Advent and Christmas at Seal Church

It's that time of year...

 

Christmas will soon be upon us, and we are gearing up to celebrate it here in Seal with a variety of activities and services, so I thought I would tell you about them.

 

Tomorrow (Thursday 1 Dec) we also have the first of our ADVENT BREATHING SPACE Holy Communion services. These take place on Thursday evenings at 8pm in the Lady Chapel in church on Thursdays 1/8/15 Dec. This very simple, small-scale, intimate Communion service is candlelit, with lots of silence and some quiet music. There will be a short talk. It is a great antidote to the busyness of Christmas.

 

This Friday (Dec 2), by contrast we have our VILLAGE CHRISTMAS EVENT, starting at around 3.30pm with Seal School Fete (at the school). We will then process up through the village to the Five Bells pub where we will sing carols (at around 5.30pm) and then go onto the church from 6-9pm, where there will be stalls, BBQ, and (we hope) a special, red-coated visitor in the bell-tower ready to greet any children who'd like a chat with himl...

This event was great fun last year - if you can get to any part of it, you will be very welcome.

 

MESSY CHURCH FOR ADVENT takes place this Sunday (4 Dec) from 4 -5.30pm in the church hall. Obviously there will be an Advent and Christmas theme to our crafts and activities - so be prepared for glitter...

On Sunday 11 Dec at 10 am we have our annual CHRISTINGLE SERVICE with Holy Communion. Each child will receive a Christingle and we will have a special collection in aid of the Children's Society.

 

Then on Sunday 18 Dec at 6.30pm we have our traditional CAROL SERVICE with music from the choir, readings, and plenty of carols to join in with.

A special addition to our normal programme this year is a CHRISTMAS CHORAL CONCERT at Thurs 22 Dec 7.30pm put on by the Cambridge Christmas Consort. This group of singers are very good indeed and I can commend this wholeheartedly. Tickets cost £10 and can be bought on the door. 

Then  on CHRISTMAS EVE there is a Crib Service at 4 pm, when we will build up our Christmas crib, sing carols and hear the Christmas story. This is always very popular - lots of young families - so come early to get a seat!
Our  Midnight Mass begins at 11.30 pm (the choir sing carols from 11 pm to get us in the mood), when we celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child, beginning in darkness with the lighting of the Christ Candle on our Advent Wreath.

 

On CHRISTMAS DAY at 10 am there is an All Age Communion, at which, as usual I will tell a story rather than preaching a sermon, so it has very much a family feel.

Having described it all I am feeling rather exhausted already... but I know it will be good, and I hope to see you there.