Brecon Cathedral was full on the afternoon of Saturday 3rd May 2014 for an event to mark the bicentenary of the death of Reverend Thomas Coke, “The Father of Methodist Missions”, who was responsible for sending the first Welsh-speaking Wesleyan preachers to Wales in 1800. The congregation was welcomed by the Right Reverend Geoffrey Marshall, Dean of the cathedral. The event included the singing of several Charles Wesley hymns; the reading of the story of Thomas Coke by representatives of the Methodist Church in Wales, England, the United States, the Caribbean and Sri Lanka, and an address by the Reverend Lord Leslie Griffiths.
Until May 16th, there is an exhibition on the life of Thomas Coke in Brecknock Museum, Brecon, from 10 am – 4 pm each day. Admission free.
Representatives of the Methodist Church, including Reverend Jennie Hurd, Chair of Synod Cymru, and Reverend Dr Stephen Wigley, Chair of Wales Synod, with the Mayor of Brecon on May 3rd.