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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Tuesday, December 23, 2008 by Keith Berry-Davies.

My regular readers will know that I have been having treatment for prostate cancer, which has gone well and next week I start a course of radiotherapy. In the last few months I have done a lot of thinking about my past and even my future, and I have come to the conclusion that life is too short for all the arguments and conflicts that seem to plague our society today.

We are rapidly aproaching Christmas, when we as Christians, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. He came to earth as a small baby and grew to be a life changing person, bringing peace and love to a troubled world and still is doing that today, 2000 years later. That is if we let him him come into our lives to be our Saviour.

Jesus can bring peace into this world if we let him, so why don’t you help him this Christmas. Forget petty arguments and do all that you can to reconcile yourself to those family members and friends that you have fallen out with, for whatever reason, and let the Prince of Peace come into your heart. If everyone did this throughout the world just think what a wonderful world this would be.

Have a Happy Christmas and may you feel the peace of the Christ child come into your heart.

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Saturday, November 29, 2008 by Keith Berry-Davies.

As we approach Christmas please spare a thought and even some generosity for all those people who are unable to celebrate it as we do. The world which we are living in at the moment is in such a state, what with the financial problems and the appalling waste of life through terrorism and illness, and starvation. We might feel that our wealth is rapidly evaporating from around us, but the truth is that there is still plenty to go all around the world, which would help to ease the suffering of so many people.

As a Christian minister I try and teach what Jesus Christ said, “Love your neighbour as yourself”. To my mind there is no greater teaching and if we all did that what a wonderful world this would be. So at this joyful time of the year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ what better birthday present could we give him than to help to bring peace and harmony to the world by loving your neighbour!

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