Even with Covid,
if you can,
take a moment for
Christmas 2021
The last two years of a still on-going pandemic has affected everyone to some extent or another. For some it has become very difficult, and not a time to be invited to celebrate.
So even if you are not in a place to celebrate, perhaps you can find a place and a moment to remember the marvel represented by the Christmas birth of Jesus.
Some in-person events and services have been arranged this year by the churches of Newport Pagnell.
Details may be found at
Browse further down for links to have a look at other materials on this website, and to find church contacts and church websites for video and internet events.
Advent God,
Stengthen my heart to be
strong in times of weakness
kind in times of adversity
tender in times of trial
open in times of suffering
whole in times of brokenness
And patient while waiting for you. Amen.
[thanks to Wendy Lloyd for sharing this prayer via Revd Nicola Martyn-Beck]
Elsewhere on this website:
- several stories inspired by the Christmas story; start with Christmas Are you willing to respond to the challenge? , the Christmas Shepherd's Story and others listed in the panel on the left
- links to previous HeartFM radio ads (further down this page, and some at Audio and Video Ads for Christmas 2015 )
- a variety of materials in the About Christianity section including Where to start with Christianity? , About belief - notes on various talks , Prayer is for everyone and What about healing?
- more than twenty letters in the 'Letter From a Minister' section (for example Dec20 Revd Klaus Reidel )
- the Christmas edition of Connections at 2021 December Connections
- for other events in Newport Pagnell see Forthcoming Events
- Advent & Christmas resources at Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
- Christmas materials for children (The Impossible Promise and the Christmas Poem amonst other things) at the Bible Society
- the 'Christmas Starts with Christ' (previous) campaign website
- 'Looking forward to Christmas' with the Bible Reading Fellowship
Carols
Church contacts
Find locations of churches, contact details and church website links
at About CTNP
Christmas radio ads which have been aired during Advent in previous years on Heart FM
Make sure you audio is enabled, volume is up, and then enjoy the folllowing clips on YouTube
What is missing from Christmas
Christmas lights you can see from space
To hear an interview with the Donkey, check your audio is enabled, that the volume is up, and then click on the following arrow in the box
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AND FROM THE ARCHIVES...
Some pictures and notes from December 2019
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CTNP Family Christmas Nativity Event
held in December 2019,
on the High Street, Newport Pagnell
At Christmas baby Jesus was born, but who else was there as well?
the service called CHRISTINGLE
Christingle celebrations are named after the Christingles that are lit during the service. At the version celebrated in the Parish Church, everyone assembles their own Christingle using an orange, red ribbon, sweets and a candle which are all provided. Each piece of the Christingle holds special symbolism to help children understand the importance of Jesus; the lit candle represents Jesus as the light of the world.
For the (Church of England) Children's Society background see Christingle
Because Christingle was specifically created with children in mind, the celebrations are the perfect event to take children along to, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
As families stand in a circle, with the Christingle candles all lit, it is a time of wonder and awe and a lovely way to begin your Christmas celebrations.
[Geoff Morris adds ...]Christingle Services have changed enormously since they first began and are now one of the most popular ways for families to look forward to Christmas. The idea began in the eighteenth century with a simple red ribbon tied round a candle to represent Jesus as the light of the world with the ribbon reminding us of the suffering he went through for us. This was mostly a service in the Moravian Church until 1968 when the Children's Society of the Church of England picked up on this idea for a fundraising event and from then it has grown into the increasingly popular Family event it is today.