Great Malvern Priory are encouraging people to be part of the Christmas story this year by decorating a peg person to add to the church’s nativity scene. So far 1500…
The inspiration for the idea came from Curate Philippa Lowe who was given a French nativity set featuring people from the village. It started her thinking about how everyone could join the Christmas story at the Priory.
Philippa said: “It’s been amazing to see how people have got behind this idea and decorated a peg doll to represent them at the nativity. We’ve got Batman, Harry Potter and the Grinch among those present, but also lots of ordinary people, there to witness Jesus’ birth and share in the wonder! People love being involved and are really thinking about Christmas as they decorate their little person.”
The whole congregation of the Priory were involved in painting the scenery and adding their peg dolls to the crowd. The nativity scene was then launched at the Christmas Light Switch on in Malvern and by the end of the day 500 people had already been added. Many people visiting the Christmas tree festival at the church have also stopped to decorate a peg person and there have been further additions thanks to local police officers, Scout troops, a nursery school as well as the vicar and his cat!
“It’s a wonderful way for people to remember what Christmas is all about and to think where they are on their journey with Jesus,” said Roger Latham, Vicar of Great Malvern Priory. “Many say that decorating the peg dolls is very meditative and it’s been amazing to see the numbers of dolls on the scene grow and grow. They’re much admired and photographed and a real talking point.”
The scene will be central to the Priory’s nativity service on 21 December. They will then remain in church throughout the Christmas period until Epiphany, when they will be blessed at a service at 3pm on 4 January. After this, people are welcome to com and collect their peg figure and take it home.
At the recent Clergy Conference, the diocesan stewardship team launched a Boomerang offering, to help activate generosity across the Diocese. Each person was given a £5 note to take home, pray with and see what act of generosity God was calling them towards. We also asked them to share their stories of how the money was used.
Many of our churches hosted ‘light parties’ at the end of October as a popular alternative to Halloween. Some of our renewal churches hosted the biggest celebrations.
Our diocese has been awarded £3.6 million to continue to support churches as part of phase two of our programme to ensure our churches are healthy and sustainable for the future.
Kelly Gordon is a member of Wordsley Parish in Greater Dudley Deanery. She has recently been selected as one of only three people in the UK to be part of the Leaders Europe programme within the Obama Foundation.
St Peter’s CE Academy and St Peter’s Church in the Saltway Team have been awarded a silver Church and School Partnership Award recognising the close relationship between the church, school and local community.
This year’s Church of England Advent and Christmas theme focuses on the first and greatest Christmas gift of all: the gift of God being born as one of us in Jesus Christ.
An article from Archdeacon Mark for December editions of parish magazines.
The Muslim-Christian dialogue group in Lye, Stourbridge, arranged a litter pick on 31 October to clear up two local streets.
A new singing group for children will launch at St Peter’s Centre at Pedmore Church on 15 November, 10 years after Singing Angels originally began at St Andrew’s Church on the Straits.
Bishop Hugh visited Cropthorne with Charlton C of E First School on 3 November to share in their collective worship and meet with the children.
