The Christingle Services
24 December 2011
The Christingle services at St Peter Caversham are always popular and drew many families this year. Over seven hundred of us celebrated the birth of Jesus in the distribution of Christingles and the church roof was raised by joyful carols lustily sung.
Rector Dan Tyndall introduced the service with a reading from Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth. Dan said that the understated writing of Luke in his gospel story masks the extraordinary events he was talking about: before Jesus was born God could only be approached by particular people wearing particular robes at a particular time in a particular place; in the stable in a back street of Bethlehem all the old rules and expectations were turned upside down ... now God appears in a baby, a vulnerable, human baby.
It next became the task of Graeme Fancourt, one of our curates, to explain the meaning of the Christingle (Christ’s light). With Marion Pyke, our other curate, as a visual aid! She entered and was dressed as an orange, which, Graeme told us, represented the world. Dan then wrapped a red ribbon round it to show God’s love for all of us. There was a Paul Daniels moment as Dan pushed into the orange four giant cocktail sticks with sweets on them, representing the four corners of the world with God’s gifts to us. The walking Christingle was crowned by a model candle and flame: Jesus the Light of the world.
The big moment arrived as everyone queued to receive their own Christingle. Then all their candles were lit, the lights turned off and our centuries old building was bathed in soft, warm candlelight.
The services raised over £1200 for the Children’s Society who send grateful thanks.
Happy Christmas, everyone! Did you know that it lasts until Candlemas which we are celebrating at an all-age service on Sunday 29 January at 9.45 am? Do come and join us.
