Poultney Area St. David's Society, Inc.

09/05/2026

SUNDAY September 6, 2026 at the North American Festival of Wales: nafow.org website - and https://www.facebook.com/NAFOWales ... in Springfield, Massachusetts.
All times are EASTERN TIME, U.S.A.

The Sunday morning worship service will NOT be live stream.
The Gymanfa Ganu Session I and II - WILL BE live stream.
9:00am - 10:00am ~ WNAA Annual General Meeting
9:00am - 12:00pm ~ Marketplace
10:30am - 11:30pm ~ Worship Service, in English & Welsh
1:00pm - 1:45pm ~ Celtic harp music before Gymanfa
2:00pm - 3:30pm ~ Gymanfa Ganu Session I ~ offsite at Trinity United Methodist Church
~ directed by Tim Rhys Evans, accompanist, David Enlow
3:30pm - 4:30pm ~ Complimentary Afternoon Tea
4:30pm - 6:00pm ~ Gymanfa Ganu Session II ~ held at Trinity United Methodist Church
Closing Ceremony (at the conclusion of the Gymanfa)
6:30pm - 7:30pm ~ Sunday Evening Meal ~ [ menu ]
8:00pm - 10:00pm ~ Noson Lawen, sing folk songs and enjoy short, open-mic with
Festival performers and attendees.

North American Festival of Wales | Gŵyl Cymru Gogledd America | Celebrating Welsh culture across the US & Canada | NAFOW 2026 Springfield, Massachusetts → September 2-6, 2026

09/04/2026

Today in Springfield, Mass at the North American Festival of Wales.

09/03/2026

September 3, 2026 is the 97th birthday of the now late Reverend Donald R Pepper, the last full time clergy in Poultney Welsh Church, Grove Street, Poultney, Vermont, USA.
The church was dedicated January 1, 1901 and throughout its history it has had several full time clergy as well as supply clergy.

In early Spring 2026, the Poultney Welsh Church's non-profit received gift from Poultney Historical Society of the three pulpit chairs that were formerly in the South Poultney (Ruby Road) Welsh Church. That church closed in the 1960's.
Repairs were needed for the pulpit chairs and the committee of the Grove Street Church began work for that need.
Thanks to gifts received from many, many, many people and organizations, the repair work was undertaken and began early summer 2026.

***
The Reverend John Morris Jones, a native of Wales, was the clergy who first used those chairs and who officiated for that South Poultney church's congregation for the longest time as a full time clergy. At the same time he also officiated for the Grove Street Church as well as in the historic North Poultney Welsh Church.

The Reverend Donald R. Pepper also officiated from time-to-time in the South Poultney Welsh Church and utilized the pulpit chairs. A native to Middle Granville having ancestors from Wales, his longest career was with a Presbyterian Church in New Jersey, USA. However, when home for visits, etc. he often officiated in the South Poultney and also Grove Street Church. After retiring from the New Jersey church and coming back home to Middle Granville, he became full time clergy for the Grove Street church in Poultney.
***
Now, on September 3rd, 97 years since the birth of Rev. Pepper, the chairs are now restored and were delivered to the Grove Street Welsh Church which was dedicated 125 years ago 1 January, 1901.

Two furniture restoration professionals did the work: Carl Bose and Dave Williams. Dave Williams is cousin of the late Rev. Pepper. He was pleasantly surprised today to learn that this day that he and Mr. Bose completed the project and delivered the chairs to the Grove Street church is the 97th heavenly birthday of Rev. Pepper.

Several of the donors for this project also include descendants and cousins of The Rev. John Morris Jones.
Life's circles.

Thank you again to everyone who have donated to this project - and who continue to help with the many restoration and upkeep needs of this historic property.

09/03/2026

R.I.P. Pastor Jerry McKinney.
Thank you for your sharing and caring to many throughout our slate valley region's communities.

09/01/2026

News from Poultney Welsh Church:
"September 1st.
Happy September!! As always, August flew by quickly!!
September 3rd at 6:30 p.m. there will be a members meeting at the church. We hope to have update after it for everyone about what project will be undertaken next, and when.
Thank you again to everyone for your continued interest and help with the restoration projects at Poultney Welsh Church.
AND, we also expect that the historic pulpit chairs from the South Poultney Welsh Church gifted to the Grove Street non-profit by Poultney Historical Society will also be there SOON. Work is completed by the restoration professionals. Here is one photo of the large chair that was restored as well as one of it in the workshops as restoration work was beginning. A nice photo of it finished that was taken by restorer Mr. Williams (Mr. Williams who is cousin of PWC's late pastor Rev Donald Pepper) and taken in his showroom. It is a beautiful job done by both he and Mr. Bose!!!
It is a WOW, WOW, WOW result and we look forward to seeing all three chairs together in our historic Poultney Welsh Church on Grove Street.
Thank you to everyone for your help with that project too. Gifts of many have enabled this wonderful restoration project to be undertaken and completed.
Janice and Tom, Chairs Restoration Committee."

