St Mary's Church, Dymock

The church divides the year into eight main Seasons, each with one or more Major Festivals, that remind us of the important times in the life and work of God and Jesus, and consequently have major significance for his followers, so are usually observed by most Christians.

As well as the seasons and major festivals, the church celebrates several 'Special Days' throughout the year to remember, honour or support our work in God's world. Celebration of the 'Special Days' is usually optional, Christians chose which they want to include.

Christmas - Religious Festival

Easter is the most important Christian Festival as it celebrates Jesus re-establishing our relationship with God that had been spoilt by our inability to keep to his rules but, especially in western Europe, most people now put greater emphasis on the non-religious or traditional parts of Christmas, especially in shops, many of which start their Christmas activities several weeks if not months before the Christian festival. We have therefore explained Christmas in two parts - the religious festival and the non-religious traditions.
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The church's season of Christmas lasts 12 days and runs between Advent and Epiphany. Unlike the modern commercialism of Christmas that begins several week, if not months, earlier, the church's celebration doesn't begin until Christmas Day - December 25th - and lasts for the next 12 days (hence the Carol 'The 12 Days of Christmas'). It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and is the second most important Festival after Easter (which is the most important), although most people prefer Christmas as it's a season of merriment and partying in the otherwise dull period of midwinter (at least in the northern hemisphere). It gets its name from Christ-Mass, the church's Mass or Service for Christ.
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No-one knows the date of Jesus' birthday - most cultures have many festivals and the Roman Empire was no different, they had a Festival in winter called 'Saturnalia' after one of their pagan gods, Saturn. It involved much merriment and was very popular, so the early Christians who lived at that time adopted that date as the date for celebrating Jesus' birthday to direct the Christians into worshipping Jesus rather than Saturn.
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The season of Advent immediately before Christmas used to be austere, a time of reflection and preparation before the exertions of Christmas itself. In more recent times, there has been commercial pressure in the shops to sell Christmas products and presents, with corresponding emphasis on joyful Christmas activities rather than the more austere Advent ones. So in the secular world, Christmas preparation and celebration now tends to start some months before December 25th and occupy the period previously taken up by Advent.

Carols (special songs) are often sung before Christmas (see 'Nine Lessons and Carols') but are especially sung at the Services on Christmas Day and at the rest of the Services held during the 12 days of the Christmas season. The music of traditional carols follows a typical medieval chord pattern, which gives them a special sound.
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They were often sung by a group of singers moving round the area, sometimes collecting money for a good cause such as a charity, with the singers being invited into people's homes for a warm drink and traditional food such as mince pies. This still happens in many places today, although more usually now during the Advent season before Christmas Day. (Return to Top)

Many churches hold a special Service a few days before Christmas, or on Christmas Eve (December 24th), aimed especially at children, where the focus is on the manger or crib in which the baby Jesus was laid immediately after his birth, together with the account of Mary and Joseph's journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, sometimes with a real donkey and people to represent the characters in the story. For the past 4 years, Dymock has held such a Service on Christmas Eve on the village green in front of the church (with a live donkey and people). Many of the children come dressed as angels, shepherds or wise men.

Midnight Communion: In the last 40 years or so, it has become common for many churches to hold a celebratory Service starting at say 11:30pm on Christmas Eve (December 24th) so the Service has progressed to receiving the bread and wine that remind us of Jesus at, or just after, midnight - the 'First Communion of Christmas'. In many churches, this Service is candlelight to add to the celebratory atmosphere. Dymock holds such a Service every year, but in recent years not by candlelight.
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Christmas Day Communion: Many churches also hold a special Service of Holy Communion (Mass) on Christmas Day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This will usually include Christmas Carols and is often especially celebratory with the best robes for the clergy, great church decorations - especially flowers, and special anthems or religious songs if there is a choir.

Some churches hold a non-Communion 'Family' Service on Christmas Day as well as the Christmas Communion Service, whilst others hold only the Family Service, since the celebratory Communion was deemed to be have been held at midnight - Dymock adopts this latter approach - just the Family Service.
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In Dymock, the Family Service is very informal and the children are encouraged to bring one of their Christmas presents to show everyone during the Service as a reminder that it's Jesus' birthday we're celebrating - Jesus' birthday. (Return to Top)