Our Christmas services begin on Sunday 15 December, with the 5:30pm service of Nine Lessons and Carols. This is the same kind of service as “King’s at Christmas” you may have seen on TV: our parish choir leads the singing with traditional Christmas choral music, and we all join in the congregational carols. Interspersing the music, the Christmas story is told through the traditional nine readings, and the service lasts about an hour.
Tuesday 24 December is Christmas eve, and we are again holding our very popular crib service twice this year. The “Arrival at Bethlehem” takes place at 2:30pm and 4pm, and is a firm favourite with the hundreds of children and families who attend. The Christmas story is told and familiar carols are sung. We’re hoping to include a simple activity for the children to take part in in their pews this year!
Later on Christmas Eve, our Midnight Mass begins at 11:45pm. The church is always very full for this very popular service at which we welcome Jesus, born in the crib at midnight. The choir will be singing festive music from 11:15pm.
Then on Christmas Day itself, there is a short said service of Holy Communion at 8:30am, and at 10:00am there is an All-Age service of Holy Communion. This service is like our usual Sunday Sung Eucharist, with choral music, carols, and a sermon, but there will also be and all-age talk and craft activities for children.
The Christmas season continues on Sunday 29 December, in a rather more low key way. There are simple Holy Communion services at 8am and (with carols) at 9:30am, but no 11am service this morning.