Getting ready for the big day

St Anne's had its Christingle Service with Carols tonight, with a nativity play enacted by the Sunday School children.

It's always a popular service, the highlight of St Anne's year, and lots of people braved the snowy and icy weather to attend the service tonight.

Christingles are a great visual aid of the Gospel: the orange represents the world; the candle stands for Christ the light of the world; the red ribbon reminds us of the blood of Christ shed out of love for the world; and the four cocktail sticks and the fruit on them, reminds us of God's love in the creation, through the fruits of the earth and the four seasons.

It's a special moment when the lights are dimmed, the congregation circles the building, the Christingles are lit, and we sing together 'Away in a manger' and 'Silent night' and remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Earlier in the afternoon was the annual Old People's Christmas Party at the Salmon Youth Centre, when the young people waited on the older ones, and provided the entertaiment, which included (left) the traditional Bermondsey Waiters Song ('We are the Bermondsey waiters we are, we like to serve you like you was a star, with mince pies and Rosie, and plenty of cheer, just because its Christmas at this time of year').

And before all that, at St James this morning, we had the baptism of Ezra and Ethanuel, children of Ezekiel and Bola. This went nicely with the reading from Mark 1 about John the Baptist calling the people to be baptised and turn from their sins, to prepare to meet the messiah, Jesus Christ.

It was a great start to a busy day, on the verge of the Christmas celebrations which have now well and truly started.