United Church Dorchester

Christmas 2022: special services and outreach events

We are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in the traditional way this year. Listed below are the various special services and outreach events which will be taking place: you are very welcome to join us at any of these. 

If you need a handy guide to everything in one place, you can download a version of the United Church Christmas 2022 information leaflet. This also includes details of all the regular Sunday and Wednesday services taking place in December.

Friday 9 December, 3.00pm: Quiet Christmas
This a traditional service for those who want to celebrate Christmas quietly. It may be particularly valued by those who are on their own, who are recently bereaved, or who are feeling that life is a challenge at the moment. It will also be ideal for those who find sitting through a full service difficult. Carers and friends are all welcome, too.

Christmas refreshments will be served afterwards in church.

Sunday 18 December, 6.30pm: Carol Service
This year's Carol Service will return to its familiar time and format, with readings, carols and reflections on the Christmas story.

Everyone will be able to join in with the congregational carols, enjoy the choir items, and listen to the traditional readings.

Saturday 24 December, 4.00pm: Christingle Service
This year's Christingle will follow the same, highly successful format from last year: everyone will be provided with a DIY Christingle bag and we will all make our Christingles together, but in our own seat.

The atmosphere of Christmas approaching and all being peaceful and ready will still be the same: Christmas starts here!

Sunday 25 December, 10.30am: Christmas Day Morning Service
This is a 45 minute service, when we celebrate the good news of Christmas Day.

Come and join us to share in the joy of the Christmas Morning!

Outreach Events

Saturday 10 December; Thursday 15 - Saturday 17 December: Journey to the Stable
This is an interactive journey into the meaning of Christmas. Suitable for adults and children, it finishes with a re-creation of the stable scene itself.

Come and reflect on the journey with its seven stations focusing on a person or a part of the Christmas story, each with a reading and reflection; or just come and spend some time at the stable. 





Please note these times when the Journey to the Stable will be open:
Saturday 10 December: 10am - 12 noon
Thursday 15, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 December: 11.00am - 3.00pm

Wednesday 21 December: Action for Children Carol Singing
The Action for Children fundraising group at UCD will be singing carols outside the front door of the church, and collecting donations, on Wednesday 21st December from 12 noon.
 
The team will also be handing out knitted Christmas Angels to children and adults who pass by - if you can't be there on the day but want to help by knitting some angels for distribution, please have a look at the information sheet for the background to the idea, and how to get the pattern.

Saturday 24 December, 9.30 - 10.30am: Churches Together Carol Singing
Come and join the Christmas Carol Singing in South Street, outside Barclays Bank.
All are welcome - either to join in, to shake a can, or just to donate: all proceeds will go to Christian Aid.