Christingle 2009

Christmas Begins Here!

For many families the Christingle service in St Luke's Church on Christmas Eve is the beginning of their Christmas celebrations.

The children singing Away in a Manger by Christingle candlelight is always a very moving highlight in our worship.

This year we are having children's Christingle services at 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm. At 7:00 pm there will be a Holy Communion with Christingle service which will be more suitable for adults and families with older (secondary school) children.

If you would like a Christingle it must be pre-booked!

There will be a late night Holy Communion service at 11:00 pm this year.

The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out. [John 1:5]

What is a Christingle?

Christingle means 'Christ-light'. A Christingle consists of an orange with a candle sticking out of it. The orange is surrounded by a red ribbon and carries four sticks bearing fruit and sweets. The Christingle symbolizes God's creation - the world with its seasons and fruits, encompassed by the sacrifice of Christ and over which his light shines. Christingle is a custom that began 250 years ago in the Moravian Church. Nowadays it is associated with fund raising for the Children's Society, helping to care for children and families facing the many problems and pressures presented by life today.

Take Up the Challenge!

The experience of Christmas that our children have is very different from that of the children that the Children's Society is trying to help. Let's take up this challenge with them and put the Christmas message into action. Last year nearly 400 Christingles were given out and the collection was around £1000. This giving was very much appreciated by the Children's Society - let's see if we can do even better this year!

How to Order your Christingle

If you plan to come to the service, please complete an order form (available in church or online here (Word docment) or here (pdf file)), making sure that you indicate the time of the service you wish to attend. We will present one Christingle to each child (or adult) who offers a gift of money for the work of the Children's Society. This year we will provide a 'collecting candle' for money. It is important that you request a collecting candle for each of your children so that we can make sure that enough Christingles are prepared. Please return your order form to your Church Activity Group Leader or to St Luke's Parish Office by Friday 4 December.

Please also remember to collect your order from St Luke's office by Friday 11 December.

WHY NOT INVITE SOMEONE WHO HASN'T BEEN TO A CHRISTINGLE SERVICE BEFORE?

this page was last modified on 22 November 2009