A fairly new tradition at St Mary’s is instead of having a rehearsed Nativity play, children turn up on the Sunday morning and take part in whichever role they can.
As you can imagine, this can be a little chaotic, but as Amanda always reminds us, the first Christmas hardly took place to a detailed plan!
This year the church was heaving, with standing room only. We approximately counted over 200 adults and over 100 children. Definitely a busy start to the Christmas period!
All the Christmas Services are on the Calendar page, but here they are in a more concise form!
Sunday 2nd December – ADVENT 1
8am Holy Communion (said)
10.30am Holy Communion
12.30pm Baptism Service
Toy Collection starts this Sunday – unwrapped, new items please.
Saturday 8th December
10am – 1pm ‘Stable ‘n’ Stars’ Christmas Activity morning
Sunday 9th December – ADVENT 2
10.30am All-Age Service with Nativity
12.00pm Holy Communion
End of Toy Collection
Monday 10th December
12.00pm ‘First Steps’ toddler service in church ‘Henry’s Christmas Present’
Sunday 16th December – ADVENT 3
10.30am Holy Communion
4.00pm Carol Service by candlelight – with special guests
Thursday 20th December
7.00pm Westerton Road Carol service in church
Friday 21st December
9.45am Hill Top Christmas Carol Service in church
Sunday 23rd December – ADVENT 4
10.30am Holy Communion
Monday 24th December – CHRISTMAS EVE
3.00pm Christingle (aimed at younger children)
5.00pm Christingle (aimed at older children)
11.30pm First Communion of Christmas
Tuesday 25th December – CHRISTMAS DAY
10.30am Holy Communion (all-age)
As usual on Easter Sunday morning, an empty cross is transformed through the services to one full of flowers to represent new life after Christ’s Resurrection. Today the cross was started with the All Age Worship and then following by the congregation of the Communion service.
This superb banner was made by children at the Children’s Activity Morning last Saturday. Each child made a butterfly to represent the new life of Easter, and they were all stuck to this banner which was hung high above the chancel of the church for Easter Sunday!
This service is one of the most amazing of the church year. The congregation gathers outside the church door, in the gathering gloom of dusk, and the first ancient tradition of the service is to light the new 2012 Paschal (Easter) candle from the flames of a fire.
The candle then leads the congregation into the church, lit by hundreds of candles. This is a stunning visual representation of the light of Easter after the darkness of Good Friday, and the history of St Mary’s from it’s monastic days come flooding in with the candles, incense and choral music makes even more of the moment.
We stop for our first ‘station’ at the back of church, representing the birth of Christ, and everybody lights a candle. We then move further into the church for the second station, an empty cross with nails. hammer and crown of thorns in front of it. Again, more candles are lit.
Then finally to the altar, with the burning incense, and Easter garden in the altar itself depicting the empty tomb. After lighting another candle here, the congregation light their own candle from the Paschal candle and continue with the service.
After the readings, Gospel and a couple of hymns, the congregation move to the font at the church door to renew their Baptism vows. Each person makes the sign of the cross, the sign of Christ, with the Holy water on another person.
During the last hymn, the light outside the East window is lit, which gradually concludes the service of light. An indescribable feeling of new life, surrounds the church and the congregation.
He is Risen!! Alleluia!!
As a reminder, these are the services for Holy Week and Easter:
Monday 2nd – Tuesday 3rd April
7.00pm Compline. A short reflective Service.
Wednesday 4th April
10.00am Holy Communion followed by refreshments
Maundy Thursday 5th April
10.30am Chrism Eucharist (Dewsbury Minster)
7.00pm Passover Meal (Parish Centre). This is a shared meal to reenact the Last Supper. Please let the Vicar know if you are wanting to attend so enough places can be laid out. Also, as this is a shared meal, please bring along an item of food.
Church will be open for quiet prayer from 9-10.00pm
Good Friday 6th April
12.00-3.00pm At the foot of the Cross. A series of reflections – come when you can, go when you must. Followed by refreshments at the Vicarage.
Saturday 7th April
8.30pm Easter Eve reflective service (meet in the Parish Centre)
Easter Sunday 8th April
10.30am All-Age Easter Celebration
12.00pm Holy Communion for Easter