St Philip and St James Church will be holding their Christingle service on Saturday 6th December at 4pm. This service is suitable for all ages, and it is an ideal event for families to attend together. It offers an opportunity to bring light, hope and community togetherness as we approach the festive season. An orange, a red ribbon, sweets and a candle are used to help tell the Christian story.

The custom of making Christingles originated in the Moravian Church in Germany and was adopted in Britain in the latter part of the twentieth century. Christingle means “Christ’s Light”. A candle in an orange is used to represent the world that God made and Jesus, the Light of the World. It is decorated with a red ribbon, representing the blood of Jesus who died for the salvation of the whole world, and sweets or dried fruit on four cocktail sticks which represent the four seasons of the year and the goodness of the fruit of the earth.

Everyone is invited to make their own Christingle in the Church Centre, before moving into the Church where the candles will be lit creating a warm and uplifting glow, offering a sense of peace as we remember that Jesus brings hope to those living in darkness and difficult times.

For many the Christingle service is a unique and cherished experience with a family and community focus.

Here are some memories and reflections from past Christingle services that have been shared:

“Christingle is a reminder that Christ is the Light of the World, and He will provide us with all our needs.”

“The darkened church symbolises the sadness and sin in the world. Then the lighting of the Christingles gradually fills the church with a magical glow symbolising the spreading of God’s light and love.”

“I remember bringing my sons, who are now in their fifties, to the Christingle Service when they were children – so a long time ago. It provided an opportunity for them to ask questions about the meaning of Christmas. The service evokes feelings of nostalgia and spiritual connections and brings back lovely memories.”

"Attending the Christingle service as a primary school child was a deeply meaningful experience. It provided a special opportunity to reflect on the birth of Jesus and to remember that He is the Light of the World. The service fostered a strong sense of community, as we came together in shared faith and unity to celebrate the light and hope that Christ brings.”

“I have a special memory of when our children were young, and we were invited as a family to deliver the bible readings which were written on cards. My daughter was only three at the time and couldn’t read, but she held her card and made sure that she could remember the words ‘Jesus said I am the Light of the World’! My parents attended the Christingle Service but were not aware that we were going to do this. They were surprised and very touched when we stood up.”

“My daughter and I made the Christingles last year. The sweets were quite hard, and we kept breaking the cocktail sticks! Our hands ended up very sticky with an orange aroma, but it is a fun and social activity which brings a sense of togetherness and engages people of all ages in the festive spirit. This year we will use softer sweets!”