Sefydledig     1812
Established   1812

Hanes Cynnar

Adeiladwyd Capel Als, Llanelli yn 1780 a hwn oedd yr unig Gapel Annibynnol Cymraeg yn yr ardal hon. Cerddodd addolwyr ym Mhorth Tywyn drwy bob tywydd i Gapel Als i gymryd rhan yn y gwasanaeth Cymun misol. Cynhaliwyd gwasanaethau wythnosol arferol mewn ysguboriau ar ffermydd lleol fel Pantachddu a Goodig Fach. Wrth i’r niferoedd dyfu oherwydd ehangu’r dref, cwrddodd y Parchedig David Davies ac Evan Davies yng Nghapel Mynyddbach, Abertawe a phenderfynu codi Capel Annibynnol ym Mhorth Tywyn. Prynwyd tir yn Danygraig a chodwyd Capel Jerusalem yn 1812. Y Parch Howel Williams o Gapel Als oedd yn gyfrifol am wasanaethau Cymun yn Jerwsalem unwaith y mis.

Penodwyd nifer o Weinidogion yn y blynyddoedd cynnar. Casglodd un Jonah Francis arian i ad-dalu’r ddyled adeiladu, ei gwario ar ddiod. Diflannodd yn sydyn, byth i’w weld eto. Yn 1824 am resymau anhysbys hyd heddiw, ymrannodd yr aelodaeth yn ddau wersyll. Roedd cymaint o elyniaeth rhwng y ddau grŵp nes bod gang anhysbys yn disgyn ar Gapel newydd Jerwsalem yn ystod oriau tywyll un noson a chwalu pob ffenestr yn yr adeilad.

Yn y diwedd yn 1828 prynwyd parsel o dir ger Cwm Capel a chodwyd capel newydd a’i enwi yn Carmel. Cafodd drysau Jerwsalem eu cloi am gyfnod byr yn dilyn y rhwyg, nes i Weinidog newydd un Henry Evans gael ei benodi.

Erbyn 1855 roedd poblogaeth Porth Tywyn wedi chwyddo, oherwydd diwydiannu. Roedd aelodaeth Capel Jerwsalem hefyd yn ehangu gan adlewyrchu twf y dref. Ni allai’r Capel gwreiddiol ddarparu ar gyfer yr Aelodaeth newydd ac mae’r Parch Henry Evans yn arwain y ddadl dros Gapel newydd sbon mwy. Dymchwelwyd adeilad 1812 yn llwyr ac adeiladwyd Jerwsalem newydd dros ôl y troed gwreiddiol. Yn ystod gwaith adeiladu, cynhaliodd y gynulleidfa wasanaethau yn Yr Hen Ffwrnais, Pen-bre/Porth Tywyn. Adeilad 1855 yw’r un a ddefnyddir ar gyfer addoli heddiw.

Erbyn 1926, roedd yr aelodaeth wedi cyrraedd tua 700. Yn dilyn cyfarfod o’r Gweinidog, Diaconiaid ac Athrawon Ysgol Sul, penderfynwyd moderneiddio’r Capel tu mewn. Roedd pryder y byddai aelodau hŷn yn anhapus gyda hyn. Beth bynnag, safodd un o’r aelodau hynaf yn Jerwsalem Mr William John o Ben-y-Bryn, oedd yn cael ei adnabod i bawb fel “Bili Shôn”, siarad ar y mater:

“Yr wyf fi yn mynd yn hen. Ond yr wyf am fod a rhan mewn rhoi capel newydd hardd I’r cenedlaethau a ddaw yma ar fy ôl”

Cyffyrddodd hyn â chalon pawb a safodd yr holl gynulleidfa o blaid y rhaglen foderneiddio arfaethedig.

Cyflawnwyd gwaith adnewyddu helaeth, gan ddisodli’r hen steil Fictoraidd gyda chysyniad mwy ffasiynol Art Nouveau o’r 1920au, roedd hyn yn cynnwys y gwaith coed a ffenestri gwydr lliw. Yn nodedig, cafwyd y pileri sy’n cynnal yr oriel eu disodli gan RSJau yn darparu golwg anghyfyngedig tuag at y pulpud.

Early History

Capel Als, Llanelli was built in 1780 and was the only Welsh Independent Chapel in this area. Worshippers in Burry Port walked through all weathers to Capel Als to take part in the monthly Communion service. Normal weekly services were held in barns at local farms such as Pantachddu and Goodig Fach. As numbers grew due to the expansion of the town,  Reverends David Davies and Evan Davies met at Mynyddbach Chapel, Swansea and decided to raise an Independent Chapel in Burry Port. Land at Danygraig was purchased and Jerusalem Chapel was erected in 1812. Rev Howel Williams of Capel Als took charge of Communion services at Jerusalem once a month.

