Readings for the Sunday service

September 2026

7th	Deuteronomy 30v15-end	Philemon 1-21	Luke 14v25-33
14th	Numbers 21v23-28	Philippians 2v6-11	John 3v13-17
21st – Harvest	Proverbs 3v13-18	2 Corinthians 4v1-6	Matthew 9v9-13
28th	Amos 6v1a, 4-7	1 Timothy 6-19	Luke 18v19-end

October 2026

5th	Habakkuk1v1-4, 2v1-4	2 Timothy 1v1-14	Luke 17v5-10
12th	2 Kings 5v1-3, 7-15c	2 Timothy 2v8-15	Luke 17v11-19
19th	Genesis 32v22-31	2 Timothy 3v14-4v5	Luke 18v1-8
26th	Jeremiah 14v7-10, 19-end	2 Timothy 4v6-8,16-18	Luke 18v9-14

November 2026

2nd	Isaiah 1v10-18	2 Thessalonians 1	Luke 19v1-10
9th – Remembrance	Job 10v23-27a	2 Thess. 2v1-5, 13-end	Luke 20v27-38
16th	Malachi 4v1-2a	2 Thessalonians 3v6-13	Luke 21v5-19
23th	Jeremiah 23v1-6	Colossians 1v11-20	Luke 22v33-43
30th – Advent Sunday

The changing seasons

The Four Seasons was a concept Vivaldi used to compose four different styles of music. In our latitude we have four discernable seasons of around 90 days each. In other places in the world winter seems to just change into summer and then summer into winter. Without contradiction we have had one of the best summers this year than for along time, but temperatures are becoming more like the seasonal normal now and this edition of pew news takes us up to Advent, the countdown to Christmas! Some forecasters are saying this year’s UK winter will be towards the colder side with more rain, wind and snow due to the cooler conditions in the eastern Pacific, called “La Nina”. How greatly this will affect the jet steam, or if blocking high pressure systems will bring Siberian cold to our island is hard to predict.

The Usher

An evangelist named Mordecai Ham was preaching at a few weeks’ long revival meetings in Charlotte, N.C. For the first month a young man named Billy avoided his parents’ and friends’ urgings to attend. Then after hearing that a group of students from a neighbouring high school would protest at one of the meetings, Billy’s interest peaked as he wanted to witness the hubbub. Arriving at the tent where the meetings were being held, he and a friend found that they could see no seats available, so turned back to go back home. One of the ushers saw what was going on and ran after the boys and promised to find them a place, which as good as his word, he did.

From that night on Billy attended the meetings, first sitting in the back of the packed meetings, then volunteering to be part of the
choir. It was just a few days before his sixteenth birthday that Billy was moved to commit his life to Christ during one of these Ham Revival meetings. The name of the usher is not remembered, but the Billy was Billy Graham. Click here to read more about Billy Graham’s conversion.

Front Railings

Under Carl’s direction a group of volunteers are cleaning, preparing and painting the front gate and railings, dodging the rain. Work has already begun to improve the looks of the front of the church.

For Our Encouragement

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath
from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or
our epistle.
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us
everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
2 Corinthians 2 13-17

Readings for the Sunday service

July 2026

5th	Zechariah 9v9-12	Romans 7v15-25	Matthew 11v16-19, 25-end
12th	Isaiah 55v10-13	Romans 8v1-11	Matthew 13v1-9, 18-23
19th	Isaiah 44v6-8	Romans 8v12-25	Matthew 13v24-30, 36-43
26th	1Kings 3v5-12	Romans 8v26-end	Matthew 13v31-33, 44-52

August 2026

2nd	Isaiah 55v1-5	Romans 9v1-5	Matthew 14v13-21
9th	1Kings 19v9-18	Romans 10v5-15	Matthew 14v22-33
16th	Isaiah 56v6-8	Romans 11v1-2a,29-32	Matthew15v21-28
23rd	Isaiah 51v1-6	Romans 12v1-8	Matthew 16v13-20
30th	Jeremiah 15v15-21	Romans 12v9-end	Matthew 16v21-end

September 2026

6th	Ezekiel 33v7-11	Romans 13v8-end	Matthew 18 v15-20
13th	Genesis 50v15-21	Romans 14v1-12	Matthew 18v21-35
20st	Jonah 3v10-end of 4	Philippians 1v21-end	Matthew 20v1-16
27th	Ezekiel 18v1-4, 25-end	Philippians 2v1-13	Matthew 21v23-32

October 2026

4th

Isaiah 5v1-7

Philippians 3v4b-14

Matthew 21v33-end

Tenby Beach Mission

This month we will be welcoming the Open Air Mission team who will be organising and running the two week mission in Tenby. This year has been slow in getting numbers together so far to make up the team, and as always, the distance of daily travel is a challenge. This year there is no minibus or driver on the horizon. Steve and Mandy are not joining the team this time, Steve usually being the driver and Mandy the cook.

JP says there is a cook signed up to come who will keep the team fed and up to strength, but the transport side of things is unresolved. Permission for the mission has been obtained and a good relationship has been established over many years with the beach superintendent. The mission runs from the last week of July to the end of the first week in August.

