Unfortunately we were not able to have the Itchen Abbas Primary School Choir this year for the Itchen Valley Christingle service so we tried something a bit different – Christingle Worship with our very own Itchen Valley Worship Band  led by David Parker – three pianos, one clarinet, tom tom drums two guitars and two voices! One of our performers – Cat – was in hospital the day before – really amazing that she could join us.

The Band did a fantastic job and we are all delighted by the amazing worship songs they led us in: This is Amazing Grace, Light of the world, Shine Jesus shine, Let there be light, What a beautiful name – some of which we had never sung before.

The talk focused on what it means that Jesus is ‘the light of the world’

looking at this painting by William Holman Hunt and, in particular perhaps seeing Jesus as ‘the lighthouse of the world’ – focusing on him enables us to weather every crashing wave of anxiety, disappointment and stress – if we focus on the light of the world firmly established on the rock and steady despite the storm.

And then we turned to consider the Christingle itself – and embarrassingly I could not remember what the fruits on the sticks were for…. For those who attended (and to the children whom I told that the sweets were only to ‘get your attention’) in fact they represent the incredible fruits of creation!

It was wonderful to see the over 90 people attending (including over 30 children).  Thanks to those who kindly put the Christingles together on Saturday morning,

to the Itchen Abbas church team who stewarded everyone and kept them all safe….great worship and great fun!

Alex Pease