Several Ministers were appointed in the early years. One Jonah Francis collected money for repayment of the building debt, spent it on drink and suddenly disappeared, never to be seen again. In 1824 for reasons unknown to this day, the membership split into two camps. There was so much animosity between the two groups that during the dark hours of one night an unidentified gang descended on the new Jerusalem Chapel and smashed every window in the building.

Eventually in 1828 a parcel of land was purchased near Cwm Capel and a new chapel erected and named Carmel. Jerusalem’s doors were locked for a short while following the rift, until a new Minister one Henry Evans was appointed.

By 1855 Burry Port’s population surged, due to industrialisation. Jerusalem Chapel’s membership also expanded mirroring the growth of the town. The original Chapel could not accommodate the new Membership and Rev. Henry Evans lead the argument for a larger brand new Chapel. The 1812 building was completely demolished and a new Jerusalem built over the original footprint. During building work, the congregation held services at The Old Furnace, Pembrey/Burry Port. The 1855 building is the one used for worship today.

By 1926, membership had reached c.700 and following a meeting of the Minister, Deacons and Sunday School Teachers a decision was made to modernise the Chapel interior. There was concern that older members would be unhappy with this. However, one of the oldest members at Jerusalem Mr William John of Pen-y-Bryn, known to everyone as “Bili Shôn”, stood up an spoke on the matter:

“Yr wyf fi yn mynd yn hen. Ond yr wyf am fod a rhan mewn rhoi capel newydd hardd I’r cenedlaethau a ddaw yma ar fy ôl”

“I am getting old. But my wish is to be a part in handing over a new handsome chapel to the congregations who will attend at this place, long after I have gone”

This touched everyone’s heart and all of the congregation stood in favour of the proposed modernisation programme.

An extensive renovation ensued, replacing the old Victorian identity with the more fashionable Art Nouveau concept of the 1920’s This included the woodwork, stained glass windows and notably pillars supporting the gallery were replace with RSJs providing unrestricted view towards the pulpit.

Eglwys Annibynnol Jerusalem , Porth Tywyn

Y Parchedig  Christopher Owen
Ysgrifennydd Ariannol Mr Iwan Jenkins
Ysgrifennydd Gohebol Mr Colin Jenkins

Diaconiaid / Ymddiriedolwyr

Emyr W Phillips    Colin G Jenkins    John Thomas     Iwan Jenkins     Anne L Lloyd     Ruth Roberts     Wendy Hand
Bethan Owen     Martyn Williams     Kenneth Wright     Adrienne Thomas     Owen Thomas KC

Diacon Anrhydeddus
Y Parchg. Meirion Evans

Organydd
Mrs Moira Thomas

Eglwys Annibynnol Gymraeg sy’n gwasanaethu cymunedau Porth Tywyn a Phen-bre

    Am fwy o wybodaeth ac ymholiadau, cysylltwch â
     Mrs Anne Lloyd                 01554 833575
     Mr John Thomas                01554 834092

Jerusalem Independent Chapel, Burry Port

The Reverend  Christopher Owen
Treasurer Mr Iwan Jenkins
Secretary Mr Colin Jenkins

Deacons / Trustees

Emyr W Phillips    Colin G Jenkins    John Thomas     Iwan Jenkins     Anne L Lloyd     Ruth Roberts     Wendy Hand
Bethan Owen     Martyn Williams     Kenneth Wright     Adrienne Thomas     Owen Thomas KC

Honorary Deacon
The Reverend Meirion Evans

Organist
Mrs Moira Thomas

A Welsh Independent Church serving the Communities of Burry Port and Pembrey

       For further information and enquiries please contact
       Mrs Anne Lloyd                 01554 833575
       Mr John Thomas                01554 834092

Y Presennol

Yn unol â chyrff crefyddol eraill, mae’r aelodaeth wedi gostwng yn sydyn ers yr anterth ar ddechrau’r ugeinfed ganrif. Mae nifer o gapeli ym Mhorth Tywyn wedi gorfod cau eu drysau. Mae aelodau Eglwys Cynulleidfaol Saesneg a Chapel Seion, wedi ymuno â’r gynulleidfa yn Jerwsalem er mwyn parhau i ymarfer eu ffydd. Mae Ysgol Sul lewyrchus yn y Festri a weinyddir gan Mrs Sioned Saer. Mae Sioned yn darparu cefnogaeth ragorol i’n pobl ifanc, gan gyflwyno gwerthoedd Cristnogol a fydd yn dylanwadu ar eu hagwedd a’u hymddygiad, gan roi dechrau da mewn bywyd iddynt. Anogir y plant hefyd i ddarllen i’r gynulleidfa yn y Gwasanaeth Plant misol a gynhelir yn amgylchedd mwy ffurfiol y Capel. Maent yn datblygu sgiliau amhrisiadwy yn gyflym.