Local council elections

Votes will be cast, candidates for Market Ward in Pembroke Dock will be hopeful for election on 9th July. Nationally there are many concerns that lead Christian people to pray. Don’t forget to pray for our nation and for our world. John Wesley was quoted as saying “The world is my parish”.

Pisgah and Martletwy

On 4th July Rev Roger Grafton was inducted minister of the two baptist churches. Roger and his wife Claire will be a great asset to the Christian community in Pembrokeshire and were warmly welcomed by the two congregations and representatives of many other churches in our area.

Readings for the Sunday service

April 2026

5th (Easter Day)	Acts 10v34-43	Colossians 3v1-4	John 20v1-18
12th	Acts 2v14a, 22-32	1 Peter 1v3-9	John20v19-end
19th	Acts 2v14a, 36-41	1 Peter1v17-23	Luke 34v13-35
26th	Acts 2v42-end	1 Peter2v19-end	John 10v1-10

May 2026

3rd	Acts7v55-end	1Peter2v2-10	John14v1-14
10th	Acts 17v22-31	1Peter3v13-end	John 14v15-21
17th	Acts 1v6-14	1Peter4v12, 5v6-11	John 17v1-11
24th (Pentecost)	Acts2v1-21	1Corinthians 12v3-13	John 20v19-23
31st (Trinity)	Isaiah 40v12-17,27-end	2Corinthians 13v11-end	Matthew 28v16-end

June 2026

7th	Hosea 5v15-6v6	Romans 4v13-end	Matthew 9v9-13, 18-26
14th	Exodus 19v2-8a	Romans 5v1-8	Matthew 9v35-10v8
21st	Jeremiah 20v7-13	Romans 6v1-11	Matthew 10v24-39
28th	Jeremiah 28v5-9	Romans 6v12-end	Matthew 10v40-end

July 2026

5th

Zechariah 9v9-12

Romans7v15-25

Matthew 11v16-19, 25-end

Revised Web Site

You may have noticed that the church web site has been unavailable for a few weeks.  This has been due to the site being revised and updated in style and content by Andrew Michael from his location in Colorado, USA.  He was concerned about what he could do to be of some help to Zion, but being so far away, practical involvement is unrealistic.

For many years we have been indebted to Tim Prosser for obtaining the church domains, and maintaining them at his own expense as his gift to the Lord’s work here.  Andrew has now taken over the domains and the site is being hosted by another company. it will be initially much the same as before, but with greater bandwidth and possibilities to put more content online if we should need it.

The web address is the same as before at zionfreechurch.org.uk   You will also find the pew news readings there too.

Springtime

Song of Solomon 2v11-12 reminds us     Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come and the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land.

It seems to have been a cloudy and wet winter, quite depressing at times, though not with much severe cold. When we get three sunny days together, it gives fresh hope that with longer days and hopefully with some warmer air temperatures, summer is not too far away. 

The appearance of the yellow spring flowers, the cheerful song of the blackbird and the sight of jackdaws nesting in the chimneys intent on raising a family reminds us that there is an unstoppable progression of life. The course of nature itself teaches that after the death of winter comes new life in spring and the blossoming of that life in summer.

After the cross, death and burial comes resurrection and life and hope. 

Without our intervention, the sun rises and sustains the growth in grasses and crops. The Son of God has overcome the darkness of death, now risen with healing in his wings to minister growth and light to his church. It is inevitable and unstoppable.

Springtime

Song of Solomon 2v11-12 reminds us:

Lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come and the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our land.

It seems to have been a cloudy and wet winter, quite depressing at times, though not with much severe cold. When we get three sunny days together, it gives fresh hope that with longer days and hopefully with some warmer air temperatures, summer is not too far away. 

The appearance of the yellow spring flowers, the cheerful song of the blackbird and the sight of jackdaws nesting in the chimneys intent on raising a family reminds us that there is an unstoppable progression of life. The course of nature itself teaches that after the death of winter comes new life in spring and the blossoming of that life in summer.

After the cross, death and burial comes resurrection and life and hope. 

Without our intervention, the sun rises and sustains the growth in grasses and crops. The Son of God has overcome the darkness of death, now risen with healing in his wings to minister growth and light to his church. It is inevitable and unstoppable.

Ann Batt

Ann is back at her usual place after a successful amputation of her leg. She seems very pleased about the skill of the surgical team who completed the work to a high standard of cosmetic skill. Ann is suffering very little discomfort but is disappointed that since she was awake for the surgery, the team placed a screen in front of her field of vision so preventing her having a perfect view of the proceedings. She was looking forward to watching how it was done.

We give thanks to God for His mercies, for the quick response of the health service to her urgent need, for the evident success of the surgery and for Ann’s peace of heart.

The Celtic Saints

The names of David, Patrick, Columba, George and Aiden, are known to many but their spiritual legacies less so. There is a prayer attributed to St Patrick known as the shield prayer which resonates with a daily commitment and trust in the Lord. An excerpt is printed below:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,

Through belief in the threeness,

Through confession of the oneness,

Of the Creator of Creation.

Christ is Risen indeed!