We are on holiday at the moment - in Wales, of course. We decided to start in Swansea and stayed (the three of us) in a nice studio flat near the marina for the weekend. There are many places we could go to church in Swansea but we decided on Mount Pleasant in the morning and Ebenezer in the evening. Both are Baptist churches. Way back Mount was English speaking and Ebenezer Welsh speaking but now the difference is more to do with conservative and less conservative approaches. We needed to register for both services.
We went to Mount in the morning which was having its first in person meeting without social distancing. As we expected there was a small band up front leading worship and a number of participants. Tom Martyn preached the sermon from John 19 informing us all that Jesus has died to save us and now we need to trust in him. There was a golden moment when Spurgeon was quoted saying that the cross teaches us to honour him who in "his direst agony thought of her needs and griefs, (Mary's) as he also thinks of all his people, for these are his mother and sister and brother." It was nice to chat with people after on the large pavement outside the building.
The minister, Steve Levy, was away but we were able to catch up with him in the evening briefly. In the evening one of the elders (Dave Evans) was preaching. He took us to the phrase in Psalm 32 in whose spirit there is no deceit. Ebenezer were still socially distancing and had a smaller congregation in a bigger building. Their pastor (Graham John) was also away. Again it was good to chat briefly with one or two we know. The services can be accessed on Youtube at these places.
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