"The Welsh-language Baptists of Lampeter meet to worship at Noddfa chapel down at the bottom of Bridge Street, on the left before you get to the bridge itself.

Although the Baptists go back as a Christian Protestant group to 1609, to Amsterdam, Baptists in Wales tend to look to Ilston on the Gower for their roots.

It was there in 1645 that a church congregated, practising believer's baptism, under the ministry of one John Miles. From that time onwards, and despite early persecution, Christian faith as practised by Baptists spread throughout South Wales. Early on, Rhydwilym in Carmarthenshire was a very influential and well-known Welsh Baptist church, and many Welsh Baptist chapels of today are shoots of that plant.

As Baptists, we consider that the Bible as the Word of God is relevant and cornerstone for all our lives today. Preaching together with prayer, praise and sharing the Lord's supper form the basis of our regular worship.

We relish the revelation of God's mind given in his creation, the world in which we live, and scientific enquiry as a response of man to the gift of creation. We value creativity as God-given. But above all, we hold that in Jesus Christ, we have known God's eternal love in life, which gives us confidence that death is not the end but a door to further love in life with him.

In Noddfa there is a lively church of approximately 40 members, and by now we are part of a local group of Welsh Baptist churches, Eglwysi Bedyddwyr Gogledd Teifi.

I have been the group's minister since 2004, and Janet Evans, John Morgan and Alun Williams are the church deacons at Noddfa; while Margaret Jones is the church secretary and Anne Davies the treasurer.

Working with other group churches, the members of Noddfa meet to worship every week, either at Noddfa or in another chapel. We have a vibrant Sunday school under the leadership of Janet Evans and Llinos Jones and a willing force of assistants, and the Sunday school (together with the young people who have previously been members of the Sunday school) make a valuable contribution to the life and worship of the church.

By now, many (though not all) of the members of the church are people who have moved to the area, and there is an open, welcoming atmosphere. We would be delighted to welcome people from all walks and ages of life to our Welsh-language services (and if you're learning Welsh just say, we'll do our best to help!): the times of our meetings, which vary, are usually shown under Lampeter news in the local press."

Article written by Jill Evans.

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