News from the Diocese - 2
Churches doing Christmas differently
Alongside the
traditional Advent carol services and Christingles, churches in the diocese
introduced some inventive ways of sharing the good news of Christmas with
their parishioners and visitors in 2007.
It was the famous song The Twelve Days
of Christmas that inspired St Botolph’s at Longthorpe, Peterborough, to
create displays to illustrate the words and highlight their little known
Christian meaning.
“Until we visited a similar event at the Chatsworth House last year, none of
us knew about the song’s Christian symbolism,” said organiser June Vadja.
“We wanted to share it!”
The song is a form of catechism in code, thought to date from a time when
the Catholic church was forbidden to teach. For example, a partridge in a
pear tree represents Christ on the cross, two turtle doves the old and new
testaments, three French hens symbolise faith, hope and love, and so on.
Church and community groups made the colourful displays and the church
welcomed visitors over two days, free of charge, to see the exhibition.
Town centre church, St Giles in Northampton, chose three of the busiest
shopping days before Christmas to open its doors to weary shoppers from noon
until 9pm.
As well as offering
sofas, fresh coffee, cakes and newspapers, a series of interactive
“stations” around the church interpreted the Christmas story with modern
eyes. Using DVD clips, photographs, sound, light, prayers and practical
activities like sandpapering rough wood or making footprints in sand,
visitors were invited to reflect on their lives, and the world, in the light
of Jesus’ birth.
“The idea behind Journey to the Heart of Christmas was to offer a
non-threatening spiritual space where people could see the Christmas story
with a modern day twist,” said Naomi Hill, Curate at St Giles (left).
A similar event two years ago was so popular that this time it was re-worked
and simplified to allow more people to dip in and use the stations.
Photo (top right): June Vadja with helpers at St Botolph’s
Photo: (bottom left:) Northampton Chronicle & Echo