MASS OF CHRISTMAS DAY

We're in St Thomas the Apostle Parish Church (Glen Parva with South Wigston) this morning for Mass of Christmas Day. We've brought Harry here for the Full Choir Eucharist, starting at 1000, and stay for the service.

I have to admit that this is the first time I've set foot in a church on Christmas Day. We were here yesterday afternoon for Christingle, when there was standing room only and a lot of children. It's not quite like that today but there's still a decent turnout and a good few kids among us.

It was so busy yesterday that I couldn't get a decent view of the Nativity scene at the back of the church, laid out before the Font. It's a lovely piece of work, carved from laburnum wood (there's a more traditional nativity scene in front of the Altar). I particularly like the star!

The service isn't especially Christmassey today; it's very much in the format of the Sung Eucharist that is held every Sunday morning (after all, Christmas Day does fall on a Sunday this year). At the point in the service where we rise from our seats and share the sign of peace with each other, we say "Peace be with you" rather than "Merry Christmas" or something similar, which I'd expected we would do. I wonder for how many people here this will be the only contact they have with others all day. The big difference from a regular Sunday morning service is that today the hymns are all Christmas Carols, so we know the words and the tune and can really belt them out - and I do!

I wanted to be able to include something a wee bit different about the spirit and true meaning of Christmas, something that perhaps I haven't seen anywhere else during this Festive Season. Here's the second reading from the service this morning, from the letter of Paul to Titus (Titus 2: 11-14)

The grace of God has appeared, bringing slavation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present have to live lives that are self-controlled, upright and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

Grace gets a kick out of hearing here name included in the readings and hymns. She's well aware of the meaning and it never gets old for her.

CHRISTINGLE AT ST THOMAS THE APOSTLE PARISH CHURCH

To St Thomas the Apostle Parish Church (South Wigston with Glen Parva) this Christmas Eve for Christingle, held in aid of the Children's Society. Many of those attending bring a Christmas present for a deprived child, suitably wrapped, with appropriate gender and age clearly marked on it. these toys will be collected and distributed to children here or abroad by the Salvation Army.

Christingle (which means "Christ's Light") is a tradition dating back some 300 years ago to what is now the Czech Republic. The custom of giving out lighted candles in these services originates from the Moravian Church in Germany in 1747 but they weren’t introduced to the Anglican Church in England until 1968. Christingle can be celebrated any time from Advent in December till up to three weeks after Christmas in January. Christingle celebrations take place in schools, youth groups and churches, with more than half a million kids taking part each year all over the country.

During the singing of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" we are all invited to come to the front of the church and receive a Christingle. We filter down the central aisle, then return to our seats via the two side aisles.The Christingle consists of an orange with a candle protruding from the top of it, a red ribbon around the middle and sweets on cocktail sticks (jelly babies today). Each part of a Christingle stands for something:

• Orange – the world
• Candle – Jesus, light of the world
• Red ribbon – the blood of Jesus, shed for the people of the world
• Cocktail sticks and sweets – the seasons and all the good things in our world

When everyone has their Christingle, the lights are put out and we sing "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" with the church lit only by the candles in our oranges (as seen in the photo above). The Vicar gives the blessing then, on the count of three, we blow out our candles and the Christmas tree lights come on.

CHRISTINGLE AT ST THOMAS THE APOSTLE PARISH CHURCH

It's Christmas Eve. To St Thomas the Apostle Parish Church (South Wigston with Glen Parva) for the Christingle celebration this afternoon, held in aid of the Children's Society. My son Harry is singing in the choir. Everyone attending has been asked to bring a Christmas present to donate for a deprived child, suitably wrapped, with appropriate gender and age clearly marked on it. these toys will be collected and distributed to children here or abroad by the Salvation Army.

The church is full, with more than 350 people crowded in. Alastair, Rabia and I get the last three seats, right in the back in the corner. On the odd Sunday when I stay for the service in which Harry is singing, there are often more in the choir than there are in the pews. It's good to be here at one of those occasions when the Church comes more fully alive, above the squeaks, squeals and burbles of babies, children and toddlers - and amid the coughs and sneezes of adults too! You get a sense of the church being at the heart of the community today; and whether or not one buys into the theology seems not to matter right now. It's good to be here, good to be sharing this special time. When the Vicar (Rev. Peter Day) comes to the back of the church to bless the crib, he says that those children who cannot see what's going on can stand on the chairs (as long as a responsible older person is holding them steady).

Christingle (which means "Christ's Light") is a tradition dating back some 300 years ago to what is now the Czech Republic. The custom of giving out lighted candles in these services originates from the Moravian Church in Germany in 1747 but they weren’t introduced to the Anglican Church in England until 1968. Christingle can be celebrated any time from Advent in December till up to three weeks after Christmas in January. Christingle celebrations take place in schools, youth groups and churches, with more than half a million kids taking part each year all over the country.

The bells at St Thomas haven't been rung for some time as they don't have enough volunteer bell ringers. But we're treated to something I've never seen before inside the church: the ringing of hand bells by a team of performers, half a dozen strong. They play assorted carols then launch into some popular Christmas songs, including a singalong version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"!

The boys of the choir sing an anthem: "The Truth from Above" by Ralph Vaughan Williams. I love listening to Harry singing in the choir. I know I can't pick out his voice, but I find it thrilling to know he's in the mix.

During the singing of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" we are all invited to come to the front of the church and receive a Christingle. We filter down the central aisle, then return to our seats via the two side aisles.The Christingle consists of an orange with a candle protruding from the top of it, a red ribbon around the middle and sweets on cocktail sticks (jelly babies today). Each part of a Christingle stands for something:

• Orange – the world
• Candle – Jesus, light of the world
• Red ribbon – the blood of Jesus, shed for the people of the world
• Cocktail sticks and sweets – the seasons and all the good things in our world

When everyone has their Christingle, the lights are put out and we sing "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", the church lit only by the candles in our oranges. The Vicar gives the blessing then, on the count of three, we blow out our candles and the Christmas tree lights come on.

Harry's too young to sing in Midnight Mass tonight, but he'll be back here for the Christmas morning service, 0930 tomorrow. On the way back to his mum's house, he tells me that some of the boys in the choir barbecue the jelly babies on their cocktail sticks over the flame of the candle. The ingenuity of naughty schoolboys has no end (I should know - after all, I used to be one!)