Bethany Chapel

Bethany was a Calvinistic Methodist/ Presbyterian Church of Wales chapel in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, Wales, from 1881 to 2023. Services were conducted in Welsh, despite some members of the original founding committee proposing an English language chapel. This might explain the English name 'Bethany'. Bethany is notable for its experiences during the 1904-1905 revival and for three significant ministries: W. Nantlais Williams, J.D. Williams and Gareth Davies. John T. Job, the Welsh hymnwriter and one of the leaders of the 1904-1905 revival in Bethesda, was from Llandybie; his mother, Mary, was one of the original members of Bethany Chapel and was notable for her godly character. J.T. Job was the first preacher to be sent out from Bethany into the ministry, in the 1880s. He composed the Welsh hymn "Cofia'r byd, O Feddyg da" ("Remember the world, O good Doctor"). W. Nantlais Williams also founded the Cynhadledd y Sulgwyn (Whitsun Convention). Based in Bethany from 1917 until the beginning of the 21st century, it drew people from all over Wales to hear powerful, biblical preaching. Following a vote of the members in July 2023 the Calvinistic Methodist/ Presbyterian Church of Wales cause at Bethany was officially decommissioned by the local presbytery on October 26, 2023. There might be uncertainty regarding the future of the building but the same gospel message of Jesus Christ preached at Bethany is still being proclaimed in the Ammanford area.

Bethany's roots were not actually in Ammanford, but in an older branch of the Methodist cause across the river Aman in the parish of Betws: Seion Chapel. The home of Hopkin John, "Argoed" house in Betws, became the cradle of both the local Welsh Independents (Annibynwyr) and Methodists in 1748 when it was "registered a place for dissenting protestants". Howell Harris preached there at least once, in 1740. Seion Methodist Chapel emerged from this community and by the middle of the 19th century some of the members felt a need to start a new chapel in the growing town of Cross Inn (soon to be renamed Ammanford in 1883). The vision of a new chapel was originally presented in a monthly meeting of the local presbytery in 1875.

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