Chesham Preparatory School - [unknown placeholder $category.title$]

The Middle School Christingle Service

Middle School has been rehearsing songs, speeches and dances since the end of the Autumn term, in readiness for their Christingle Service at St Mary’s Church on Tuesday 7th December. The cold, crispy climate encouraged them to feel full of the Christmas spirit and many parents attended what was a wonderful and special start to the Christmas season.

Everyone happily sang ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’, ‘Christmas is Coming’, ‘Hope of Heaven’, ‘The Candlelight Carol’ and ‘Sing Christingle’. Many felt anxious before the service started but everyone sang really well and the parents thought we sounded amazing. Some were very touched by the beautiful tunes and words of the songs. Alice welcomed the parents, Mrs Radcliffe, our Head Teacher told us a lovely, wonderful Christingle story and the Reverend Simon Cansdale quizzed us on God being humble and vulnerable.

There were two exciting dances, ‘A Christmas Jig’ by Year 4 and the Year 3 ‘A Christmas Carol’. We quietly tiptoed to the back of the church and skipped down the aisle onto the stone stage when the music began. We skipped and jigged on the warm floor in the hot church. We were very good! The Drama groups told us about Jesus being the light of the world and likened the light to torches, lamps, candles, headlights, traffic lights and miner’s head lamps. They spoke clearly and we heard every word. Ben, Jonnie and Matthew felt scared when it was their turn to perform the ‘Wonder Poem’, but it was very expressive and very good. The prayers were also beautifully spoken. The Training Choir beautifully sang ‘Let There Be Peace On Earth’. Their pure voices filled every area of the church. The singing by the Middle School was delightful. Near the end of the service we collected our Christingles then sang about the meaning of each part:

‘...The orange represents the earth,

With all its fruits portrayed...

...And so to represent His blood

The fruit is bound with red...

...He gave his son to show the way

And be for us the Light...’