Mae gwasanaethau arferol yn cael eu cynnal am 10.30am bob dydd Sul ac ambell ddydd Sul am 2.00pm.

Yn ogystal â’i rôl fel Gweinidog Capel Jerwsalem mae’r Parchedig Christopher Owen hefyd yn gweinyddu gwasanaethau yng Nghapel Ebenezer, Dyfnant, Abertawe. Mae ei wasanaethau’n cael eu darparu mewn modd personol diymhongar ac mae rhywbeth newydd a diddorol i’w ddysgu bob amser. Mae croeso i bawb fynychu’r gwasanaethau wythnosol, boed yn aelodau neu ddim aelodau o’r Capel.

Mae cynnal a chadw yn her barhaus a dros y deng mlynedd diwethaf, mae’r prosiectau canlynol wedi’u cynnal:
    Mae’r capel a’r festri wedi cael tô newydd
    Mae pob ffram ffenestr wedi ei hail osod gyda UPVC tra’n cadw’r ffenestri gwydr lliw Art Nouveau yn adeilad y   Capel
    Mae drysau blaen UPVC newydd wedi’u gosod
    Mae boeleri gwres canolog nwy mwy effeithlon wedi disodli’r hen offer
    Mae Organ electronig ddigidol newydd wedi’i gosod

Mae prosiectau yn y dyfodol yn cynnwys:
    Atgyweirio cerrig mewnol o amgylch rhai o’r ffenestri
    Selio’r rendro allanol
    Cloddio’r fynwent
    Peintio’r rheiliau haearn sy’n wynebu’r Capel a’r Festri

Mae’r Capel a’r Festri wedi dod yn ganolbwynt i’r gymuned ac fe’i defnyddir gan nifer o sefydliadau a grwpiau lleol ar gyfer eu cynulliadau tra’n cadw ei amcan allweddol fel sylfaen i hyrwyddo gwerthoedd Cristnogol yn y gymuned.

Rydym bob amser yn hapus i groesawu aelodau newydd i’n cynulleidfa neu wirfoddolwyr i gynorthwyo gyda gwaith cynnal a chadw parhaus. Peidiwch ag oedi cyn cysylltu â ni os oes gennych unrhyw ddiddordeb mewn cynnig eich cefnogaeth fel yr amlinellir uchod.

The Present

In line with other religious bodies, membership has fallen sharply since the heyday in the early twentieth century. A number of Chapels in Burry Port have been forced to close their doors. Members of the English Congregational Church and Capel Seion, have joined the congregation at Jerusalem in order to continue practising their faith. There is a flourishing Sunday School in the Vestry administered by Mrs Sioned Saer. Sioned provides excellent support to our young people, delivering Christian values which will influence their outlook and behaviour, providing them with a good start in life. The children are also encouraged to read to the congregation at the monthly Children’s Service held in the more formal Chapel surroundings. They quickly develop invaluable skills.

Normal services are held at 10.30 am each Sunday. At certain Sundays, the service is held at 2.00 pm.

In addition to his role as Minister of Jerusalem Chapel the Reverend Christopher Owen also administers services at Ebenezer Chapel, Dunvant, Swansea. His services are delivered in an unassuming personal manner and there is always something new and interesting to learn. Everyone is welcome to attend the weekly services whether members or non-members of the Chapel.

Maintenance is an ongoing challenge and over the past ten years, the following projects have been undertaken:

• The Chapel and Vestry have been re-roofed
• All windows replaced with UPVC frames, while retaining the Art Nouveau stained glass windows in the Chapel building
• New UPVC front doors have been fitted
• More efficient gas Central Heating boilers have replaced the old appliances
• A new digital electronic Organ has been installed

Future projects include:

• Repair to internal masonry surrounding some of the windows
• Sealing the external rendering
• Weeding the cemetery
• Painting the iron railings fronting the Chapel and Vestry

The Chapel and Vestry have become a hub of the community and used by a number of local organisations and groups for their gatherings while retaining its key objective as a foundation to promote Christian values in the community.

We are always happy to welcome new members to our congregation or volunteers to assist with continuing maintenance. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any interest in offering your support as outlined above.