Advent and Christmas 

A time for waiting and a moment of great celebration
 

Join us for these special celebrations and services

Advent and Christmas
Advent marks the beginning of the church year. It is a time for reflection in darkness, for renewal of hope and for a movement towards a beginning.The season of Advent, as it first emerged in the Church in the fourth and fifth centuries, lasted, like Lent, for 40 days. Later tradition developed the Advent we know today, of four Sundays before Christmas Day. 

It is a season of expectation and preparation as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming of Christ. Church decorations are simple, and purple is the traditional colour used. Advent falls at the darkest time of the year, and the natural symbols of darkness and light are powerfully at work throughout Advent and Christmas. 

We celebrate the mystery of God coming to live among humanity as one of us in the person of Jesus, son of Mary, the saviour promised by the prophets of the Old Testament.

This great feast that marks the anniversary of Jesus' birth has inspired the many joyful customs and traditions that we use to mark Christmas. Many of these - carols, cribs, decorations, and special foods - are shared with and enjoyed by millions of people across the world. But there is more than tinsel, trees and reindeer. There is amazement, wonder and joy here.

The gospel accounts of the first Christmas provide so many ways for us to enter into the mystery of God becoming human. There are hosts of angels filling the night sky with singing; a group of astounded shepherds on a hillside who find their lives and expectations turn upside down; there is a shining star and the birth of a child, which, like many other births before and since, bring hope and possibility.

The season of Christmas lasts for twelve days, culminating in another feast - that of the Epiphany on 6th January, when we recall how Jesus was first revealed to the wider world in the visit of the Magi (or Wise Men).
 

The United Advent Service - 30th November at 5pm at St John's Stanmore
This service will include participation from Culver Church, St Anselm's Belmont, St William of York RC Church and Stanmore Baptist Church. 
The Revd Anne Calver, Minister of Stanmore Baptist Church, will be preaching.

Nine Lessons and Carols - 21st December, 5pm
Nine Lessons and Carols is a service of Christian worship which tells the story of the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus which is told in nine short Bible readings or lessons with the singing of Christmas carols, hymns and choir anthems.

Crib Service - Christmas Eve 4pm
A Crib Service is a special event, held on Christmas Eve which tells the story of the Nativity and allows families with young children to engage with the story of Jesus in a meaningful way.  During the service, children may participate creating a festive atmosphere that helps everyone reflect on the significance of Christmas.

Midnight Mass - Christmas Eve 11.30pm
This is a special service held late on Christmas Eve, and as such is the first communion service of the Christmas season. By having a service at this time we are sharing in the anticipation of the joy of Christmas and celebrating its message of good news by stepping outside our usual tradition of daytime services. The service normally contains carols, a short talk, and the sharing of bread and wine in an act of Holy Communion. Many Christian churches, though not all, hold a service at this time on Christmas Eve. A service of Holy Communion may also be held earlier in the evening, any time after sundown.

All-Age Communion with Nativity - Christmas Day, 10am
Come and join us on Christmas Day as we celebrate Jesus’ birth with Christmas carols, a short talk from the Bible, a Nativity, and sharing communion together as a church family. 




Christmas is a time for enjoying the riches of grace that God lavishes upon us and having fun as a community in the presence of the Lord. It is also important to remember that Christmas can be a very lonely time for some people as not everyone is surrounded by family and friends; some people may be facing Christmas alone without the company of a partner or loved one who has died.