It may be over four months Christmas, but according to Rev Hugh McCafferty, it is not too soon to start thinking about it.

“I am getting together a Christmas choir to sing a few carols in the street, at the rest homes (if they’ll have us) and as part of a carol service.”

He and his wife Fi have gathered a collection of old favourites, as well as some contemporary New Zealand ones. Hugh says, “We’ll leave “Jingle Bells” to someone else and focus on the Christian message. If anyone wants to join us, we’ll have a first meeting on Thursday, 24 August, 2pm at St Mary’s Geraldine. We’ll sing mostly in unison though we do aim to find some harmonies to keep advanced singers engaged.”

Hugh is also planning a nativity play. “Elaine Taylor of the Geraldine Arts Council has found us a terrific script. We’ll have a read-through and then recruit some children. It will be a Messy Church/Arts Council cooperative venture, with a tentative date of Sunday, 10 December, for an afternoon performance at St Mary’s Church.”