Does Christmas start with telly ads in October?
Does Christmas start with the office party?
Does Christmas start with a fight on Eastenders?
No! Christmas starts with Christ.
The
Christmas story has been around for a long time, but today it's being
forgotten. Just 12 per cent of adults know the nativity story, and more than
one-third of children don’t know whose birthday it is. Meanwhile, 51 per cent
of people now say the birth of Jesus is irrelevant to their Christmas.
Together
we can reverse the trend. Some of
the UK’s leading Christian groups, including the Church of England, the
Evangelical Alliance and Bible Society, are coming together because they
believe Christmas is worth saving. Christmas Starts with Christ
is a campaign aimed at helping churches to make Christ and the amazing story of
his birth the focus of the nation’s favourite time of year.
The
campaign kicks off on December 1st this year with the first-ever nationwide Christmas Starts Sunday, at
the beginning of Advent. The campaign
features posters in festive green and red which focus strongly on the message
they want to get across, that Christmas starts with Christ. There are three posters. They ask people to
think about when Christmas starts. Is it with the traditional fight on
Eastenders? Is it when Christmas ads appear in October? Or is it at the office
party? There is also a radio ad and three extra posters, using the same design,
which churches can customise for free.
Francis
Goodwin of ChurchAds.net, which is coordinating this campaign, says: ‘Christmas
is a time when Christians shine light in their communities. But the good news
is being lost. We can’t sit back and let that happen. We’re passionate about
bringing the church together to remind everyone of the true meaning of
Christmas.’
Steve
Clifford, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance says, “I’m excited by this campaign, which really seeks to show that the
Church is good news for the nation in every season; not least of all at
Christmas when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our saviour. The world
needs to know that’s why we do what we do.”
Arun
Arora, Director of Communications, Church of England says, “Churches do a huge amount to carry the Christmas story into their
local communities, through word and deed. Christmas
Starts With Christ
uses a common logo to ‘join the
dots’ of these activities and project a powerful message to our nation that the
reason for the season is the birth of Jesus.”
This
Christmas let us project that same powerful message as we invite others to
church and send Christmas greetings by post, email or social media. The reason
for the season is Jesus – Christmas starts with Christ!
Advent & Christmas at St John's Seven Kings -
November/December 2013
11.30pm First Holy Communion of Christmas
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Red Mountain Music - Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.
November/December 2013
Saturday 30th 10.30am Christmas
Bazaar – Refreshments, handicrafts,
cakes, raffles, preserves, toiletries, games & toys
for children, Christmas gifts and many other
stalls. Visit Santa in his grotto.
December
Sunday
1st
10.00am Advent
Reflections Service - poems, readings and songs
6.30pm Advent Service - Seven Kings Fellowship of Churches
Saturday 7th 6.00pm Tamil
Carol Service
Sunday 15th
10.00am All-age
Christingle Service - a colourful service of music &
light (collection for The Children’s Society)
6.30pm Service
of Nine Lessons and Carols at St Peter’s Aldborough
Hatch - traditional carols and readings
Tuesday
17th 7.00pm Carol Singing around the Parish - wrap up warm.
Collecting for Haven
House Hospice.
Sunday 22nd 6.30pm Service
of Nine Lessons and Carols by candlelight -
traditional carols and readings
Christmas Eve (Tuesday
24th)
5.00pm All-age
Nativity Service - dressing up & tree
lighting - fun for all. Bring a present to
leave under the tree for children helped
by Barnados. Collection to Haven
House Hospice.
Christmas Day (Wednesday
25th)
8.00am Holy
Communion - Book of Common Prayer
10.00am Christmas
All-age Holy Communion - children, bring a gift you have received to show
others
New Years Eve (Tuesday
31st)
11.30pm Watchnight
Service - welcoming the New Year in prayer and reflection
Red Mountain Music - Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.
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