As many people in and around the Church celebrate Valentines Day we remember the greatest love that you can ever know in what Jesus has done for his Church. We have been very busy this month with two valentines day themed 'Thursday Thought' videos. We have also published an article about love and the heart for a local community magazine.
You can watch both of our Valentines Day themed 'Thursday Thought' videos here. Please share these widely with friends and family.
Our Published Article
A new street has been established just off from Llangyfelach road and has been named ‘Clos Calon Lan after the historic hymn written by Daniel James Gwyrosydd by the same name. Daniel James was born on 23rd January 1848, in a thatched cottage situated in Llangyfelach Road, Treboeth. Surprisingly, for someone who is known as an international literary genius, Daniel received very little schooling.
Daniel James Gwyrosydd composed the words of Calon Lan in 1891 allegedly on the back of cigarette packet. Nowadays, this great hymn is a rugby anthem chanted by thousands of people each game and has been coined by many ‘Wales’ Second National Anthem’.
What does ‘Calon Lan’ actually mean? Very apt for our Valentine’s Day issue the hymn directly translates as meaning ‘Pure Heart’. I am sure this is something many of us are searching after, particularly if you have done a lot wrong like myself.
None of us can claim to have a heart that is completely Pure completely without any ounce or grain of bitterness, hate, jealousy. No matter how much we feel our lives are average, normal or fine none of us can claim to have lived a perfect life, and all of us should be seeking to be the best person we can be.
For us as Christians there are many verses that offer some hope for those of us who have not always lived in the best way; John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Here we read that because God loves us so much, he sent Jesus (his own son) to come down to earth and pay the penalty that we owed. So, if we go to God and say sorry for what we have done wrong, because of what Jesus has done we can be forgiven.
The message of Christianity is not one of a boring outdated religion, but it is the story of hope, none of us have a ‘Pure Heart’ but God can forgive us from everything. Perhaps every time you walk past ‘Clos Calon Lan’ you can remember that even if you have not got a Pure Heart through Jesus you can be forgiven.
If you would like to keep up with what we are doing as a church we are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube By Libanus Church