Portsmouth churches pull out all the stops for Christmas

Anglican churches in south-east Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are bracing themselves for a high turnout as they celebrate the birth of Jesus this month with events ranging from carol-singing in the streets to displays of Christmas trees and cribs.

Portsmouth Anglican Cathedral will hold three identical carol services for the second year running. More than 2,000 people will join the cathedral choir at 3pm on December 20, and at 7.30pm on December 22 and 23. It will also hold two identical crib services at 3pm and 4.30pm on Christmas Eve.

Apart from carol services, many churches are laying on special activities. Nativity cribs will be on display at All Saints Church in Botley from December 12 to 14. The ‘Crib Fest 08’ includes cribs contributed by those living in Botley, Curdridge and Durley, some of which are being made specially for the occasion. The church is open daily, and the festival will end with a carol-sing around the cribs. Worshippers are being invited to dress up as a character from the Nativity story.

Worshippers at Holy Rood Church, Stubbington will host a ‘Live Nativity’ at the church for the second year running on December 13. Parents can bring children to meet the shepherds, angels and kings, to stroke some of the animals in the Nativity scene, and to take part in Christmas craft from 10am-1pm.

Several churches will dramatise the Nativity story. St Mary’s Church in Warsash will be transformed into the inn at Bethlehem on December 19 and 20. The Nativity by David Farr is a full-length play with music. The idea is that the audience mingles with the cast in the inn before events unfold.

Young people from Somers Town will take part in Follow The Star, a musical at St Peter’s Church in Southsea on December 20 and at 1pm and 5pm on December 21. It is being performed in the church itself, and it helps to celebrate the church’s 125th anniversary.

And there will be many contributions to charities. An annual Churches Homeless Action scheme involves worshippers giving gift vouchers so presents can be bought for homeless people, disadvantaged families and asylum seekers. The vouchers will be handed over at a carol service in St Mary’s Church, Fratton, at 12 noon on December 19.

And before the Christmas season properly starts, one Gosport church will remind us what Advent is all about with an alternative worship service. St Thomas the Apostle, Elson, will host the Blesséd Community’s ‘Pregnant with Expectation’ at on December 14. It will focus on the fact that we are called to watch and wait for the incarnation during December.

Priest-in-charge the Rev Simon Rundell said: “The season of Advent involves waiting and watching, and we aim to help people to connect with that feeling of hope and expectation through a deeply moving encounter with the sacraments, and keeping Christmas out of Advent.”

Another Portsmouth church will help people remember what Epiphany is all about once Christmas has finished. St Nicholas Church in North End, will host its alternative worship service ‘Ethos’ on January 11 where visitors will be invited to move around the church space, using multi-media installations, clay, reflections and activities to help them think about spiritual issues.

Team vicar the Rev Bev Robertson said: “The New Year is a time for looking forward, but we often don’t give ourselves time to really search ourselves, face what holds us back and let go of obstacles within us. We welcome people of faith and no faith to journey to the star and discover their Epiphany at St Nicholas.”