CHURCH COLUMN: The true spirit of Christmas at Warsash

The Rev Nicky-Sue Terry, the joint vicar of St Mary's Church, Warsash, looks forward to the many special services happening next month.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Nov 2017, 11:53 BST
Updated 12th Dec 2017, 01:00 BST
Seven-year-old Beatrice Hughes dressed as a Christingle at St Mary's Church, Hook-with-WarsashSeven-year-old Beatrice Hughes dressed as a Christingle at St Mary's Church, Hook-with-Warsash
Seven-year-old Beatrice Hughes dressed as a Christingle at St Mary's Church, Hook-with-Warsash

Do you realise it’s less than six weeks to Christmas? Like you, we’re busy making plans for what we hope will be a fabulous festive period.

We’re particularly excited that we’re giving our Christmas fair a makeover.

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We’re transforming it into a Bethlehem Christmas market so our stall holders will be dressed in nativity costumes and we’ll give the church a Middle-Eastern flavour for the day.

That’s happening from 11am-4pm on Saturday, December 9 in St Mary’s Church.

Why not dress your children as nativity characters to join in the fun? We’ll have a café, cakes, crafts, Christmas decorations and gifts, children’s activities, music and carols sung by the choir to enjoy.

Children can keep hold of their costumes and come along to our crib services on Christmas Eve dressed as characters from the nativity. We have services at 3pm and 5pm to cope with the demand as so many families want to join us as we tell the story using figures from our crib.

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If you’re interested in singing some carols by candlelight, why not make a date for our traditional nine lessons and carols service at 6.30pm on December 17? It’s an atmospheric service with readings from the Bible telling the story of the first Christmas, interspersed with carols you know and love.

We begin our Christmas season with a Christingle family service on December 3 from 10am. That’s when we use an orange, a candle and sweets to create a Christingle, which reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world.

And our messy church, from 3.30pm on December 14, will also have a Christmas theme. Join us in the church hall for festive and messy crafts and fun, a short celebration and a shared meal.

Our Sunday school leads the service and performs a nativity play at our family nativity service from 10am on December 17.

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And everyone is welcome on Christmas Day morning at 10am for a service of celebration where children can show their favourite gift and we can give thanks for the greatest gift of all, Jesus.

We’re looking forward to welcoming lots of visitors and together we’ll enjoy the real spirit of Christmas.

•St Mary’s Church, Hook-with-Warsash, Church Road, Warsash, SO31 9GF. Main Sunday services: 10am and 6.30pm. Contact: 01489 570846 or go to stmarywarsash.org.uk.

Related topics:St Mary's ChurchWarsashJesus