All are welcome to join us as we celebrate again the gift of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, to us this Christmas.
Here are a few highlights as we move towards, and keep, our celebration of Christmas:
Every Tuesday in Advent
Advent Course: Women of the Nativity
Beginning on Tuesday 18th November at 7.15 for 7.30pm, finishing with Compline at 9.00pm,. Continuing every Tuesday through Advent and into January.
Join us as we think about the Women of the Nativity following Paula
Gooder’s book.
The Christmas story is told from the perspective of nine women, including Mary, Elizabeth, Rachel, and others whom scripture records or tradition has imagined, such as the innkeeper’s wife. As we hear the familiar stories afresh through their words, the wonder of the incarnation and its consequences for good and for ill, comes to life in a new way. You can order your own copy of the book here.
Sunday 30th November, 6.30 pm
The Advent Carol Service
Join us for a traditional service of readings, carols, and beautiful music from our choir as we begin our Advent journey together.
Sunday 7th December, 6.30 pm
The Lights of Love Service
A service for all ages as we gather to remember those who have died and who we will miss this Christmas. There will be a chance to add the names of loved ones to the Christmas tree in church, and we will also turn on the Lights of Love which will shine in the churchyard throughout the Christmas season, until Candlemas.
If you would like to sponsor a light in memory of a loved one, please fill in an envelope which you’ll find on the trolley in church.
Saturday 13th December, 4.00pm
Community Carol Singing
Carols and Christmas music for all the family with hot dogs and a bar in the hall.
Christmas jumpers optional! Join Rachel, local opera star Damian, with Micheila and Simon on piano and organ. Something for everyone.
Sunday 14th December, 4.00pm
Living Nativity
amongst the animals at St Luke’s School
Join us for our first EVER Living Nativity at St Luke’s school as people from across the village gather to tell the Nativity story among the animals of St Luke’s school.
Refreshments available.
Thursday 18th December, 4.00pm
Beer & Carols at the Cricketers
Exactly what it says!
Come and sing and sip at The Cricketers as we look towards Christmas.
Christmas Jumpers essential.
Carols for Choirs optional.
Saturday 20th December
Christmas Holiday Club
A day of Christmas fun, games, crafts, food and most importantly – rehearsing for our St Mary’s Nativity on Sunday 21st (see below).
Holiday Club is open to all children of primary school age. To sign up click here
Sunday 21st December, 10.00 am
Children’s Nativity Presentation
Our St Mary’s young people have been working hard to prepare and rehearse a special presentation of the nativity story.
This will be presented during our 10.00am service….. do join us!
Sunday 21st December, 6.30 pm
Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols
Another musical offering in the run up to Christmas is the lovely Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. In this service we hear a sequence of bible readings interspersed with choir items and congregational carols for us all to sing – making this one of the quintessential services of the Christmas period and certainly one not to be missed.
Many of the organisations and institutions in Redbourn are represented in the reading of the Lessons – it really is a carol service for everyone to enjoy, it’s free and no tickets are needed. Do come along and bring family, friends and neighbours.
Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24th December
Children’s Crib Services, 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm
Join us for a very family friendly retelling of the Christmas story.
Fancy dress optional but preferred!
See if you can stretch Rachel’s ability to get ANY character into the Nativity story!
Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24th December
The First Eucharist of Christmas, Midnight Mass 11.30pm
This service, often known as Midnight Mass, is an absolute gem and is really the first of the main Christmas services. We gather at 11.30 pm to celebrate the Christmas story of God coming among us in the birth of Jesus.
This is a communion service with the blessing of our special crib, and includes lovely carols for us all to sing. Why not round off a lovely evening with family or friends, by coming along to join us for one of the most moving and wonderful services in the whole year? Whether you come to St Mary’s regularly or not – you can be assured of a very warm welcome – for you and your family and friends.
Christmas Day, Thursday 25th December
Holy Communion, 8.00 am
We offer two services on Christmas morning, the first being the traditional Communion services using The Book of Common Prayer.
All Age Eucharist, 10.00 am
Gather together as the St Mary’s Church Community to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The child who was born to help us understand God’s unconditional love for each and every one of us. That includes you.
Sunday 25th January, 4.00 pm
Christingle Service
This year our Christingle Service will be later, in January! Come and join us for this ever popular and enjoyable service for people of all ages at this time of year.
The ‘Christingle’, is a lighted candle mounted in an orange. These are given out in the service in exchange for donations made in envelopes or “purses” for the work of The Children’s Society.
The Christingles are then lit, reminding us that Jesus is the light of the world and shines in the darkest parts of our world. Donations raised at our Christingle year after year enable The Children’s Society to work with thousands of children in this country who face life’s harshest challenges – children who may find themselves sleeping rough this winter; fleeing conflict and war; caught in a cycle of crime; or marginalised due to a disability.
We are delighted to welcome children from our schools and uniformed groups in Redbourn to raise money for these needy children. Do join us if you can.
In the time leading to Christmas St Mary’s will continue to offer daily public worship:
Morning Prayer at 9.30am (Monday to Friday), as well as our Holy Eucharist on a Wednesday evening at 7.30pm and various other special services.
The Church will remain open each day for private prayer and for all who wish to visit. We are particularly conscious of our ministry to visitors staying in Redbourn during the Christmas period and to those who don’t usually worship with us.
St Mary's Church, Redbourn 