NOTES
for the
Christingle Service
at
St. Augustine's

2009 December 24

These are notes and comments on some of the items which appear in the Christingle Service script. Links from the script point to these entries; clicking the links in the left hand column of the table takes you back to the corresponding link in the script - or, where more than one link from the script points to the note, back to the first such link.

The comments are typically related to features of the service which are specific to our church or the time of the service, or which for some other reason we think might require alteration for another setting.

For references to the internal geography of the church, it might be helpful to inspect the plan.

BEFORE THE SERVICE :
 FURNITURE ETC. :

Inherited from the Carol Service :

Also :

PROPERTIES :

  • Demonstration Christingle parts, all ready to be carried on from organ side :
    • "Orange" ready at back;
    • Four "arms", made from barbecue sticks, ready at back representing flowers, birds, trees, animals;
    • Red ribbon ready at back;
    • Candle ready at back.
  • Advent wreath : all candles lit;
  • Christingle kits in bags - two bags at the front and two bags at the back - for ( at least ) all the children;
  • One assembled Christingle at the lectern for the narrator to use ( the "real Christingle" );
  • Four tapers ready on altar rail for lighting the Christingles;
  • Sheep at back for shepherds;
  • Gifts at back for Wisemen;
  • Tapers in box at back for all actors;
  • Doll hidden ready to be Jesus.

PEOPLE :

  • Narrator at lectern ( or at the back, ready to proceed in );
  • Reader at lectern ( or at the back, ready to proceed in );
  • Computer person at computer;
  • Organist at organ.

ADVENT WREATH We follow the custom of the Advent Wreath ( described here - or, for a brief summary, here ). If you don't, you'll have to make a few minor changes to the service.

ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL Details of the source of this hymn can be found here; we add this note to record that the version of verse 5 in the service is original to St Augustine's. We had not realised before that, except for "each little bird that sings", the song deals only with vegetables and the physical world - there is no specific reference to any animal life whatsoever.

ALTAR RAIL GAP In the centre of the performance area, towards the front; somewhere very visible. The altar rail itself has no particular significance - it just happens to be there.

ARMS Instead of the usual fruity arms, for the demonstration Christingle we used arms specifically representing the four "parts of God's creation" identified in the service. Here are pictures - click them for separate versions :

Flowers : Birds : Trees : Animals :

CAMP FIRE Our usual electric "fire".

It was placed between the altar and the hospital-side wall. It remained there throughout the service; it was turned on when it was significant in the action. The power lead was covered with blue carpet, the same colour as the church carpets, to keep it safe.

Demonstration CHRISTINGLE A large model Christingle, useful for demonstration purposes.

Real CHRISTINGLE A real ready-made Christingle, used by the Narrator to explain how to make them.

CHRISTMAS TREE Our usual Christmas tree, decorated with red card "hearts" approx 10cm wide x 8cms high, made in essentially the same way as the bells we have used previously. There were also many small white lights, and the tree as a whole was illuminated with a spotlight.

CURTAIN The blue curtain is on the front wall of the church, behind the altar. Its decorations are described in the in the Carol Service notes. They were not explicitly mentioned in the Christingle service.

DOLL A more-or-less life-size baby doll, representing the infant Jesus. "Life-size" is not to be interpreted too literally; it has to represent both the new-born child and the rather older child visited by the Wisemen.

GIFTS A selection from our stock.

HE GAVE US EYES .... The last verse of "All things bright and beautiful", intended here to be spoken rather than sung, to emphasise God's gift to us.

MANGER Our usual manger.

SHEEP Fluffy dolls, easy to carry. Two or three will do, just to make the point.

STABLE For this service, the stable was imaginary; we simply placed the manger and two chairs in front of the altar.

TAPERS Wax tapers or small candles in a box at the back. Towards the end of the service, each actor collects a taper and carries it to the front, where it is lit for the duration of the hymn "Jesus bids us shine ...", then blown out.

WISEMEN See the note in the carol service descriptions.