Celebration Day

I looked up "celebration" in an on-line dictionary and one definition was "a joyful occasion for special festivities to mark some happy event". Well the fact that we were on holiday was a joyous occasion and there were festivities all day long on the Sunday after we arrived in Pembrokeshire. Following our long journey on Saturday, we decided to have a relaxing day and travelled only a handful of miles into Tenby on Sunday morning. In previous years we had visited St Mary's Church and enjoyed their Flower Festival but this year the celebration had been held the week before we arrived and was already over. An accordion player, François, was still in festive mood though outside the church, entertaining the passers-by.

Back in Saundersfoot after lunch, we spotted a group of people creating a song and dance - literally - on the beach. As well as the children up close, there was a crowd of grown-ups on the walkway behind the blue railing also joining in the proceedings.

A closer look revealed the group in the yellow shirts were from the Emmanuel Mission's Sunshine Centre and we were to see them several times during the week as they conducted sessions most afternoons. With many visual aids, dance, drama and song the group took it in turns to lead the sessions. We actually spoke to the young lady holding the card which read "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved - Joel 2 v 32" later the same day.

That was at an open air service on the harbour wall on Sunday evening - you can see some of the yellow shirts in the assembled congregation. The service was led by the clergy of St Issels, Saundersfoot but people of all denominations were present and the Sunshine Centre also played a part in the service. The service was well under way by the time we arrived after our evening meal but more and more people arrived before its conclusion and there was quite a big crowd at the end.

Afterwards we stood for a while and talked with the young lady who had led the session on the beach in the afternoon and we also spoke to a gentleman who lived nearby who said that we were the first people he had spoken to in English that day. It's good to know that the Welsh language is still alive and flourishing.

Many of the people who attended the service sat in rows on the steps on the harbour wall and as we walked back towards the village centre it looked as though the yachts had also lined up to join in the celebration.

The same could be said of the motor boats too but they were sideways on to where the service was held. You can still see the remains of the congregation looking out to sea from the end wall.

But as the sun began to set all the craft in the harbour appeared to be safely anchored for the night. There would be much more to enjoy during the week but for now this peaceful scene brings this particular day of celebration to a close.