So we named our ecumencial carol service event, and so it was.

It was hard work, and some people pushed my (and other's) patience close to its limits, but it was grrrreat.

We had just under 90 booked in for tea - mainly seniors citizens but also those taking part in the service.  We grid-locked the street with the coach dropping off about 40 seniors we had rounded up from three sheltered complexes and I, dressed in red and wearing a santa hat had to apologise to the drivers who were stranded until it moved - I think seeing Mother Claus (or a renegade from Butlins) defused any irritation!  So, we all settled down for a lovely feast, complete with crackers.

The service went really well - Methodists supplying a music group and actors, Anglicans the building and a choir and Baptists all the catering plus the service sheets and PowerPoint; we had readers from all three churches.  Based on the number of left over lightbulbs after we had given one to each person present, we had 130 in the congregation.  Not bad when the combined membership of the three churches is about 80, and quite a lot of our folk were missing.

Back into the hall for mulled Schloer, freshly brewed coffee, hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows ('cos a certain Baptist minister likes that) and mince pies before clearing up and heading home exhausted.

I feel that God smiled (even if the divine fingers had to be inserted in the divine ears when the choir sang) and everyone agreed that it had been a cracking start to Christmas.