This year's Christingle Service is at 4pm in St Barnabas Church on Friday - Christmas Eve - a wonderful opportunity to bring your children to re-enact the Christmas Story!

Each year on Christmas Eve, children and their families are especially invited to come to St Barnabas to sing Christmas Carols, participate in a pantomime style re-enactment of the Christmas Story and to receive Christingles.

Where does the word Christingle come from?

The word 'Christingle' is of German origin. 'Christkindl' means 'Little Christ Child' and helps us remember that Jesus Christ is the "Light of the World".

What does a Christingle consist of?

• An orange, representing the world
• A candle pushed into the centre of the orange, then lit, representing Jesus Christ as Light of the World
• A red ribbon wrapped around the orange or a paper frill around the candle, representing the blood of Christ
• Dried fruits and/or sweets skewered on cocktail sticks pushed into the orange, representing the fruits of the earth and the four seasons.

Where did the tradition come from?

The history of the Christingle can be traced back to Moravian Bishop Johannes de Watteville, who started the tradition in Germany in 1747. At that time it was just a red ruff wrapped around a candle.

In the intervening years, the Moravian Church spread the tradition of Christingle through their early role in the Protestant missionary movement.

Why have a Christingle service today?

At a Christingle service we re-enact the Christmas story through drama and are reminded that on the first Christmas, Jesus Christ the light of the world, was born at Bethlehem. The Christingle service is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Christmas with children and their families and to speak about our living Lord Jesus who continues to light our lives with his love and hope.