Christingle Service
The Chapel was full for the Christingle Service at Christmas held by candlelight. Many people have asked where Christingle comes from :-
The word Christingle actually means “Christ Light” and celebrates the light of Jesus coming into the world. The Moravians have held Christingle Services for over 200 years and according to them this is how the first Christingle came to be made:-
Many years ago the children in a village were asked to bring a Christmas gift to put beside the crib in the church. One family was very poor and had no money for gifts but the three children were determined to take something. The only nice thing they had was an orange so they decided to give the Christ child that. But then they found the top was discoloured so the eldest cut it out and inserted a candle in the hole. To add some colour one of the girls took a red ribbon from her hair and tied it around the middle of the orange. The ribbon would not stay in place so they fastened it with toothpicks. The toothpicks looked bare so the youngest child added some raisins to them. The children took their gift to the Christmas service but the other children sneered at their meagre gift. The priest seized on it with joy. He held it up high as a true understanding of Christmas. He said the orange was round, just like the world, the candle gave us light in the dark, like the love of God. The red ribbon goes right around the world as a symbol of Christ’s blood. The four sticks point in all directions and symbolise that God is over all. The fruit reminds us of God’s blessings to all of us.
It is hoped that the Christingle service will become a regular service each year.