Mission Unstoppable: The glory of God in the worship and witness of his church
Aug 8th-15th, 2026
Welcome to Aber 2026
It is our great joy to welcome you to Aber - Please join us in praying for God’s blessing at Aber26.
We hope that you will find this online guide useful.
Each day the highlight is the preaching of God’s Word. There’s also much more for you to get involved in, including prayer meetings, fellowship groups and our workshops. There are meetings for families, young people and those who have come alone - please remember that you don’t have to go to everything! We have put together a conference that we hope will glorify God, refresh your heart, encourage you, and build you up in the truth.
To use the online guide, use the top menu to navigate the main section that include:
Welcome - message from our chairman
Calendar - list and details of every event
Details - details of all groups and meetings (e.g., Fellowship, Children, Families, Workshops, Mission Exhibition)
Watch - link to watch Aber 26 live
Buy - to buy event passes
Info - all the practical information!
We pray that you will experience warm fellowship and have plenty of opportunities to meet new friends this week. If you have any needs during the conference, please don’t hesitate to visit the welcome desk (open 9am-9pm), give one of the EMW team a call on 0800 4647676, or speak to one of the stewards.
Upcoming events:
Start your day with us in the International Politics Building for breakfast, devotions, and prayer as we consider how we are called to live alongside one another — be encouraged and challenged to live like Christ in His church.
How do we seek to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ? In what ways can we show vulnerability in order to be helped? How does God's word call us to do so?
In a time of isolation, Jesus models attentive servitude in church family. Guided by Ed Welch's Side by Side, we'll explore this together through daily discussions:
Wednesday: Enjoy One Another
Our children’s clubs are a much-loved part of the week. Whether your child is coming for the first time or is already familiar with Aber, they will have the chance to build friendships and explore the Bible through engaging, age-appropriate activities.
Tiny Tots (6month - 4 years) - Lower Dance Studio
Mini Marvels (4-7) - Students’ Union
Holiday Heroes (7-11) - Students’ Union
JAber (11-15) - Students’ Union
To attend, each child will need an event pass and a completed consent form, which should be submitted in advance at www.emw.org.uk/parents. Please ensure that children are collected promptly after the morning meeting each day.
Fun Afternoon – 2:00 pm Wednesday (at the grassy area beside the Great Hall, or in the Marquee next to the Students’ Union building if it’s raining)
The Mission Exhibition will once again be held on campus in Medrus, on the first floor of Penbryn. It offers a valuable opportunity to explore a wide range of organisations and societies, each sharing resources, opportunities, and accounts of how God is at work across the world. Do take time to browse the displays and speak with those involved—they will be glad to tell you more about their ministries.
This year, a café will also be running within the exhibition, hosted by Dave and Ange Gee from Bala Evangelical Church, where you can enjoy tea or coffee during your visit.
A relaxed space to unwind, reflect on what you’ve heard, and enjoy fellowship together.
Wednesday – Strength
Discipling is hard work and lots of us feel overwhelmed by the challenge. Rico Tice is best known for Christianity Explored, a course that introduces people to Jesus. In this session Rico will help us think about the ongoing challenges and opportunities that come with a discipline a new believer.
Vicky's Story: Meeting God in the Bible We'll be hearing Vicky's testimony—her story of how Jesus saved her and transformed her life is truly from darkness to light.
Wednesday – Pastoral care in today’s society (Interview with Phil Swann)
Through an interview format, we will explore the realities of pastoral care today and how church members can support their leaders. We will also reflect on how to offer spiritual help—including “a word in season”—to those facing the end of life.
In the evenings we'll be exploring our week's theme of 'Authenticity'. We'll discuss in groups our understanding of how God has shaped all of us and how that should affect our perspective. Jesus calls us to examine ourselves and how we respond to the world around us, so where do we start?
- Wednesday – Authentic: Who is listening?
This year's most talked-about companions are those created by us. But who are Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, or Grok? And how should their existence affect us as Christians? We'll be discussing theological takes on artificial intelligence — whether it is beneficial, or whether we should use it at all.
Start your day with us in the International Politics Building for breakfast, devotions, and prayer as we consider how we are called to live alongside one another — be encouraged and challenged to live like Christ in His church.
How do we seek to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ? In what ways can we show vulnerability in order to be helped? How does God's word call us to do so?
In a time of isolation, Jesus models attentive servitude in church family. Guided by Ed Welch's Side by Side, we'll explore this together through daily discussions:
Thursday: Walk with One Another
Our children’s clubs are a much-loved part of the week. Whether your child is coming for the first time or is already familiar with Aber, they will have the chance to build friendships and explore the Bible through engaging, age-appropriate activities.
Tiny Tots (6month - 4 years) - Lower Dance Studio
Mini Marvels (4-7) - Students’ Union
Holiday Heroes (7-11) - Students’ Union
JAber (11-15) - Students’ Union
To attend, each child will need an event pass and a completed consent form, which should be submitted in advance at www.emw.org.uk/parents. Please ensure that children are collected promptly after the morning meeting each day.
