It is the challenge to goforth into the world proclaiming the GoodNews of the Cross and Resurrection; toplant churches, to recognise and under-stand the needs of our fellows and to do allwe can to meet those needs, serving themin our Spirit empowered ability; to speakof God’s love and make that love the fullness of life unto eternity.
The words of W J Sparrow-Simpson are apt:
All for Jesus — you have loved us,All for Jesus — you have died,
All for Jesus — you are with us;All for Jesus crucified.
All for Jesus, all for Jesus,All our talents and our powers,
All our thoughts and words and actions,All our passing days and hours.
Such a commission is a call for unity:one in Christ and working together to
prepare the way for the church of tomor-row. All for Jesus . . .
Accepting the Christian commissionand advancing in the name of Jesus callsfor an infilling of each individual heart andeach church with the Holy Spirit. We knowthe story of Pentecost in Acts chapter twowhy don’t we allow ourselves to becomechannels of the Spirit? Turn to that chapterin your Bibles, it is truly exciting: a newopening for God’s power, power released,people changed. It is a real WOW story.Did I hear someone say But that was yes-terday. Shall I issue another challenge?
I know we live in Cardiff TODAY notCARDIFF YESTERDAY. I know there arehundreds, no thousands, of Christians inCardiff today. We are numbered amongthem. Can we turn to the Lord in prayer?Can we implore the Lord to renew hispromise of his renewed power? I believethat power will come in God’s chosen time.Pray from your heart. Lord, let the Spiritcome.
But when the Spirit comes a questionmust be asked. If he fills our hearts withthe love of God how faithful shall we be?How committed shall we be to the promises we have made?
The 40 days of study, of commitment, ofservice have come to an end: the teaching,Q & A, the discussion and blessing drawnto a close, and someone will ask, Well, whatnext? Does it all finish there, or is there tobe something else? Is there an afterlife forour Mission: is there to be further prepara-tion for the life of the churches in thefuture? If we think, believe and say, That’sit, then all we have done will be dead andburied as it so often can and does happenwith many church events. Great on the daybut probably soon to be nothing but a pre-cious memory. BUT: today’s preparationsand blessings are meant for tomorrow.Tomorrow’s task and service await us if wewish our Mission to be of use and a bless-
ing to the church in the future. And ofcourse, in this case: I mean Bethany.
What has been looked at during these40 days of Mission study is of little or nouse unless it leads to a new pattern ofprayer, praise and preparation. There willhave to be a doing. Action will be requiredof us. We shall have to come closer together to serve the Lord in being anddoing for our fellows — taking with us theGood News of the teaching, the life, deathand resurrection of Jesus Christ: all of whathe is, has done and will do for us.
How? Through the preaching of theWord. Yes. But I know, you can’t preach.Not that many can. But there is a way bymeans of which we can proclaim. God theFather and our Lord Jesus would have useach open ourselves to the Holy Spirit,channelling the Christian message asfriends of Jesus, living as he would have uslive. Live our lives, lovingly, on the patternhe sets us.
The key word in Christianity is LOVE.He would have us love our fellows as heloves us. We are in with a chance if wetruly love him — and our fellows, even ourenemies — as he, Jesus ever loves us.Remember the hymn,Go forth and tell! O Church of God awake!God’s saving news to all the nations take;Proclaim Christ Jesus, Saviour, Lord and King,That all the world his worthy praise may sing.
Go forth and tell! O Church of God, arise!Go in the strength which God your Lord
supplies;Go till all nations his great name adores,And serve him Lord and King for evermore.
— James Seddon: 1915-1983 BPW 570Jesus Christ did not count the cost of his
love for us. Should we cost the service ofour debt to him?
The Lord bless us each one.
J Randall Morgan (Rev)
You may think this strange but I amlooking forward to spending thedark, long, winter nights at home
watching my favourite movies.After all it has been a magical summer
with the Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations, 2016 RioOlympics and the Euro2016 championships and,of course, Wimbledon. Yet before my winter sabbatical I can still take aseat of the movies.
The Girl on the Train isproving to be a box-office success. EmilyBlunt stars as Rachel Watson The girl onthe train who each day travels the sameroute to work passing by the house shelived in with her husband, who still livesthere, with his new wife and child.
Each day Rachel watches a young couple and in her head she creates forthem a perfect dream life. Then one dayshe sees something that shocks her.
The next day Rachel wakes up to findshe has a horrible hangover, various
wounds and bruises yet nomemory as to how she got them.So begins the strange story ofThe girl on the train to discoverwhat it was that shocked her.Inferno is another Tom Hanksmovie to hit the silver screenthis year. Directed by Ron
Harvard it tells the story of RobertLangdon (Tom Hanks) who is a famoussymbologist on the trail for clues associated with the great Dante.
Langdon wakes up in hospital with agunshot wound and amnesia. The kindyoung Dr Sienna Brooks teams up with
Langdon to stop a madman fromunleashing a deadly virus. If you likedthe movies The Da Vinci Code and Angelsand Demons then this is your movie.Storks is a family animated movie aboutthose storks who deliver babies to expectant mums. Progress means theyhave now been given a new task that ofdelivering packages for an internet giant.All is well until Junior stork accidentally activates the Baby Making Machine producing an unauthorised baby girl.
It is good family movie challengingour modern day theory that for delivering babies we Call the Midwife.
These movies then are full of challenge, mystery, suspense and happyendings which also sums up the experience of being a Christian in today’scomplex world.
A SEAT ATTHE MOVIESwith Rev Sam
Highway
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