Christmas

We celebrate God’s gift to the world of his new born son. We have several services which help us to do this.

Christingle – where we remember Jesus as Light of the world, the fruits of creation and the sacrifice Jesus made for us all.

Lessons and Carols – a service of all your favourite carols and readings which tell the story of Christ’s birth

Midnight Mass – the celebration of the birth of Christ. We join with Christians throughout the world thanking God for the amazing gift of his son. We share the first communion of Christmas together and pray for peace in all the world.

Christmas Day – the world celebrates Jesus birth by sharing gifts and feasting. We remember those who are less fortunate than ourselves by sharing what we have with them

Epiphany – meaning ‘revelation’ is when Christ is revealed to those who are outside Israel and hailed as king to each and every one of us. The Magi (wise men) visit the child with symbolic gifts: Gold (kingship); Frankincense (priesthood); and Myrrh (healing and dying)

Lent, Holy Week, and Easter

Ash Wednesday – marks the beginning of Lent, a season of preparation and penitence before the Feast of Easter. Ashes are a symbol of our sorrow and pain.

We give up rich foods and ‘extras’ like chocolate and alcohol as an outward sign of the spiritual stripping back of our lives. It is a time to reflect on our relationship with God and with each other, and to strive to be better.

Palm Sunday – is the day when Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem with Palms
and shouts of Hosanna. He rode on a donkey to fulfil the prophecy of Daniel. We
celebrate by waving palms , sharing crosses of palm and singing hosanna to the
son of David.

Maundy Thursday – commemorates the Last Supper on the Thursday before
Easter as we remember the beginning of the last week of Jesus, with the story of
the foot-washing and of the watching in the Garden of Gethsemane. We share
communion, wash each other’s feet, and watch together as a symbol of these acts

Good Friday – is the day we remember Jesus Christ’s death. We walk from Clare
Green to the Methodist Church in New Eltham carrying a wooden cross, singing
hymns and recounting the story of this day.
We also have a service at 2pm where we reflect on the last hour of Christ’s life
and the great sacrifice he made for us all.

Holy Saturday – late at night on the eve of Easter we meet together to reveal
Christ Light in the World. We begin with a bonfire from which we light our
Paschal Candle (a special candle for Easter), we sing of God’s people and hear of
the history of God’s relationship with the world. This is the oldest service we hold
which dates back to the first century BC.

Easter Day – the day when we celebrate Christ is risen from the dead.
Traditionally we exchange chocolate eggs as signs of new life. Lamb is a traditional
Sunday lunch for this day representing Jesus ‘the lamb of God’