#GodWithUs: How Christingle services can bring communities together

The Church of England's second #GodWithUs Christmas film focuses on the Christingle service used in many churches to support the work of The Children's Society.

Last year 4,195 churches held a Christingle service on behalf of the charity.

The #GodWithUs film features children from All Saints church in High Wycombe preparing Christingle oranges and taking part in the family service led by children and family minister Ruth Harley.

A Christingle service at All Saints church, High Wycombe.

The Christingle service was invented in Germany in 1747, when Bishop Johannes de Watteville gave children candles wrapped in red ribbons.

In 1968, John Pensom of The Children's Society adapted Christingle and introduced it to the Church of England.

This involved children decorating an orange with a red ribbon, dried fruits, sweets and a candle to create a new visual representation of Christ, the light of the world, celebrated by the lighting of the Christingle candles.

Since then the celebration has been very widely used across all Christian denominations.

According to The Children's Society, it is usually explained as the orange representing the world, the red ribbon God's love for the world and the blood of Christ shed on the cross, the dried fruits and sweets symbols of God's creation and the lit candle Jesus, the light of the world.

News
Christmas evangelistic campaign gets underway
Christmas evangelistic campaign gets underway

The aim is to reach two million people with the gospel.

What does Advent have to do with hope?
What does Advent have to do with hope?

Atheists would have us believe that hope is futile, but Advent shows they are wrong.

New report uncovers spiritual priorities for Gen Z
New report uncovers spiritual priorities for Gen Z

Authenticity is key for Generation Z.

Ancient wall with possible King Herod link uncovered in Jerusalem
Ancient wall with possible King Herod link uncovered in Jerusalem

Jerusalem has been besieged many times in its long history.