Benefice-Priest in Charge
Katrina Dykes
MESSAGE from KATRINA
December 2018
One orange, a small square of foil, a candle, some red ribbon, four cocktail sticks and sweets - preferably dolly mixtures and jelly tots - and what have you got?
This year is the 50th anniversary of the first Christingle service which took place in Lincoln Cathedral in 1968. Many of us will have happy memories of Christingles over the years, hearing the story of Jesus coming into the world to bring light into the darkness, whilst wondering when we would be allowed to eat the sweets!
This message of Christingle has proved a powerful way of raising awareness of the work of the Children’s Society (previously called The Church of England’s Children’s Society and still closely linked). It works with the most vulnerable children in our nation, fighting child poverty, protecting those at risk of being exploited, supporting those who are bullied, raising awareness of mental health issues and so much more. For some children, life is not carefree and happy, life can be dark, frightening and lonely.
The Christmas message is one of hope – of light coming in the darkness. Those who profess to be Christian are called to be lights in the darkness; to receive the light and take it out into the darkness, bringing hope to others through our actions as well as our words. Christingle is a small way of receiving the message in the lighting of our candles and sharing light as we support the work of The Children’s Society.
Please come and join us and give generously.
To celebrate this special anniversary, we are adding a little something extra to our usual Christingle experience. We’d love you to join us for some tea and cake and to make your own Christingle before the service.
This will happen on Sunday 9th December from 5pm in the Abbotts Ann WMH and will be followed by the Christingle service at 6pm at St Mary's Abbotts Ann: and on Sunday 16th December from 3pm in the Meadow Room at All Saints' Upper Clatford followed by the Carol service at All Saints' Upper Clatford at 4pm.
Many of us will be looking forward to the ‘Ahhh’ moments in the Christmas services, candles in the darkness, children singing Away in a Manger, Crib service antics and walking home from the midnight in the crisp air. But for some Christmas can be a difficult season to get through – illness, disability, depression, loneliness, family break-up, bereavement and painful anniversaries can all make it difficult to enter into the jollity. So as well as the traditional services, we are this year offering a Quiet Christmas service, with prayers for healing (for ourselves, for others, for our world). The service will still reflect the message of hope and light in the darkness, but in a gentler and more reflective way.
This will be at All Saints' Upper Clatford on Sun. 23rd December at 4pm.
May God bless you with peace and love this Christmas.
Rev’d Katrina Dykes
This year is the 50th anniversary of the first Christingle service which took place in Lincoln Cathedral in 1968. Many of us will have happy memories of Christingles over the years, hearing the story of Jesus coming into the world to bring light into the darkness, whilst wondering when we would be allowed to eat the sweets!
This message of Christingle has proved a powerful way of raising awareness of the work of the Children’s Society (previously called The Church of England’s Children’s Society and still closely linked). It works with the most vulnerable children in our nation, fighting child poverty, protecting those at risk of being exploited, supporting those who are bullied, raising awareness of mental health issues and so much more. For some children, life is not carefree and happy, life can be dark, frightening and lonely.
The Christmas message is one of hope – of light coming in the darkness. Those who profess to be Christian are called to be lights in the darkness; to receive the light and take it out into the darkness, bringing hope to others through our actions as well as our words. Christingle is a small way of receiving the message in the lighting of our candles and sharing light as we support the work of The Children’s Society.
Please come and join us and give generously.
To celebrate this special anniversary, we are adding a little something extra to our usual Christingle experience. We’d love you to join us for some tea and cake and to make your own Christingle before the service.
This will happen on Sunday 9th December from 5pm in the Abbotts Ann WMH and will be followed by the Christingle service at 6pm at St Mary's Abbotts Ann: and on Sunday 16th December from 3pm in the Meadow Room at All Saints' Upper Clatford followed by the Carol service at All Saints' Upper Clatford at 4pm.
Many of us will be looking forward to the ‘Ahhh’ moments in the Christmas services, candles in the darkness, children singing Away in a Manger, Crib service antics and walking home from the midnight in the crisp air. But for some Christmas can be a difficult season to get through – illness, disability, depression, loneliness, family break-up, bereavement and painful anniversaries can all make it difficult to enter into the jollity. So as well as the traditional services, we are this year offering a Quiet Christmas service, with prayers for healing (for ourselves, for others, for our world). The service will still reflect the message of hope and light in the darkness, but in a gentler and more reflective way.
This will be at All Saints' Upper Clatford on Sun. 23rd December at 4pm.
May God bless you with peace and love this Christmas.
Rev’d Katrina Dykes
