Advent & Christmas 2021
Category: Christmas
Christmas Services
Sunday 1st December 2019 @ 10.00am
JOINT ADVENT CHRISTINGLE SERVICE
A family service to start the advent season
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Sunday 22nd December 2019 @ 9.30am
LESSONS AND CAROLS
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Wednesday 25th December 2019 @ 9.30am
CHRISTMAS DAY HOLY COMMUNION
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Sunday 29th December 2019 @ 10.00am
SCRATCH NATIVITY PLAY
& HOLY COMMUNION
Christmas Round up 2018
Carol Singing
Led by Coun. Jenny Lyn there was a good crowd from St. Paul’s and St. Hilda’s and others from the local community who gathered in front of the tree by the King Cross shops to spread the good news of Christmas. We all sang heartily despite heavy rain and cheered when the tree lights were switched on.
Father Christmas called with sweets for the children before we all hurried to The Cake Box where free cake was on offer, very creamy, light and delicious, but as our fingers were then sticky and our carol sheets soggy we trooped off home to get warm and dry.
Later at Asda, with Rosemary once again at the keyboard, a group of about 35 enjoyed singing, while the young men from Christ Church handed to shoppers tealight candles with information on church services.
It is Churches Together policy not to collect money but a few coins had been popped into the candle basket, which is just what was needed to buy a couple of burgers for a homeless man sheltering from the cold nearby. Our carol singing then seemed all the more worthwhile.
St. Hilda’s Own Nativity
We held our Nativity on the 30th December. We always wait for Martin and Madeleine’s grandchildren to join us as they make such beautiful angels. And to have three generations of one family in it is really special.
As usual, there were no rehearsals. Brian Wood writes a lovely little play for us and as he knows us so well, we don’t have words to learn, the narrators do all the talking.
This year several of our original cast members were away so a new Mary and Joseph had to be drafted in, well done Mina and Daniel. And in respect to equality (and because Aidan had broken his ankle – a cheap trick to get out of doing it!!) we had to have a Wise Woman as well as two Wise Men.
Lois, our Wardrobe Mistress, did an excellent job of making us look presentable. The Angels brought their own costumes as did the little donkey and llama. They outshone the rest of us, as angels would do, with little Darcey singing along to all the carols.
Most of the time we were in the right place at the right time and it was lovely to fit so many Carols into the service.
Thank you to all who ‘acted’ or helped in any way. We’re not expecting to be on any red carpet presentations in the foreseeable future but we certainly tried.
Thank you to everyone for a joyous Christmas Morning Service. Brian played the organ with gusto and we all had a good sing.
The three ladies in the choir entertained us and Caroline gave us a thought provoking sermon.
The service finished with a special blessing for Alison and Lee who were recently married. Also the Nativity service was well done.
I found it very emotional.
Once again, thank you to all.
Christmas in Austria
There was snow as the church bells rang on Christmas Eve! Carols were sung in the Evangelisch church (similar to Anglican) and naturally Silent Night was one that we all recognised even in German.
Our family in Sydney had rented a house in an Alpine village to experience Christmas with real snow instead of Australia’s usual hot summer weather. Grandparents had been invited to join them so nine of us arriving from Salzburg found 2 inches of crisp snow lying across the fields in freezing temperatures. We were glad of the warm house and lighted Christmas tree awaiting us. Next morning We set off to find a typical Christmas market where we admired wooden craft work and especially enjoyed the hot punch served at one of the booths.
In a nearby village the following day a hunt for Christmas fare was successful with time to stroll along a lakeside before attending the carol service as more snow drifted down.
On Christmas Day we had a walk through deeper snow then sat down to a feast of turkey and chicken, plus sprouts of course, followed by Christmas pudding and the unwrapping of presents. It was all very cosy beside the typical huge tiled heater fed with logs.
Off to the mountains in bright sunshine on the 26th taking the scary cable car past steep cliffs and way above the pine forest. There were skiers in multi-coloured gear, and a few of our party tackled a walk in ‘snow shoes’ while the rest stuck to the restaurant with views over a glacier.
Salzburg beckoned so we all arranged to meet in the Old Town, where it was a struggle to move along the narrow streets through crowds of Chinese tourists. Next to Mozart’s house is a café where we had hot chocolate with whipped cream – delicious.
It was soon time to say goodbye to our relatives and to the delightful house where we had all had such a wonderful experience of Christmas.
Aileen
Nativity 2018
The Nativity took place on December 30th. Some photos below, report to follow later.
Don’t let a burglar ruin your Christmas
Because of a recent spate of burglaries in the area, the Crime Prevention Officers for Calderdale are encouraging residents to think about their home security. To this end they are offering a home security advice service and will visit you at home to survey it and offer advice on how you can improve your own security. This is FREE and can be arranged by ringing :-
Jill on 07799583266 or Tracy on 07736087199
Christmas Services 2018
Dec 23rd @ 9.30 – A traditional service of Lessons & Carols
Dec 25th @ 9.30 – Christmas Day service
Dec 30th @ 9.30 – Nativity
What a musical Christmas!