08/15/2026

News from our community's historic Welsh chapel's non-profit:

August 15th, 2026 from the 501(c)(3) non-profit: Poultney Welsh Church Preservation Alliance and Presbyterian Fellowship, Inc.:
- - The officers and members of historic Poultney Welsh Church share more photos herein of both the damaged soffit repair work on the south side of the roof that was completed and also the several trees now clear of the chimney and roof. Access to the roof for trees removal work was a tight fit for the trees company, especially behind the building where the chimney is located.
NEEDS FOR REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE FUNDS CONTINUE FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BUILDING THAT IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. JANUARY 1, 2026 IT WAS 125 YEARS SINCE IT WAS DEDICATED.
The need for funds continues. Each gift is tax-deductible for donors. Each gift is gratefully appreciated.

The next repair project the officers said that will be done when funds are available is the brick chimney and roof area around it.
Visit their GoFundMe Updates section for news of progress and where other photos are shared.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/poultney-welsh-church-BLDG-and-maintenance-repair

Thank you again (Diolch yn fawr eto) to everyone who has donated to-date to this non-profit. Every gift, any amount, helps the non-profit move forward with its building needs.

If addition to the GoFundMe appeal named "Poultney Welsh Church ALL BLDG REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE NEEDS",
gifts by check may be postal mailed to the non-profit.
Kindly make check payable to: "Poultney Welsh Church Preservation Alliance" (which one may abbreviate to PWCPA) and postal mail it to ATTN: Mary Stoneberg, Treasurer, 179 East Main Street, Poultney, VT 05764.

Thank you very much (Diolch yn fawr).

08/08/2026

On August 7th: a few views of Poultney's historic (125 year old) Welsh Church and the roof no longer covered with trees.
Thank you to the officers and members of the non-profit for your care and maintenance of the property.
Thank you to the many to-date who have gifted to the non-profit. Each gift, large or small, helps tremendously.

08/08/2026

News about the 2027 AND 2028 National Eisteddfod.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/location-2028-national-eisteddfod-been-34425610?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawTj_xFwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMVo1SWRQSHFaanhLM3VHY0hzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe-QB5LM9KxoOw9U84-zwjCAEAT1GQvs6icQLMS0f_ykdJ8o0evvA_ERh0I0k_aem_oIeGp16nVLmvOYoxKv2Z3Q =1786181013

The National Eisteddfod will be held in the Cardiff area from 5-12 August 2028

08/07/2026

Dear Friends and the Community-at-large, - -
AUGUST 7TH, 2026:
RE: The historic pulpit chairs from the former South Poultney Welsh Church:

Fundraising for this project began in the Spring of 2026 and now in August 2026 it continues.
Wood restoration needs on the three historic pulpit chairs is now completed by the first professional.
The chairs have now gone to the second restoration professional for fabric, cushions etc. work needs and that has begun on them now.
Research reveals that The Reverend John Morris Jones who was born in north Wales was the clergy who served the longest term in the former building and who would have used the chairs the most.
Research about other clergy who served the congregation continues.
We share more photos of the chairs herein.
The work needed is more than originally estimated when this began.
Continued gifts will be gratefully appreciated.
Gifts in any amount by check made payable to: Poultney Welsh Church Preservation Alliance (which one may abbreviate as PWCPA) and postal mailed c/o Poultney Area St. David's Society, who are committee organizers for the project, to ATTN: Janice Edwards, 60 Norton Ave., Poultney, VT 05764 will be appreciated.

We look forward to sharing photos again when the restoration work is finished and the chairs are in place in historic Poultney Welsh Church, Grove Street, Poultney, Vermont.
Thank you to everyone who has donated to this project need.
Thomas A. Hughes and Janice B. Edwards, Chairs Restoration committee

08/06/2026

August 6th - the weather cooperated for the trees company and a considerable amount of work was accomplished today at our community's historic Poultney Welsh Church building. Congratulations to the Welsh Church's non profit.
Thank you again to the Preservation Trust of Vermont, the Johnson Family Foundation and other donors whose gifts enabled this work to be done. And thank you to Jeff Lear and his staff who completed the work.

The trunk of the fallen tree was absolutely HUGE and the access to work in the property was very restricted on all sides of the property. In addition to the huge trunk removed, several trees behind the building were also removed. So, the problem ones there that caused damage to the chimney and roof is now resolved.
When the non-profit is able to move forward with repairs to the chimney and roof around it that will be their next project.