A Guide to some of our Services for Christmas and the New Year 2012
Christingle Service – 6.30 pm Tuesday 4th December
A lovely service of light. A Christingle is a symbolic fruit made from a decorated
orange surmounted by a candle and the climax of the service is the moment when all
the Christingles are lit. Take your Christingle home and place it in your front
window to burn throughout the Advent season, the season of waiting with longing and
expectation for what is to come. This popular service originates from the Moravian
community and celebrates Christ the Light of the World. The church will be packed
with children and adults.
Nine Lessons and Carols – 6.00 pm on Sunday 23rd December
We sing carols throughout the Advent season but this is a traditional service of
Nine Lessons and Carols. If you’re wondering whether children can come, the answer
is “yes, of course”, but they probably need to be old enough to concentrate and take
in the very special atmosphere created by lovely carols and scripture readings which
lead us through the story of God’s love for us from the very beginning until now.
Christmas Eve – 3.00 pm and 11.15 pm
Christmas Eve is particularly special.
Carols and the Blessing of the Crib at 3.00 pm. A short but moving service designed
to involve and capture the imagination of very young children or indeed anyone below
the age of ninety-nine! The children help tell the story of Christmas as they gather
round the crib, we sing some carols and songs, and go home in time for tea.
Festival Communion at 11.15 pm leads us into the events of Christmas Day. It combines
solemnity with celebration as we worship God together and give thanks for the birth
of Jesus Christ.
Christmas Day – 8.00 am and 10.30 am
We celebrate Christmas Day with an early service of Holy Communion. In mid-morning
we celebrate with a relaxed service for all the family, which includes a Family Festival
Communion for those who wish to receive. For those who wish to slip away, there
will be a chance to do so.
And a special service for New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day – 10.30 am
New Year’s Day falls on a Tuesday and so we start 2013 with a relaxed service to
greet the new year.
