Carol Singing in North Anston

Revd Angela Pothecary tells us about the joy of carol singing in North Anston in the Trinity Circuit.

She said: "It was our third year that North Anston chapel members had decided to bring some Christmas joy by simply singing Carols in the streets of North Anston.

"Previous two years we had gone wider afield up into the council estate and even though we had advertised we had felt we hadn't really been heard. So we decided with some of our carolers not able to walk too far, that we would focus our singing to the smaller estate behind the chapel. This allowed more singers to come and join us and it was wonderful to have people from the several community groups that meet at the church including shoebox ladies sing for joy group and meet and make group. A true coming together church and non church folk, some even bringing their friends.

"And "what a joy to behold" as the familiar popular christmas song of old goes. We made sure that we strategically stood where we could see people in the houses. Rather than just outside the houses with Christmas lights but no one home. It worked a treat we had families and young children waving from bedroom windows and out on the doorsteps. Babies in the arms of their mums and dads stood on doorsteps despite the chilly night air. We reached more people and spoke to more people that night than we had in all the other two years we had done the singing.The young children smiling and waving made our night and it all worth while. One lady came out and she said we had made her night as she had got ready to go out to her Christmas party she loved hearing the carols that we sang. She really appreciated it. Even an elderly lady came out and wanted to give us money. She was so touched when we said we were not collecting . To say we are not a choir we sounded pretty good I reckon.

"Once we had covered as many of the cul de sacs as possible we headed back to the chapel for hot chocolate marshmellows and cream and cakes and mince pies. The fellowship continued there for quite a while, no one rushing to go home. Holy spirit , the joy love and peace of Christmas alive and bring and excited buzz to our conversations.

"This has been a true from little acorns grow. From a suggestion made at an autumn church council about carol singing in the community by me, it became a reality that first Christmas and to think in three years how it has evolved is credit to the congregation who believe all things can be possible with God."