Here are a selection of images from the various services at St John’s over Christmas.

Christingle Service

On Christmas Eve we invited children and grown-ups for a celebration of the Christmas story. There was great excitement in the Threshold as small people (and some big ones) dressed up as angels, shepherds, and kings. Mary and Joseph came and we had a most energetic donkey!

As well as the presentation of the Christmas story we also celebrated with Christingles. Some of the older children helped explain the meaning of the Christingle and passed out the different parts to members of the congregation. As we built our Christingles we sang verses of a Christingle song. Then it was time to light our candles (or break our glowsticks). The church was darkened and we passed the flame to each other around the church, showing the light of God coming into a dark world.

Midnight Eucharist, Christmas Eve

The church was lit by candles for the midnight Eucharist with favourite carols and anthems by the choir, including Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium.

Santa’s Visit

Santa visited the Buggy Club!

Epiphany

To finish off Christmas, we celebrated the feast of the Epiphany, remembering the wise men who came so far to see Jesus.