Workshop: Evangelism - Why and How?
What motivates us to share the gospel—and how can we do it well? In this session, Rico Tice explores the heart behind evangelism and offers practical help for communicating the message of Jesus with clarity and confidence. Aimed at equipping believers not only to speak about their faith but also to encourage others to do the same, this session will be both thought-provoking and accessible for all. It will take place on Thursday at 2:00 pm in the Great Hall.
Relational Bible Reading
Huw Williams will lead a session on how to read the Scriptures as a heart-focused relationship with Christ, rather than simply a mind-focused exercise in data transfer.
Come play, have fun, and enjoy great fellowship as we honour Christ through sport. £2 entry per person.
The Mission Exhibition will once again be held on campus in Medrus, on the first floor of Penbryn. It offers a valuable opportunity to explore a wide range of organisations and societies, each sharing resources, opportunities, and accounts of how God is at work across the world. Do take time to browse the displays and speak with those involved—they will be glad to tell you more about their ministries.
This year, a café will also be running within the exhibition, hosted by Dave and Ange Gee from Bala Evangelical Church, where you can enjoy tea or coffee during your visit.
Join us on the Aberystwyth prom (near the bandstand), for hymn singing, testimonies, and gospel sharing.
A relaxed space to unwind, reflect on what you’ve heard, and enjoy fellowship together.
Thursday – Soul
We are delighted to welcome the acclaimed artist Ben Midgley. He will introduce us to a few of his favourite pieces of art, tell us why they matter to him, and show us how art can nourish your soul.
In conversation with Andrew Norbury Andrew is preaching in the Great Hall this evening. Come and spend more time with him tonight as he shares with us.
Thursday – A word in season to loved ones who are not yet saved
Speaker: J P Earnest
J P will share insights from years of evangelism, helping us think about fresh and thoughtful ways to speak the gospel to family and friends who have not yet come to faith.
In the evenings we'll be exploring our week's theme of 'Authenticity'. We'll discuss in groups our understanding of how God has shaped all of us and how that should affect our perspective. Jesus calls us to examine ourselves and how we respond to the world around us, so where do we start?
Thursday – Authentic: Who can we trust?**
Lastly, we'll finish our week together by looking at the year ahead. We'll consider how we can apply what we've learnt to our private devotional lives, social interactions, and church commitments. This will also be a great opportunity to consider where we stand with Christ. Whether you're hoping to strengthen your faith, find firm ground in a struggle with assurance, or come to Christ for the first time: the answers are in the only One we can trust.
What to expect.
We pray that you will experience warm fellowship and have plenty of opportunities to meet new friends this week. If you have any needs during the conference, please don’t hesitate to visit the welcome desk (open 9 till 9 every day), give one of the EMW team a call on 0800 4647676, or speak to one of the stewards.
The programme is focused around the morning Bible Readings and the evening services where we come together to worship God and hear his Word preached. During the conference, you will also have an opportunity to take part in many different meetings, events and fellowship groups all giving an opportunity to reflect on what you’ve heard and to think biblically through some of the issues facing us today (details below).
Alternatively, you may just prefer to relax with your family enjoying the beautiful west Wales coast or spend time having a drink at one of Aberystwyth’s many coffee shops with friends, both old and new, reflecting on all you’ve heard. It’s your holiday, so it really is up to you.
WORKSHOPS
Workshops run during Tuesday and Thursday afternoons dealing with key areas of the Christian life, helping equip us to better serve our God. (more info)
MISSION EXHIBITION
At our Mission Exhibition you will find organisations and societies offering information, resources and opportunities to help you connect with what God is doing all over the world (more info)
OPEN-AIR MEETINGS
Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday (3.30 pm) on the promenade, near the bandstand. Join our open air services seeking to witness to the local area and to reach others holidaying in Aberystwyth.
LISTEN LIVE & MEDIA
Live audio and video from all the meetings in the Great Hall will be streamed at www.emw.org.uk/aberlive (WiFi is free for guests in University accommodation).
All the Sunday Services, main meetings and seminars will be recorded for you to purchase to download from www.emw.org.uk, later in the year).
PRAYER MEETINGS
Prayer Meetings are an opportunity to call on the name of the Lord together. Three meetings will take place daily from Tuesday to Friday:
8:00am, Y Sgubor, led by Sam Pritchard from Libanus Church, Swansea.
9:00am, Medrus 1, led by Mark Stone from Park Baptist Church, Merthyr Tydfil.
9:00am, C22, led by Peter Elward from Cwmavon Evangelical Church, Port Talbot.
BOOKSHOP
The Aber26 bookshop is in the Dance Studio near to the Great Hall in the Arts Centre. Working in conjunction with 10ofthose, we have a wide range of Christian books, many of which are discounted – so make sure you grab yourself some great reading at great prices while you are with us. Listen out for book reviews and details of book signing sessions in the main meetings.
Bookshop Opening Hours:
09:00-10:30
12:00-13:00
14:30-17:00
18:00-19:00
20:30-22:00 (close 21:15 on Friday)

