Parish Jottings

Christmas 2013

Advent was a period of milder than usual weather, during which all the usual church services took place. Our annual carol service took place on Sunday the 22^nd of December. On Christmas Eve the popular Christingle service was held, and, as always, was well-attended by both children and adults. That night the Reverend Duncan Carter officiated at the midnight Communion service to celebrate the first communion of Christmas day.

Our flower ladies spent many hours decking out the church with many flower displays for the Christmas festival and we congratulate them for their dedicated efforts and pleasing results. The main pedestal displays were composed of white lilies, white chrysanthemums and white alstroemerias, together with candles and ornamentation, and varied greenery collected from local hedgerows and gardens.

Carols and mince pies

On the evening of Saturday the 14^th of December some twenty-five people gathered together in the Parish Room to sing Christmas carols and hear some selected Christmas readings. A variety of refreshments were served. As soon as the first carol was announced, the company was quite captivated on realising that, as we had no pianist, we were to be accompanied by our vicar, Duncan, playing his euphonium. A hidden talent had apparently come to light and the arrangement turned out to be very satisfactory; not a wrong note was heard to come from the large brass instrument. During the evening various narratives were rendered, and later some of the participants told us of their earliest Christmas memories.

Church Christmas tree

We thank Toad Hall for donating the Christmas tree which was erected in the nave of the church and colourfully decorated. The tree looked quite spectacular with its glowing fairy lights.