Last Wednesday evening, Holy Redeemer School was very proud to lead this year’s Parish Carol Service. It was a beautiful service, full of reverence, wonder and joy and it was fantastic to see the church full to bursting.

The service began with some pieces by the School Band, which were then followed by readings and carols, old and new (led by the School Choir and the rest of the children in Key Stage 2), taking us through that very special night so long ago. 

It was a very moving service, with the church starting in darkness to represent the world before Jesus’ birth, and with the children from Year 3 processing into the church carrying candles, to represent the ‘Light’ coming into the world. Later in the service, as the children from Year 6 took turns reading Gospel accounts of the aspects of the nativity, children from Year 3 appeared, in costume, and began to build up a tableau in front of the altar.

A mixture of School-sung new carols, and whole-congregation-sung more traditional carols, were interspersed between the readings, including many solos and duets. The service ended with a blessing from School Chaplain, Christine Dodds, followed by some beautiful intercessions to the Holy Child of Bethlehem, and a solo recitation of Charles Causley’s ‘Mary’s Song’ poem. 

Thank you to everyone who was involved in helping to prepare the children for the service, especially Mr Johnson for the singing and instrumentalists, Mrs Oliver for working with the readers, and to Mrs Williams for planning and organising the whole event. It was a wonderful way to help families, parishioners and staff reflect upon Jesus’ birth and the true meaning of Christmas and live out our Catholic Social Teaching principle of Family and Community, by using our talents to live in service to others, just as the Bible tells us in 1 Peter 4:10, ‘As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another.’