Celebrating 50 years of Christingle at Beverley Minster and Toll Gavel United Church
Mon 28th January 2019
People in East Yorkshire are being invited to celebrate 50 years of The Children’s Society Christingle and make the services on Sunday 3 February at Beverley Minster and Toll Gavel United Church the busiest ever.
Record numbers of Christingle services have taken place across England to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Church of England Christingle service. Thousands of churches, schools and communities have marked the milestone anniversary and as the final weeks of the Christingle period approach, the Beverley Minster and Toll Gavel teams are hoping the Beverley celebration will prove just as popular.
Christingle, which is named after the oranges that are lit during the service, runs from November through till Candlemas on February 2nd. Candlemas occurs 40 days after the birth of Jesus Christ, it marks the day Mary was cleansed and Jesus was presented to the Lord in the Temple
The Christingle service was first introduced to the Church of England by The Children's Society in 1968. This anniversary year, more churches, schools and cathedrals than ever are taking part.
The Christingle service at Beverley Minster starts at 10.30am and will be led by Reverend Wendy Wale and Ben Merrell from the minster’s youth and children’s team. The service at Toll Gavel United Church starts at 4pm and is led by Reverend Peter Cross and leaders from the Baden Powell Uniformed Organisations which are attached to the church.
The Children’s Society Chief Executive, Matthew Reed says: “The Christingle fundraising tradition is a lifeline for the charity and we’re enormously grateful to all our supporters for helping us to work with more than a million children over the last 50 years. Sadly, there are a million more young people living with several serious problems in their lives today and we hope that our 50th anniversary services will go some way to supporting them.”
Ben Merrell, Youth and Children’s Worker at Beverley Minster said: “We are delighted to be working with the Children’s Society to celebrate 50 years of the Christingle by holding a special family friendly service at the Minster. We would like to invite anyone who values the mission of the Children’s Society of bringing hope to vulnerable young people, to join us. We look forward to welcoming children, young people, parents, grandparents, individuals and families of all kinds. Christingle services are lively and fun for the whole family. Each child will be given a Christingle to take home with them as the season of Candlemas comes to an end and we help The Children’s Society celebrate a special year and its work with children and young people.”
Reverend Peter Cross, Superintendent Minister at Toll Gavel United Church said: "We are very happy to support the aims and objectives of the Children's Society and celebrate the 50th year of their excellent work."
The money raised through Christingles for The Children’s Society helps to provide direct support to vulnerable children and young people who may be living in poverty, experiencing mental health issues, living in care or just about to leave the care system or at risk of sexual or criminal exploitation.
