A Christmas Carol
(not by Charles Dickens!)

Once again carol singing has been a regular feature of the diary for December. Literally thousands of people have attended carol services/concerts in All Saints church – far more than any other venue in the Maidstone area. This has given the opportunity for outreach to those whose attendance in a church is limited at other times during the year.

The story begins on Saturday the 4th December with the annual carol service of Kent Youth Trust. As in the past the singing was led by Sutton Valence Chapel Choir and the KM Band. The congregation included dignitaries from various parts of Kent illustrating the County Wide work of KYT.

On the 7th December Madginford Junior School came to All Saints for their carol service with the church full once again with children and parents. The following two days, Wednesday the 8th and Thursday the 9th All Saints was host to Maidstone Area Primary Schools for the annual Sing Around Christmas carol festival. These events were led by Derek Blease, Music Advisor to KCC, who managed to extract excellent singing from the children attending. Both festivals began with schools arriving at All Saints at 10.15am. The morning was taken up with rehearsing the chosen carols and after lunch the carols and readings were presented to an audience of parents and friends of the children attending. Over the two days of the festival over 800 children attended and with an audience of over 500 it can be seen how valuable it is for our parish to have a church the size of All Saints able to accommodate this type of venture.

Some of the children attending the Sing Around Christmas events led by Derek Blease

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

The 10th December saw St. Stephen’s Infant School presenting their Nativity play. This was an excellent production and thanks are due to the teachers and assistants at the school for their hard work in teaching the children the carols and words for the presentation. It was good to see support for the children from their parents and friends.

Kent Youth Choirs came to All Saints on the 11th of December and presented their carol festival to an audience that appeared to be more numerous than in past years. The centre nave of All Saints was full and the side aisles were also well used.

On Monday the 13th Maidstone Grammar Schoolfor Girls presented their carol service. The carols were performed to a high standard and included the school orchestra. The school musicians arrived at the church at 8.30amon the morning of the service and spent the day rehearsing. Their hard work resulted in an excellent performance.

The Business Community of Maidstone was invited to attend their carol service on Tuesday the 14th December. Each year this service is arranged by Robert Martine of Martine Waghorn Chartered Surveyors. A large congregation enjoyed the carols sung by the Chamber Choir of Maidstone Grammar Schools for Girls as well as harp music played before the service. It is also very likely that the congregation also enjoyed the refreshments provided after the service – mince pies and punch!

The Chamber Choir of Maidstone Grammar School for Girls, directed by Robert Chapman, singing at the Maidstone Business Community Carol Service

   
   
 

Anyone near to All Saints or the Broadway area of Maidstone would have witnessed the students of Maplesden Noakes Schoolwalking from their school to the church for their carols on Thursday the 16th December. Those of us who help with these carol events are always intrigued by the smooth process that brings the students from school to the church and then into their seats with such discipline but an apparent lack of fuss! The music presented included some traditional carols but then more ‘modern’ music presented by students to the obvious pleasure of the audience which, once again, filled the church to capacity.

All Saints own carol service was on the 18th December and followed the well used pattern of congregational carols and choir carols led by All Saints choir directed by Peter Richards with Brian Moore and Lionel Marchant accompanying on the organ - both organs!. Many of the congregational carols were musically enhanced by Astley Brass who also played before and after the service. Although held at 4.30pm on a Saturday the service continues to attract a large congregation – this year about 450 people attended. The refreshments provided after the service soon disappeared!

Astley Brass once again came to play at All Saints
Service of Nine Lessons and Christmas Carols

   

Maidstone Grammar School held their carol service on Monday the 20th December which again needed the use of All Saints for the whole day so that rehearsals could take place. On the following day the school returned again to All Saints for the end of term service. The number of students now attending Maidstone Grammar School means that this service has to be held twice to accommodate all of the students!

And so to Christmas Eve when at 4.00pm the Christingle Service was held. This service increases in popularity year on year and it was excellent to be able to welcome about 400 children, parents and friends to the service. Christingles were provided and the service concluded with as many children and parents gathered round the crib which had been placed in the chancel for the service. The Christingles were lit and the lights were dimmed to provide a nice atmosphere for the illumination of the crib.

The Christingle Service in All Saints on Christmas Eve

   
   
   
   

At 11.30pm a large congregation gathered for the Midnight Eucharist which led us into Christmas Day. After the Eucharist everyone went home but many of us returned later in the morning for the 10.00am Family Eucharist.

All of these events require a lot of ‘background’ support and although it is risky to pick out any particular person for fear of upsetting those not mentioned mention must be made of the contribution to the success of the Christmas celebrations this year by Roger and Sue Manuell and Brian Cannell. In particular Roger proved an able apprentice to Brian Neaves when the punch for the Business Carols was being brewed. Brian was seen to be keeping an eagle eye on the apprentice as the mixture was brewed. It has to be said that Brian was also spied in his usual place brewing the punch for the Nine Lessons and Christmas carols service.

The concentration of this report has been on All Saints because that is all that is available as the January Community is prepared for printing. Next month we shall no doubt learn about the result of the Parish Carol Singing and the Christmas celebrations at St. Philip’s and St. Stephen’s.

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