10 November 2017
Pupils at St. George’s School, have been getting in the festive mood with a Christingle service.
Rev. Helen Houston (School Chaplain) organised the Christingle service for over 200 Year 8 pupils. All gathered in the School Hall to take part in the centuries’ old tradition of decorating an orange with a candle, ribbon and fruit.
Originating in Germany in 1747, the Christingle Service has become a firm favourite of Churches all over the country who use it as a way of explaining the basic tenets of the Christian faith.
Tabitha Halliwell, the Christian Youth Worker for St. Wilfrid’s School, Blackburn, was the guest speaker at the service. In her address, she explained to the pupils how a car accident had been a big wake-up call in her life leading her to find faith in Jesus. She had, she said, “swapped the lights of the emergency services for the light of Jesus” in her life. She reminded the pupils that the candle in the Christingle represented Jesus, the light of the world, and she challenged them to use their light for good in the world.
Mr.Walker, Head of Year 8, said that his pupils had enjoyed the opportunity of making their own Christingles. “It was good to see everyone joining in with the Christingle making and the carol singing. It’s an excellent way of reminding our pupils that Christmas isn’t just a fun time, but a fun time with love and hope at its heart.”
Pictured here are the Year 8 readers with their finished ‘Christingles’, Mrs. Tabitha Halliwell (guest speaker), Margaret Hayhurst (Vice-Chair of Governors) and Rev. Helen Houston (School Chaplain)
