A big free gift 4 U

Thanks to Andrew Stammers , who has sent us this account of Christmas at Radstock Baptist Church in Somerset:

Our theme this Christmas in our outreach events was "A big free gift 4U".

We started by giving away free hot chocolate and mince pies at the turning on of the Christmas lights in the town. Each cup had a Christmas message printed on it. A great opportunity to meet the community and share the joy of Christ's birth.

At our Nativity service a giant Christmas pudding was made the traditional way with 13 separate ingredients (most of the ingredients landed up on the floor!)  which traditional represented Christ and the 12 disciples. No silver six pence was added as the gift of Christ at Christmas is not hidden. Everybody took home a Christmas pudding as a gift and the children had a bag of chocolate coins. Hopefully this will help them remember the meaning of Christmas although when asked why we have Christmas puddings at Christmas one young lad very confidently and seriously said "because that was what Jesus ate at the last Supper"!

On Christmas day Father Christmas appeared from within a giant 10 foot present (to the shock of the congregation!) with presents to named individuals plus, puzzling to him, a small baby (doll!) with a gift tag "4U". We discovered that it was for everybody - even those who had not behaved well, which Father Christmas found hard to accept.
 

Blessings
Andrew

Radstock Baptist Church