Uchafbwyntiau 1 Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol

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-Welcome to a programme

-looking back...

-..at interviews from this series.

-Welcome to Dechrau Canu,

-Dechrau Canmol.

-Subtitles

-# Soli Deo gloria

-# Soli Deo gloria

-# Soli Deo gloria #

-In this programme,

-Alwyn goes back to Sunday School.

-We meet a lively character

-from Ruthin...

-..and a cricketer who is also

-a deacon at Capel y Cysegr, Bethel.

-Our first hymn

-comes from Capel Mair, Cardigan.

-This is Iesu Cyfaill F' Enaid I,

-sung to the hymn tune Aberystwyth.

-When we recorded the programme

-in Capel Seion, Llanrwst...

-..Alwyn Humphreys

-went back to Sunday School...

-..in the company of

-teacher Gwenda Jones.

-Who is this?

-Who is it?

-Who is it?

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-Jesus.

-Jesus, OK. We'll forget about

-this person for now.

-This is obviously

-a lively Sunday School.

-Your teaching experience

-must be a great help.

-Actually,

-I was a secondary school teacher...

-..but I raised five children so

-I'm used to dealing with children.

-I like working with children.

-How difficult is it to maintain the

-interest of children at this age?

-They need a variety of activities

-including stories and puzzles.

-We act, sing, and do handicrafts.

-Sometimes we have a change and

-do colouring. They like colouring.

-We have a cuppa and a biscuit at the

-end, for the children and mothers.

-That always goes down well.

-The support of the parents

-must be important.

-They are fantastic.

-They support us 100%.

-We also have Messy Church

-every so often.

-They attend that and it's great.

-What about the youth club you run...

-..for children between

-the ages of 11 and 14?

-Most of them don't go to church.

-Some attend other churches.

-Although many of them do not attend

-chapels or churches...

-..they like to come

-here on two Sundays every month.

-We play games.

-The minister asks for five minutes

-of quiet for everyone to ponder.

-We discuss Jesus

-and share experiences and stories.

-They always listen intently.

-At the end we share a meal.

-I cook for them with help

-from some of them or somebody else.

-They enjoy it.

-You've retired from teaching.

-You don't have to do this.

-What pleasure does it give you?

-What pleasure does it give you?

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-I really enjoy it.

-I missed working with secondary

-school children.

-I was a biology teacher.

-I taught in Sunday School

-before that.

-I was at the Sunday School

-in Heol Scotland...

-..with good old-fashioned teachers.

-There wasn't much colouring-in...

-..just picture books

-with Jesus in a boat.

-We're all familiar

-with those pictures.

-For years we couldn't hang pictures

-on the chapel walls...

-..but now we can put up pictures.

-We have work the children

-have done for the cymanfa.

-We make it as colourful as we can.

-We can decorate this room

-as we like, which is great.

-Thank you, Gwenda.

-In Ruthin...

-..we met one of Capel Bethania's

-oldest members, Mary Williams.

-She's a bit of a character.

-How long have you been a member?

-Were you baptized in the chapel?

-Yes, that's right.

-I'm 93 years old.

-Yes.

-I must say that everything

-of any significance...

-..has happened to me

-within the chapel walls.

-I was able to earn

-my living near my home...

-..before and after I got married...

-..so I stayed where I was.

-What pleasure do you get

-from attending Bethania?

-It did us no harm

-to attend services regularly.

-It did no harm to our children

-either.

-At that time, the whole family

-would come to worship.

-Preachers used to come

-from all over the world.

-Who were the great preachers

-at that time?

-I remember

-Reverend Morgan Mainwaring.

-He came very often.

-I remember one

-who was very old-fashioned...

-..Eliseus Howells

-- do you remember the name?

-No, I don't.

-They would come for

-a Good Friday preaching festival.

-It did us no harm to go

-and listen to these people.

-They truly lifted you

-to the heavens.

-I think that every pulpit in Wales

-is sacred.

-Great truths

-have been heard from them.

-Between Sundays, it's surprising

-how often one has the chance...

-..to discuss religious matters.

-The general opinion amongst

-the Welsh and the English...

-..is that we need...

-..an outpouring of the holy spirit

-over the nation...

-..and possibly over the whole world,

-the way things are going.

-I'm sure a lot of people have asked

-you this question.

-What is the secret of long life?

-Live one day at a time...

-..and count your blessings.

-While we were at Capel y Cysegr,

-Bethel...

-..we had the chance to visit Bangor

-Cricket Club to meet a life member.

-You're a deacon in the chapel...

-..but you also spend a lot of your

-time here on the cricket field.

-This is my front garden.

-I began as a small child.

-I played my first game at 12

-and my last game at 57 years old.

-I played over 1,000 games,

-so it's like coming home.

-You cut the grass here,

-which must be a lot of work.

-Yes, three times a week.

-That's how often it gets a haircut.

-I also roll it,

-if it's a big game.

-This is the Lord's of the north,

-without a doubt.

-This is the place.

-We'd never move from here.

-You can't take

-those mountains with you.

-Sometimes, I'm on the tractor

-in a storm, sometimes in sunshine.

-But the mountains are always there.

-It's not unlike faith,

-it's somewhere to turn to.

-I've done it myself.

-I've often come here by myself...

-..when the dark clouds gather,

-as they have over recent months.

-I can be myself here.

-Me and this place.

-You had a serious illness of late.

-How did you cope with it?

-To think that it was

-my first time in hospital.

-Having a cancerous tumour

-removed at Christie's.

-It was an atmosphere

-where people were truly suffering.

-But they also pulled together,

-with a special faith.

-People can put their lives

-in the hands of others.

-That's the most significant fact,

-I guess.

-So far, I've enjoyed good health.

-This place is my therapy.

-Being here on my own.

-Sometimes, Alwyn, if you came here

-with a hidden microphone...

-..you'd hear the hymn tune Rhys

-being sung on the tractor.

-Do you perhaps think of this place

-as an extension of your chapel?

-Yes, it's very similar.

-I got my first century here.

-I remember some games here

-just as I remember some services.

-I prepare this place for others.

-Many Christians do the same.

-I was honoured, a year ago now,

-to be bestowed with life membership.

-That's what every Christian is

-- a life member.

-You're a chaired and crowned poet.

-Does the muse strike

-when you ride the tractor here?

-One englyn comes to mind.

-I wanted to write it

-for my grandson, Illtud Gwernydd.

-Gwernydd is an area of Bethesda

-at the foot of the Carneddau.

-This is what came to me.

-"Illtud,

-you'll always see the slopes

-"In the sunshine of your years

-"Roam upon them beyond Gwernydd

-and walk freely on the Carneddau."

-Those slopes face every Christian.

-We walk those slopes, knowing

-that someone's holding our hand.

-Someday, we'll all see the light

-at the top of the mountain.

-I hope you enjoyed revisiting...

-..a few of the characters

-we met during the series.

-We've come to our final hymn,

-from Bethania Chapel, Ruthin.

-To the hymn tune Malvern...

-"O! Tyred, Arglwydd Mawr

-"Dihidla o'r nef i lawr

-"Gawodydd pur"

-From all of us, goodbye.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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