It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Carol services and Nativity plays have commenced in Redhill!

Carols in the Belfry 2017

Hundreds of people gathered in the centre of town tonight for the annual Churches Together Carols in the Belfry.

The event brings together churches from across the town - and wider - to mark the season with a joint service of Carol singing, Bible teaching and prayer. 

In addition to carols and readings from the Bible, we had two choirs sing to us, we had a message of welcome from the manager of the (sparkling) Belfry Shopping Centre, and a stirring message from Luke's gospel telling us about One Unique Moment, One Unique Voice and One Unique Hope (thanks to Mike Williams of Reigate Baptist Church!)

It was a great event, and a joy to celebrate with members of other churches across town.



Scratch Nativity

Earlier in the day (at our Sun@9.15, Sun@11 and Sun@4 services), we retold the Nativity story, and thought about 'What are we expecting?' when it comes to Christmas. Members of the congregation had responded well to the invitation to come dressed as Kings, Angels or Shepherds (we also had sheep, camels and stars), and we gradually added to the tableau as the story was told. 
Aneal spoke about the One promised by God through Isaiah:

    He shall be called 
The King on the left has to check his own post
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.

The words of a new song that we had heard earlier in the service summed up the sense of wonder that this Mighty God and everlasting King should be born as a fragile human being:

And who would have dreamed or ever foreseen
that we could hold God in our hands,
giver of life is born in the night,
revealing God's glorious plan
to save the world
(You can listen to it here)

And in other Nativity news...

We had celebrated with the Under 5s earlier in the week at their Christmas Nativity service on Tuesday, but it was the Friends of Jesus who kicked it all off on the previous Saturday with their Christmas Party and telling of the Nativity!


 

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