What a run up to Christmas the choir (and several non singers!!) had.
Having been asked to sing at the Town Hall for the Mayor’s Carol Concert, the choir performed beautifully. They didn’t need help from their “Backing Group” on this occasion and they really were impressive. The concert was led by “Breakaway Brass”, eight ladies who played brass instruments with their leader who was a really talented MC and kept the evening going. The Warley Road School Glee Club did two spots. One on the balcony which was a shame as they were quite small and not easily seen, but nevertheless, heard. In the second session they sang from the hall floor and we could see and hear them much better. The Town Hall is a beautiful building and the choir, bedecked in Christmas Hats, did their surroundings justice.
Following that performance, the Fire Brigade had asked them to come along and sing Carols at their Christmas Fayre. We really have to thank Councillor Jenny Lyn for recommending our choir to so many people. Not too sure how many of the choir would be free on that afternoon the non-singing backing group turned out to swell the numbers. Oohh it was cold in the garage used to store the engines but between performances they gave us the free run of their rest room. And once again, everyone seemed happy with the songs.
Carols at Asda: Churches Together once again sang favourite carols to share the Christian message with shoppers. Thirty people from several churches sang with gusto as Rosemary from Christ Church played the keyboard to keep us all together. Sometimes people pass quickly by but mostly they seem pleased to hear a familiar part of Christmas celebrations and occasionally even sing along. Our Iranian friends from Christ Church as in previous years distributed tealight candles from a basket proclaiming ‘Jesus, Light of the World’.
We were then asked to attend the Christmas Assembly at Parkinson Lane. Although the songs had been prepared beforehand we became part of a” Nativity with a Difference”. Gugsy did have a script but the staff were unaware that they would be called on to act. They had no choice. Once called they had to perform. Mrs. Taylor made a lovely Virgin Mary though her pregnancy seemed to swell and shrivel several times before giving birth to a beautiful teddy bear. Angel Gabriel, I think that’s who he was meant to be, threw himself into the part even though he had little or no idea what was expected of him. And the three Kings arrived bearing gifts. The Vase as a gift, being a new take on an old, old story. Songs were introduced just when Gugsy felt the need. There was no prior warning and Brian on the keyboard was disappearing under sheet music cast aside when he was trying to find what was needed quickly.
It was a wonderful morning, full of children listening to a familiar story with added extras and we feel so lucky to be asked to be a part of it all. We were revived by Mrs. Owen, with tea, coffee and biscuits in the staff room.
Can’t wait to be asked again hopefully.
NATIVITY—St. Hilda’s Way
Our Nativity, narrated by Brian Wood, was as always slightly different from the usual children’s nativity. It began with the three kings looking for the baby Jesus and being sent on their way by Herod (John).
The story then began to unfold with Mary (Prue) sweeping the floor when the angel (and her four helpers) arrived to announce that she was favoured of God and was to have a son.
Joseph (David) was then given the message that Mary was to have a son and he was to marry her and have the baby, Jesus. They left the stage on their journey to Bethlehem and to find accommodation.
Meanwhile the angels had appeared to the frightened shepherds and told them to go to Bethlehem to see the baby.
Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem and the Landlord of the Inn offered them the stable and a manger as a crib for the baby.
The shepherds arrived first to view the baby Jesus and then the Kings to offer gifts, with the angels keeping an eye on the proceedings. Amy’s two girls dressed in their Christmas Angel outfits and Martin and Madeleine’s two grandchildren, beautifully arrayed in white net, were excellent as the attendant angels.
Thank you to Brian and to everyone who took part – it brought alive the message of the Christ Child.
From the “Angel Instead” of Hilary who was missed as the “Original Angel”.
Fundraising Reindeer
This year, Brian Wood brought a couple of the reindeer he made and sold with much success last year. And guess what, the demand was as strong again this year plus he also added a modern twist on the Holy Family, again in wood, this time.
Brian was inundated with orders and raised £125.00 for church funds with the sale of these. Of course now he has to come up with something a little different for next year!!!
Many thanks Brian for all your efforts and thank you to all who bought them.
Christmas Lunch
Several of us were asked to join the Staff and Governors for a Christmas lunch at the school on the next to last day of term. This was served at 4.30pm, and as always there was some discrepancy with the start time but we’re getting used to that now. It was a full Christmas meal with everything you could possibly want. The staff in the kitchens at Parkinson Lane do a wonderful job producing excellent food every time we’ve joined them and this was no exception. Everyone mixed in and we had a lot of very interesting chat. I was sitting with the Angel Gabriel who kept me entertained with many stories both from school and from home. And everywhere there was much laughter.
Thinking back to our own days at school, admittedly a long, long time ago, teachers were NEVER this human. I’m not even sure if they ever laughed at all. But the present-day staff at Parkinson Lane certainly make up for it.
Once again, thank you for letting us be a part of all that you do and please keep on asking us.
St Hilda's Church, Halifax 