The Order of Service        A Quiet Christmas B 2020 PDF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thsnx_ocG-M

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we are continuing with two services (instead of three) in our group of parishes each Sunday; an 8.30 Holy Communion Service in St Thomas’ Church Mount Merrion and a 10.30 service in St Philip and St James’ Church Booterstown.    As we are asked to keep people indoors for the shortest time possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, this service has been shortened somewhat.    The 10.30 service will be live-streamed each Sunday on our YouTube page, and will also be available later that day as a video on our YouTube Page.

This Sunday, we are having our annual service called A Quiet Christmas.  This is a service specially designed for those who may want a more meditative approach to Christmas, or who, for differing reasons—possibly bereavement or illness or whatever—may find the ‘razz-ma-tazz’ of Christmas a bit over-powering.  As you might imagine, ‘quiet’ and ‘children’ do not normally go together(!), so we are asking parents to bear this in mind—the Christingle Service later the same day by Zoom, and the 10.30 Family Communion Service on Christmas Day are all very ‘child-friendly’ services and we would love to see the children at those services.

If you intend to go to the 8.30 service in St Thomas’ Church, please notify the Rector by 12.00 midday, the previous day (Saturday).   All are welcome.

The Order of Service (Service Sheet)         Christingle 2020 PDF

Our annual Christingle Service is a bit of an ‘all-singing, all-dancing’ affair!!!   We usually have it in St Philip and St James’ Church on the Sunday before Christmas.  However, this year with the COVID-19 restrictions and to try and keep everyone safe, we are going to do it by Zoom and it will also be live-streamed!  Please note that the children and families who are on Zoom will not be shown on the live-stream in the interests of Child Protection and Data Protection. 

Zoom details:      https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89678642244?pwd=M3NGMHBITXlEU0lTSUkrSk00NXRjQT09

YouTube link:      https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkwQ9cDGC_RMoQNYtJBOM6A

The word ‘Christingle’ means Christ-light, and the tradition originated in the Moravian Church in 1747.   There are a number of symbols associated with the Christingle which will be explained during the service but the predominant theme is:

 Christ, the light of the world.

The Christingle consists of:

• an orange representing the world with
• a red ribbon around it representing the blood of Jesus (i.e. his death on the cross for our sins),
• sweets skewered on 4 cocktail sticks which are pushed into the orange representing the fruits of the earth and the four seasons
• a lighted candle is pushed into the centre of the orange representing Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Jesus describes himself in the Bible, in John chapter 8 v. 12, in this way: ‘I am the Light of the World, if you follow me you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life’ (New Living Translation)
• and, in some services, as we do here, tin foil around the base of the candle to reflect Christ’s light and goodness