Pen-y-groes chapel is in an agricultural, rural area about three miles from Crymych, in the armpit of Foel Drygarn on the eastern side of the Preseli hills. 250 years were celebrated in 2015 and thanks to Rachel Phillips James for composing this englyn at the time of the celebrations.
Tŷ Cwrdd Pen-y-groes 1765–2015
Ym Mhen-y-groes fe droes y drain – yn ardd
I hau’r Gair yn gywrain
A dry’r cae, wedi’r cywain,
Yn wledd ar fwrdd Tŷ Cwrdd cain
(Paraphrase: In Pen-y-groes the thorns became a garden / a place for the skilful sowing of the Word / that turned the field, after the harvest / into a feast on the elegant Meeting House table.)
Our most recent former ministers are: the Reverends O. Morley Lewis, F. M. Jones, E. J. Davies, Aled ap Gwynedd and Islwyn Selby.
The present
At present we don’t have a minister but we are fortunate to have a number of members who are willing to take services and we have received a great blessing from all the worship here. Pen-y-groes chapel is part of a parish which includes the chapels of Fachendre, Boncath and Antioch, Crymych. Before Covid 19 we held one joint denominational service on Sundays and moved between the chapels in rotation. On average around 25 come to the services.
During Covid although the doors were closed for a few months the worship did not stop as services were posted or emailed to members weekly. It was a convenient and inclusive way of receiving medication and keeping in touch and accessible to everyone. We have reopened by now.
The future
We as a pastorate have resumed our normal pre-Covid activities such as visiting and welcoming other churches to hold services with us, visiting care homes to hold services, going on pilgrimages, holding fundraising activities for local and national charities and resuming our popular plygain service.
