On Wednesday 5th December Saltcoats St Cuthbert’s Guild welcomed Guilds from across North Ayrshire (Guilds Together North Ayrshire) came together for a Christingle Advent Service. We were also joined by some 30 children from the Caledonia Primary School.

We sang both traditional and more modern carols, listened to readings but also were enchanted by the children’s offering of two songs and a poem.  The poem can be viewed HERE. 

If you have never heard of Christingle before, you are not alone. Mrs Jean Hunter gave a small presentation explaining the significance of this tradition.

Christingles are made from an orange decorated with red tape, sweets and a candle (in our case a glowstick for safety reasons).

Each element of a Christingle has a special meaning and helps to tell the Christian story:
The orange represents the world
The red ribbon (or tape) symbolises the love and blood of Christ
The sweets and dried fruit represent all of God’s creations
The lit candle represents Jesus’ light in the world, bringing hope to people living in darkness.

After the service, the children returned to school and we adjourned to the hall for a very welcome cuppa and chat (something Guild members are very good at!)