Rhyl Rotary Club Christmas Dinner

The essence of Christmas with its timeless emphasis on the joy of giving was strikingly akin to the Rotary ethic of service, guest speaker the Reverend Brian Kay told members, wives, partners and guests in a seasonal Christmas and New Year message at Faenol Fawr. Introduced by club President Rod Brocklehurst, the capacity audience was told that the Reverend Kay, a senior and highly regarded Methodist clergyman with distinguished service at numerous churches in North Wales, including Rhos-on-Sea and Abergele, was an especially appropriate choice to address the challenges and choices confronting us at the approach of Christmas and another new year of opportunity. Recounting some of his earliest memories as an impressionable child of seven at the outbreak of the Second World War, Reverend Kay focused particularly on the significance of a season for both giving and receiving. Restating the time-honoured scriptural view that it was more blessed and spiritually rewarding to give than to receive, he drew attention to how close that concept was mirrored, embraced and practised the world over by Rotarians, as they sought to live out the movement’s noble motto of Service Above Self. Acknowledging the proud record of Rotary in identifying where they could most effectively deliver that selfless service, he warmly congratulated all those who had embraced this worthy creed and wished everyone present continued success in sustaining this enviable commitment, along with the hope for a happy and blessed 2017 to follow. Secretary Gordon Marshall warmly thanked Reverend Kay for his most relevant and touching address and assured him his wise and pertinent focus was not lost on his clearly appreciative audience. Reminding members that the club’s next gathering would be an open meeting to which wives and guests were again invited, on January 10 when they would be entertaining Llandudno in the next round of the District Rotary Quiz at Faenol Fawr, President Rod also added his sincere good wishes to everyone present and their families and friends, for a contented and healthy year ahead.