Advent Sunday was marked at Shap with a Family service in St Michael’s church. The congregation was welcomed by Revd Carole Marsden and Janet Wood was organist for a selection of lovely Advent hymns.
Members of the congregation were invited to place greenery and decorations into a frame to form the advent ring. Mrs Marsden was joined by five young people and in turn they inserted candles into the ring whilst Mrs Marsden explained the symbolism of each. The candle for the Ancient Peoples was placed by Rebecca Haslam and that for the Prophets by Katie Hale. Phoebe Marsden placed the candle representing John the Baptist and Shona Carruthers the pink one for the Virgin Mary. The final white candle representing Jesus the Light of the World was inserted by Molly Woof. The ring was blessed before the first candle was lit.
The Posada with its figures of Mary and Joseph was displayed on the altar throughout the service and this was blessed before it began its journey around the parish visiting various homes before returning to church on Christmas Eve; those present were invited to put their names in the visiting book if they wished to have the Posada in their home.
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