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Christingle is a beautiful Christmas service, held on the first Sunday in December, especially for children, which raises money for The Children's Society.
The Children's Society
St. Andrew's Family Services
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Christingle has its origins in an informal children's service held in Moravia, in the eastern Czech Republic, on Christmas Eve in 1747, where the bishop gave each child a lighted candle, tied with a red ribbon, symbolising the coming of Jesus.
Today, children are given a Christingle which comprises:
The Children's Society holds a special Christingle appeal each year to raise vital funds for the children facing life's harshest challenges. Children who may find themselves sleeping rough this winter, or fleeing conflict and war, caught in a cycle of crime or marginalised due to a disability. The funds raised from Christingle help us to shine light into the darkness of their lives.
If you have been touched by the Christingle service and would like to support the work of The Children's Society throughout the year, please consider taking a house box. It is a small collection box in which you can put the odd coins (or notes!) at any time. The box is then collected annually for emptying by your local representative. If you would be interested, then please contact Sharon Blackshaw.
Our Christingle service starts with:
The minister greets the people:
Welcome to St. Andrew's Church.
We have come together in the presence of God our Father to rejoice in the gift of Jesus to us as the light of the world.
In this service we shall hear the story of the coming of Christ, and we shall offer to God our thanksgiving in prayer and song.
Kneel, or sit, for the opening prayers.
Let us pray to the Lord
Loving Lord,
fill us with your life giving,
joy giving presence,
that we may praise you now with our lips
and all the day long with our lives,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Father of lights,
from whom comes every good and perfect gift:
keep us in the light of Christ,
to shine in your world,
that all may believe in you
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen
Sit.
Candles are lit on the Advent wreath appropriate to the Sunday in Advent, with an introduction and a prayer.
At the beginning of the reading, the reader will say:
God's word is a lantern to our feet
and a light to our path.
At the end, the reader says:
This is the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God.
Kneel, or sit.
We pray for the family of the church, for loving relationships and for the life of families around us, saying:
Jesus Lord of Love:
in your mercy, hear us.
The prayers end with a prayer for The Children's Society
During which the congregation are invited to come forward to offer their gifts and children are given an unlighted Christingle.
Parents and guardians are asked to supervise their children closely as they take part in this candlelit ceremony.
Once all the Christingles are lit, everyone joins to sing a:
After the hymn, Christingles are extinguished and all return to their seats.
May God himself, the God of peace, make you perfect and holy;
and keep you safe and blameless, in spirit, soul and body,
for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always.
Amen.
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