Christmas 2024: special services and outreach events
We are looking forward again 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 2024 information leaflet. This also includes details of all the regular Sunday and Wednesday services taking place in December.
Special Services
Sunday 8 December, 10.30pm: Crib Service Our 10.30am service will be a special Christmas Crib Service, led by Revd John Yarrien. We hope that many of the children and families who attend Storytots or Forest Praise will also come. This will be followed by lunch in the Hall which will be open to all.
Friday 13 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 22 December, 6.30pm: Carol Service This year's Carol Service will keep 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.
Tuesday 24 December, 4.00pm: Christingle Service This year's Christingle will largely follow the same format from previous years: 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!
Tuesday 24 December, 11.00pm: Midnight Communion Please note that there will not be a Communion Service at UCD on Christmas Eve this year. Instead, there will be a joint Anglican - United Church Communion Service at St George's Church, Fordington, at 11pm. Rev John Yarrien will be leading the service, alongside Rev Cora Yarrien.
Wednesday 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 7 December; Thursday 12 - Saturday 14 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 7 December and Saturday 14 December: 11.00am - 2.00pmThursday 12 December: 11.00am - 2.00pmFriday 13 December: 11.00am - 1.30pm
UCD event CANCELLED
Sunday 15 December: Christmas Cracker As part of the annual Dorchester Christmas Cracker, following the 10.30am Sunday Service, the church was going to be open from 12 noon to 2pm for community carol singing. As a consequence of the fire in South Street, we've taken the difficult decision to cancel our planned Music and Mince Pies event in support of the Cracker Day. We encourage our members and visitors to engage in the other Cracker Day events (which are still taking place) at the High Street end of South Street, avoiding the cordoned-off area of South Street near United Church.
AfC CAROL SINGING CANCELLED
Wednesday 18 December: Action for Children Carol Singing The Action for Children fundraising group at UCD were going to sing carols outside the front door of the church, and collecting donations, on Wednesday 18 December from 11.30am - 12.30pm. This is because there is hardly any footfall outside the church at the moment due to the cordon in South Street following the Gorge Cafe fire. The donations made at the Carol service will go to AfC so they do not miss out on valuable fundraising. If you wish to make your own donation, please visit the AfC Donation page. And if you can't do without your Carol singing fix - please come along to the Christian Aid Carol singing on Christmas Eve: see below for more information.
Tuesday 24 December, 9.30 - 10.30am: Christian Aid 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.
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