Christingle Service

Christingle 2008
A service for people who learn by doing - by assembling a Christingle!
Italics indicate a slide is displayed on the screens.

Title slide (toggle with safety notice)

Gathering hymn - 97 - Colours of Day – Display words

The greeting slide
- In the name of the father…
- The Lord be with you…

We light the Easter Candle. Brief explanation - light of world comes at Christmas
We say the response – Display response

Jesus, we thank you that you are the Light of the World.
We thank you that you came into the world at Christmas time. Amen

Introduce first reading - God gave us all the friuts of the earth, and a wonderful creation.
First reading: Genesis 1: 28-31 – Display slide
God blessed the man and the woman, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
- This is the word of the Lord / Thanks be to God

Display picture of fruits

We reflect briefly on God’s love for us in making the world and in giving us our food.

We put the fruit and sweets on the cocktail sticks (but don’t yet put them on the orange).

Hymn 401 - Longing for light, we wait in darkness (Christ be our light) – Display words

Introuduce second reading - by going against God we spoilt the good things he gave us, but God still loves us, and sent Jesus to save us, at great cost.
Second reading: 1 John 4: 9-11 – display slide
God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.
- This is the word of the Lord / Thanks be to God

Display picture of crosses

We reflect briefly on God’s love for the world, and on Christ’s blood shed for the world.

We notice the red ribbon on our orange. We put the four cocktails sticks in the orange. With percisings for the four sticks and the hole for the candle we are reminded of the wounds of Christ. Same wounds are marked on the Easter candle.

Hymn – 175 – From heaven you came helpless babe (The servant king) – Display words

Introduce Third Reading - God's light came into the world when Jesus was born. John the Baptist foretold this.
Third reading: John 1: 3-9 – Display slide
All things came into being through Christ, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
- This is the word of the Lord / Thanks be to God

Display bright yellow light picture

We reflect briefly on Christ the light of the world

We fix our candle into our Christingle.

Hymn 393 – Like a candle flame (The candle song) – Display words

Prayers of intercession – Display Lord in thy mercy/Hear our prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the Children’s Society. We thank you all their work looking after children with difficulties. We thank you that they stand up for childhood. We thank you that the Children’s Society introduced Christingle services 40 years ago. Lord, please bless the Children’s Society and help it in its work.
Lord in your mercy/Hear our prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you that you sent your son Jesus into the world at Christmas time. We thank you for the wonderful good news that Jesus brings. We thank you for all the help and advice that Jesus gives us. We thank you that Jesus was ready to suffer and die for us, to help us be friends with you. Lord, help us to live as Jesus taught us, so that we can be filled with your love.
Lord in your mercy/Hear our prayer

Heavenly Father, at this Christmas time we give you thanks for our families and our homes, for our presents and for all the joys of Christmas. We pray Lord for people who have difficulties at Christmas time; people who are sick or homeless or lonely or in any kind of trouble. Help us to love the people we know in difficulty, and grant that all people may know your love this Christmas time.
Lord in your mercy/Hear our prayer
Finish intercessions with Lord’s Prayer. Display Lord’s Prayer

Final Hymn- 416 - Lord, the light of your love (Shine, Jesus, shine) – Display words
During the song we light the Christingles from the Easter Candle.

Blessing and dismissal Display Slide
Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you,scatter the darkness from before your path,and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory;and the blessing of God Almighty,

extinguish candles

Recessional music by the band. Display advert for Christmas services