Christmas was such a special time for me as a child and is still very special to me. One of the family traditions I remember was being allowed, when I was about nine years old, to go to Midnight Mass. This was a real treat as my mum was very firm about bedtimes! I enjoyed the carols and candles and the reading from St John’s Gospel and afterwards, when we returned home, my sister and brother and I were allowed to open one present each before we went to bed. Another Christmas memory was of opening my stocking at the foot of the bed early one Christmas morning and being very excited on discovering a cuddly toy squirrel. Ever since, I have been a fan of squirrels and I love watching the black squirrels in St Peter’s Churchyard.

At Christmas our very busy family all came together and found time just to be with each other. As we sing the carol “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” at Advent we remember that God came to be with us by sending Jesus and in this season we make take the time to be with others and to thank God for Jesus.

Do join us for Evensong at All Saints, Haslingfield on the first Sunday of Advent at 5.30pm and for our Carol Service on Sunday 21st December at 6.30pm here at St Peter’s Barton with children and adult choirs. On Christmas Day there will a Family Communion at 10am. (Please note that there will be no service at Barton on Sunday 28th December).

We shall celebrate the Feast of Epiphany on Sunday 4th January, the nearest Sunday to 6th January, which is the 12th day of Christmas. This feast commemorates the coming of the wise men to pay homage to Jesus with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In the bible account, in Matthew’s gospel, the Holy Family were in a house by this time because the wise men’s journey to find Jesus was a very long one. Physical journeys as well as spiritual ones can often take rather longer than planned!

The season of Epiphany finishes on 1st February with the Feast of Candlemas when Jesus parents took him to the Temple to give God thanks for their new baby. If you would like a Thanksgiving Service or a Christening for your child or would like to be baptised or confirmed yourself in 2026 or married at St Peter’s please do get in touch for a chat.

With blessings for a joyful and peaceful Christmas,

Claire