Friday, January 8, 2010 by Keith Berry-Davies.

“In the bleak mid-winter…snow had fallen, snow on snow”. Some of the words to a well known Christmas carol, but are rather appropriate to the UK at the moment. I live on a small hill and because it is a minor road the gritting lorries give us a wide berth, and as a result many cars cannot get up the road due to the ice on the road. I have been out and helped a few cars to get a grip and I must admit that I have come away with a nice warm glow, not just from the exertion but knowing that I have helped someone. We also have a number of elderly people who are our neighbours and we have been shopping for them or even clearing their paths of snow, and once again it is a great feeling.

I was thinking earlier what a much better world this would be if we all helped our neighbours, not just shopping or clearing their paths, but helping them in whatever way you can. What better excuse do you have in this cold spell, get out there and help your neighbours, whoever they are, and help to make our society a better place for us all to live in.

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Friday, December 11, 2009 by Keith Berry-Davies.

Christmas is almost upon us and already the trapping of commercialism are well in flow. For me Christmas is much more than pigging out with food and binge drinking. It is more than receiving presents, although that does add to the enjoyment. So what is it all about?

Christmas is really the opportunity to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, the saviour of the world. He is the real reason for the season - not all the trappings of commercialism. Why don’t you go along to your local Church over Christmas and see the real Christmas?

Have a real Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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Wednesday, July 15, 2009 by Keith Berry-Davies.

In the 1960’s Arethra Franklin sang RESPECT and it was a big hit. Sadly today it seems that it is a word that has gone out of fashion. Why?

I think that many people have just become self centred - Me, Me, Me - and the pursuit of possessions has taken over. “I don’t care about anyone else so long as I have my possessions”, seems to be the “battle-cry” of the decade.  This attitude has destroyed the sense of community that we once had and along with respect for others, and that is causing a lot of the problems that we are experiencing at the moment in this country.

The Christian Church tells us that Jesus told us that the greatest commandment is “Love your neighbour as yourself” and this has been the mainstay of the Church’s life over the years. No it’s not old fashioned, it is good sound advice for living in any society. Bring back respect into our world and a lot of our problems will disappear.

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Tuesday, March 3, 2009 by Keith Berry-Davies.

If you were lucky enough to be in Wales on March the first, you would find the country in a festive mood. Every self-respecting man, woman and child would be celebrating St. David’s Day in one way or another. But who was St. David?

Well, Saint David, or Dewi Sant, as he is known in the Welsh language, is the patron saint of Wales. He was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop, who lived in the sixth century. During his life, he was the archbishop of Wales, and he was one of many early saints who helped to spread Christianity among the pagan Celtic tribes of western Britain.

One of the good pieces of advice that he gave to his followers was to be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us.’ ‘Do the little things’ (’Gwnewch y pethau bychain’) is today a very well-known phrase in Welsh, and has proved an inspiration to many. So as we enter March let’s follow that advice, because although we might not be able to change the world ourselves, all the little things that we do will all add up and WILL make a difference to the world in which we live.

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Friday, January 30, 2009 by Keith Berry-Davies.

May I offer you a belated Happy New Year. It seems a bit strange to say that when we are already at the end of January, but I do have a reason. As I have said before I’ve been having treatment for cancer and I’ve just finished the radiotherapy so I feel that I have now entered a new year.

Since I was diagnosed last August I have done a lot of thinking about life and its meaning and I have come to the conclusion that life is far too short for all of the petty squabbles that we seem to get into. Even with the economic crisis that the world is facing at the moment life is still wonderful, and no I am not looking at it through rose-tinted glasses, the physical world is beautiful. Have you had a look out of your window at God’s wonderful creation today? It might be freezing cold and wet and miserable but look at the birds, do they worry about the economy? No, they live every day as if it were their last and we should do the same. Forget all of the petty worries of this life and think about the life to come - the life promised to all who believe in God the Father through his Son Jesus Christ. Want to know more? Then why don’t you go to your local Church or Alpha Course and sign up for everlasting life in those heavenly spaces promised to you. See you there.

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