Come all ye faithful - and they came

I have just returned from Carols and Midnight Mass

at my local parish church - St Thomas's Anglican Church - at Upper Ferntree Gully.

It was beautiful.

We started at 11pm - with the lighting of the last Advent candle.

Here they all are above: The Paschal Candle lit at Easter surrounded by the Advent candles.

Then there was much carolling with singing led by Carol and Ron on the piano.

At 11.25pm the church was plunged into darkness for a quiet time prior to the service starting.

The only light came from outside through the wonderful stained glass cross above the altar

and through one of the long rectangular stained glass windows on a side wall.

At 11.30pm the procession began and into the church it came

with the priest at the rear in his festive white vestments.

As the procession came into the church,

Carol (by now up in the choir loft) sang the first verse of Once in Royal David's City

and the rest of us, now accompanied by the organ, joined in the singing.

This without hymn books or overhead projectors.

The packed congregation (extra seating was placed in the centre aisle) sang their hearts out.

As we got half way through the Kyrie

lights began to come on including the lighting of our tapers and every other candle in the place

including those in candelabra that graced the sills of the stained glass windows

along with individual flower arrangements for each window.

Below is a picture of a flower arrangement by Ray.

In front of the altar, is a handmade knitted woollen creche.

Very simple and crafted with love.

Looking down on all this were some crafty figures:

sort of a cross between a candle and a snowman displaying the gifts of faith, hope, love, joy, and peace.

And it all ended with mince pies and fairy cakes in the narthex and best wishes for a Happy Christmas.

A merry christmas to all and to all a good-night