Held at St. Oswald’s Preesall on the first Sunday after Christmas and billed as the ‘BIG SING’, the joint service across the Over Wyre Benefice was always going to be a very musical affair. With seasonal carols at its heart, it did not disappoint!
The service opened with an invitation:
“O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels…”
Such a rousing tune with imperative language worked its magic and immediately got the congregation in a participatory frame of mind!
Fr. Peter led the service and enthusiastically welcomed those gathered. He spoke of how Christmas lasts for twelve glorious days and that on this ‘FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS’ we may not have the statutory ‘five gold rings’, but we do have the joy of five golden parishes (spread across six churches) who have come together to celebrate the season!
What followed, was a series of familiar Bible readings from the gospels of Matthew and Luke, thought-provoking modern poetry, monologues and amusing drama sketches (each chosen by individual churches) interspersed with much-loved carols such as ‘Once in royal David’s city’, ‘While Shepherds watched their flocks by night’ and ‘Good King Wenceslas’.
The choirs of St. James’ and St. Oswald’s amalgamated to lead the singing and also deliver some anthems such as ‘Love came down at Christmas’ and ‘O how joyfully’.
Prayers and a blessing led to the final carol, ‘Hark! The Herald Angels sing’.
As usual, the congregation were all invited to stay for refreshments and share a bit of fellowship time together, before heading off to get the remainder of Sunday underway.
Lungs had been exercised, the church roof had been metaphorically raised and a successful Benefice-wide ‘BIG SING’ was over, for another year.