Our traditional carol service lit by over fifty candles was busy with a full house of one hundred people singing their way through a busy service. Rev Derek Shaw led the service which featured the choir and the young people singing their nativity set. We once again greeted our own baby Jesus - eleven day old Chester and his family were welcomed. Interjected with the carols a variety of readers completed nine bible readings. Afterwards all were invited to retire to the school room for cakes, mince pies, tea and coffee. Thanks to all our participants both young and not so small. We even had a young drier up learning the trade for future years.
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A very wet evening with heavy rain did not deter a good number of singers from heading out along the village to raise £150 for Family Action in Coventry and CRPS which is Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Later the group went and entertained at the Railway Inn and raise a further £45. A lovely gingerbread cake made by Gill Walley was raffled and raised another £107. Many thanks to all those who listened out for us and supported us. A grand total of £302 will be forwarded split between our two charities..
A busy service where we were joined by our Romanian friends. They sang some Christmas carols both in English and Romanian which was a pleasure to hear. These families from several surrounding areas, use our church as a meeting point to maintain their Romanian traditions of worship so their children experience them. They came and joined some of us for a meal on Friday evening making the whole weekend something of a meeting between the two cultures.
At the end of the service Xavier entertained us festively.
The coffee morning today was in aid of the Salvation Army. We made £125, which included £10 for a beautiful Christmas wreath which was donated. Sheilas's daughter makes them in aid of cancer research and takes orders at £15 each. There was a good turn out, considering it was a wet morning.
Rev Derek Shaw lead our annual candlelit carol service to a very full chapel. The usual mix of carols and readings was added to with the children acting out a Nativity scene and the choir singing from John Rutter and the Twelve Days of Christmas. The later was even explained how it relates to some of the Christian elements it refers to. Four calling birds relating to the four Gospels for instance. Baby Lyla stole the show in her part as the Angel Gabriel in the nativity scene and then all joined singing Away in a Manger. After the service there was a superb spread of cakes and mince pies - we were looked after well by the ladies and their team.
Christmas scene from Alviseven on Vimeo. 12 days of Christmas from Alviseven on Vimeo. A good turn out raising £125 for the Sifa Fireside. We welcomed a few new attenders including two ladies that had lived in the village many years and had always meant to come along; hope to welcome them back next year. Forty eight shoe boxes were delivered to the Samaritans purse. Thank you to all who have assembled a box for deprived children in the Middle East.
We had two visitors from Selly Oak Methodist church today who brought our secret Santa parcel - we had no difficulty in finding some young volunteers to unwrap the hamper which contained more than enough tea, coffee and even washing-up liquid which will be in valuable for our post Sunday tea and coffee we have after most Sunday services. We celebrated with a cup of tea and coffee with them. Thank you very much to all the congregation at Selly Oak.. Volunteers keen to open the lovely hamper of tea and coffee goodies.
Today's coffee morning raised £120 for Zoe's Place a children's hospice in Coventry and a very worthwhile cause. Very good turnout after a slow start. It became a very busy coffee morning with two tiny babies in attendance. Tina & Alan's granddaughter, Eloise born on September 1st and Pauline's granddaughter Lyla Robyn born on 15th October. Both were passed around for cuddles. Marj Walton was there too so it was nice to see her out and about. Fantastic selection of cakes including a prize winning "bake off" chocolate beetroot cake! All supplied care of Christine and Susan. Vince was in charge of the raffle and an eye watering selection of raffle prizes were up for grabs. Twenty prizes in all so most of those who attended ended up with a prize! Linda announced the grand total over the year for all the coffee mornings was £1204. A really good end to the years find raising coffee mornings. Michael and Phil taking over Rob Shewards job of putting the lights on the Christmas tree, without much success with tree falling apart and one set of lights not working. Ho ho ho!!!  A grand total of 83 shoeboxes were taken today for onward transportation. This year they have gone to Romania. This massive total consisted of 46 boxes from our community and a further 37 via a member from Walmley Junior school. Our thanks to all who have contributed to make someone else Christmas just that little bit brighter. |
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