Clifton-upon-Teme Primary School helped to launch this year’s travelling nativity which will be visiting locations around Clifton, the Shelsleys and Harpley (villages in the countryside to the West of Worcester).
The knitted nativity characters along with the stable and star will travel to schools, pubs, Guides & Brownies, the local Warm Welcome space and friendship club as well as people’s homes throughout Advent. It will be accompanied by prayers, carols and candles which people can use while the nativity scene is with them.
The travelling nativity is organised by the Revd Jen Denniston who serves across the three villages.
She said: “This is the second year that our nativity scene has travelled around our community. We already had a Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, and then Pat Bradley from the Knit and Natter group made the Kings and Shepherds for us. People can book a slot for the set to come to them and they then arrange to pass it onto the next person on the list. It really unites people across the parishes and creates a sense of community and journeying. As we travel through Advent towards Christmas, the Holy family is with us. It works well for both individuals and in more social situations and people have told me that they feel overwhelmed with a sense of peace when they’re looking after the scene.”
Pupils from years 2 – 6 from Clifton-upon-Teme Primary visited Clifton church to launch this year’s journey, listening to the Christmas story and adding each of the characters into the stable. Head, Karen Crawford said: “We aren’t a CoE school, but we have good links with the church. The school and the church are the hub of the community and working together is very important. The children love coming over and we also have an Open the Book team come into school each month. Revd Jen brought the travelling into school last year and it was a great way of bringing the story to life. Many of the children then followed its progress around the community!”
