Last Sunday St. John's celebrated Advent Sunday with a Christingle Service in the evening. During the service a collection was taken for "The Children's Society".In case you don't know what Christingle is, in the words of the Children's Society website:- "Christingle is an inspiring, candlelit celebration which brings together people of all ages from the community.
During the celebration everyone receives a Christingle which is made of an orange, a lighted candle, a red ribbon and sweets on cocktail sticks, each part acting as a symbol of the Christian faith." To find out more about The Children Society in general and Christingle in particular visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk.
During the celebration everyone receives a Christingle which is made of an orange, a lighted candle, a red ribbon and sweets on cocktail sticks, each part acting as a symbol of the Christian faith." To find out more about The Children Society in general and Christingle in particular visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk.
During the service Philip used a giant Christingle, created by John Cornell, to explain the purpose of the Christingle itself and, to reinforece the ideas, we all sang the Christingle Song - see below [to the tune of Give me oil in my lamp (Sing Hosanna)]. The Christingle begins with an orange,
like the world which the Lord God made.
For creation is full of his glory;
all around we see his love displayed.
Sing Christingle! Sing Christingle!
Sing Christingle, it’s the light of Christ.
Sing Christingle! Sing Christingle!
Sing Christingle, light of Christ.
Every year we give thanks for the seasons,
and the fruits of the earth to share.
The Christingle is here to remind us
that the love of God is everywhere.
and the fruits of the earth to share.
The Christingle is here to remind us
that the love of God is everywhere.
Sing Christingle! Sing Christingle!…
God of love, we give thanks now for Jesus;
we remember his birth again.
But the red ribbon round the Christingle
tells the story of his cross and pain.
we remember his birth again.
But the red ribbon round the Christingle
tells the story of his cross and pain.
Sing Christingle! Sing Christingle!…
To complete the Christingle:
a candle, telling us of the world’s true light.
For the darkness shall not overcome it,
Jesus shines on in the darkest night.
a candle, telling us of the world’s true light.
For the darkness shall not overcome it,
Jesus shines on in the darkest night.
Sing Christingle! Sing Christingle!…
Later in the service the Christingles were distributed to everybody who made a ring around the church. 
Philip then lit his Christingle from the Advent Candle and the flame was passed from Christingle to Christingle until all the candles were lit. The lights then went out and everybody sang Away in a Manger by the light of all the candles - this is always a moving time.
The Children's Society says - "Not only are Christingle celebrations enjoyable and enlightening events but they are a great way to raise valuable funds for The Children’s Society to help support children facing life’s harshest challenges." Ours certainly fullfilled all these objectives.
[At the time of typing the money for the Children's Society is still coming in.]
Thank you to the Cornells' and the children of Sunday GAP for making all the Christingles which entailed a lot of hard work.
