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Rector's Musing

December, 2011

Christmas is coming...

Christmas is coming... and I am really looking forward to it.

Christmas begins for me on Sunday 4 December with our family Carol Service. Charles Kingsley's School choir are singing for us and Searchers (our Sunday school) are doing "The nativity from scratch" retelling the Christmas story without a rehearsal!

The following week at 6.30pm is our Carol Concert which is always a sell out. The church is decorated with a Christmas tree and loads of candles and the choir lead us in our favourite carols interspersed with a selection of readings. A good time is had by all.

But for me the main event is Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It's a bit of a marathon for me because I have six services to go to but we have to have loads of services to fit everyone in. First of all there are the Christingles at 3.00 and 4.30pm with loads of excited children and their parents and grandparents. And there is that amazing moment when the lights are dimmed and as we gaze at maybe 100 candles shining in children's faces we remember that we reflect the light of Christ into our world today. Then after some food it is back to church for 11.30 for Midnight Communion and another packed church singing all the familiar carols about the first Christmas night and a baby born in a stable and the shepherds in the fields and a glorious choir of angels.

But that's still not the end because on Christmas morning there is the early service at 8.00 for just half an hour for all of those who have a Christmas lunch to cook. And finally at 11.00 all of their guests come to church for our regular communion service and the children bring their favourite present up to the size of a bike.

I love Christmas. It is the community of Eversley at its best. Do come and join us if you can. You will be given a warm welcome and I promise you will not be disappointed.


Yours sincerely


Mike Saunders