Cana recently celebrated its 200th anniversary, two years late due to lockdown.

The doors of Cana were opened in 1821 following the sacrifice and efforts of many of the faithful in the area to build a chapel that would house the cause of the Independents which was established in 1820.

When Cana was built, the people’s choice was to install clear windows in the building so that everyone from the outside could see into it, but more importantly, so that the people who met inside the building could see out into the world. Although the faithful have met inside Cana for two centuries, the church has not had an introspective vision throughout its long history. Instead, it has a much wider vision, and a desire to be an instrument in the hand of God as witness to the surrounding area and to the world. In giving thanks for two centuries of testimony, we give thanks that the same vision still occupies the hearts of Cana members today.

The faithful of Cana come together to worship every other Sunday and there has been a happy collaboration between the church and the other churches of the pastorate, namely Priordy in Carmarthen and Bancyfelin MC church. Recently the pastorate has grown to include the churches of Elim, Ffynnon-ddrain, and Heol Awst, Carmarthen.

The church invested in screens for the chapel and the vestry thus enriching the worship. The Sunday school meets regularly and contributes greatly to the life of the church. Members of all ages take part in the subject assembly, the World Day of Prayer and Gŵyl Tanio’r Fflam, and take advantage of every possible opportunity to get together and socialise: over a cup of tea after the service, a harvest supper and Christmas party, the pastorate Sunday lunch and the pastorate annual pilgrimage. They regularly take part in services in the local residential homes in the company of their pastor, Reverend Beti-Wyn James.

Cana is a Fair Trade church and regularly supports charities, such as the local food bank, the women’s shelter, the Salvation Army drop-in centre, Christian Aid, Vision Aid Overseas and Oxfam to name but a few.

Cana is currently preparing to be a dementia friendly church thanks to the handbook produced by the Undebm Heulwen dan Gymlau. New signs are in place, the toilets have been adapted, and a special afternoon has already been held in the vestry when residents from the local care homes were invited to come for a cup of tea and a hymn-singing session.

The Cana newsletter Y Ddolen appears every month and the church has a presence on social media. Twitter/X: @Cana-Bancyfelin and Facebook: Capel Cana, near Bancyfelin.

After more than two centuries of Christian witness in the area, there is still a close and warm feeling here and a desire among the members to bear witness to Jesus to the best of their ability. Long may that last.

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