Farewell to Southsea and Brymbo

Sunday, July 13 was our final Sunday at St. Mary's Brymbo and All Saints' Southsea. Eric, accompanied by Margaret, Emily and Susan's mom Kathie (who had just flown in from Michigan), went to St. Mary's for the 10 am service. Susan did the 10:30 am service in Southsea. After the service in Brymbo there was a lovely reception with coffee and tea and gifts were exchanged. Eric presented the warden, Bernard Davies, with a book about the history of the Chautauqua Lake region. Bernard presented the Williams family with a plate commemmorating St. Mary's centenary and histories of the church and steel mill. He also gave Eric a Brymbo steelworks tie.

At Southsea there was a lovely buffet reception after church. Delicious sandwiches, scones, bara brith (a wonderful fruitcake), cakes with strawberries and cream, and on and on. They presented us with more gifts and we gave the parish a mounted poster of Chautauqua Lake. Then they sang us the sentimental Welsh favorite: "We'll Keep a Welcome in the Hillsides." You can hear part of it here:






It was amazing to all of us how much we had become attached to these people in less than four weeks. We are so grateful for the warmth, hospitality, kindness and generosity that were shown to us by everyone. We hope Noel and Wendy had just as warm a welcome in Jamestown as we have had here.