Thread: carolling Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Mudfrog (# 8116) on :
 
In our city shopping centre (what we now have to call a 'Mall', apparently) The Salvation Army band played carols this afternoon for 2 hours. We were preceded by a very good community choir singing to raise money for a sup kitchen; we were followed by a children's choir raising money for cancer research.

Does anyone here get involved in carol singing/playing?
 

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Posted by Gamaliel (# 812) on :
 
To an extent ... I've done so more in the past. The Baptist church we were part of in a large northern city used to lay on an excellent carols event in a local park - with carols, candles, a donkey, fireworks, tableaux, a short but punchy talk and a smooth jazz version of 'God rest ye merry gentlemen ...'

It was a terrific 'do' and one of the best 'public' events I've seen a church of any stripe lay on. I miss it every year now we've moved elsewhere.

It was a good 'witness' in evangelical terms and very uncheesy. Anecdotally, I know of one person who clearly found faith not long after they'd attended and who later said that the service was one of the main catalysts in the process ... they'd gone back to university after the Christmas break and sought out a church to attend as a result of attending the carol service in the park.

Even if it wasn't for things like that, it was still a worthwhile thing in and of itself.
 

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Posted by sabine (# 3861) on :
 
I used to organize simple caroling when my nieces were young. Just a few of us in the neighborhood, with the girls carrying candy canes to give to anyone who opened their doors. I had a lot of positive feedback and continued for several years.

One day, two people in the neighborhood inserted themselves into this tradition and caused a lot of discord as they attempted to get our small group to 1)set up practice sessions so we'd sound more like a real choir, 2) limit the places we sang to homes they approved of, etc.

Rather than have a falling out at Christmas time, the girls and I simply offered to let them organize things. For all their attempts to influence this event toward the way they wanted it to be, they had no interest in organizaing.

So it continued as always until the girls grew older and began to do holiday stuff with their friends.

sabine

[ 03. December 2012, 18:25: Message edited by: sabine ]
 

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Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
Our choir and bellringers go around the nursing homes singing and ringing carols. My favourite time is when we visit the Hospital on Christmas Eve.
 

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Posted by SyNoddy (# 17009) on :
 
We'll be heading down the pub for our annual Beer & Carols the week before Christmas. Does that count?
 

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Posted by Rosa Winkel (# 11424) on :
 
Carol singing in Poland as I knnow it, when not done in church is done at home, around the table on the evening of the 24th. This year I'll be singing with my wife and mother-in-law, both of whom would not describe themselves as believers. I had a strange experience this year for the Epiphany where I did a party and many friends came, hardly any of whom attend church and some who have been hurt by the church. I mentioned to someone that I like a certain Polish carol for the Epiphany and then everyone sung it.

I've done the "go to hospitals/streets/homes and sing carols" thing many times, but sense in Poland that I'm experiencing evangelism of a different nature.
 

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Posted by Bishops Finger (# 5430) on :
 
About 10-12 of us visit our two parish pubs and one club (i.e. licensed social club - UK shippies will know what I mean) on the Saturday evening before Christmas. We sing carols and collect dosh for our local Hospice.

Seems to go down well - a bit of evangelism and a bit of fundraising for a good cause (and one of the pubs does a wicked home-brewed cider....).

There's not much point singing round the streets in our parish - everyone's either indoors glued to the telly (and not wanting to be disturbed) or down the pub (or club).

Ian J.
 

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Posted by Gramps49 (# 16378) on :
 
Singing Christmas carols at nursing homes is all well and good, the residents do seem to appreciate it. However, what about the rest of the year? We go all out during this season, but the rest of the year not so much.

As much as nursing home residents love to have carolers they would also appreciate an occasional one on one visit, especially if they have no family nearby.

An idea: arrange to take a group of young people (Sunday School kids) to a nursing home at least four times a year, during the "off season," if not once a month. The kids can do crafts with the elderly or read to them (or be read to by them) and even sing a song or two.
 

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Posted by Mudfrog (# 8116) on :
 
Here in Newcastle we play carols in a mall for three saturdays, visit 3 hospitals, 2 hospices, play for two community street carolling sessions and go round two estates from lamppost to lamppost. We will also be playing at an Anglican church, the RC cathedral and an ecumenical service held in a social club.

In October, November and January to April we go to a nursing home every Sunday lunchtime after the morning service, we also visit two hospices, as well as playing for their Easter Sunday service.

From May to September, after the morning service, we play traditional and contemporary hymns on the main pedestrianised shopping street.
 

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Posted by Pine Marten (# 11068) on :
 
We go out carol singing around the parish on the Tuesday and Thursday evenings in the week before Christmas. There may be any number of singers from 8 or so up to 15 or 20. Volunteers from the group (usually the children) do the door-knocking, and we collect money for the local cold weather shelter.

We normally have a good time (ending up with mulled wine & mince pies in the vicarage) and people give quite generously.
 

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Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :
 
In Blairgowrie we were taught lots of the Christmas Carols and a big group of us, in secondary school, used to sing carols in several places, lots for elderly and handicapped people, and also including the main place in the centre of the town on the streets, just before Christmas. It was a whole evening/night! And we did enjoy it, and had something to eat at the school head's home.
 

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Posted by Unda Maris (# 4983) on :
 
We venture out carol singing most years. We take along a piano accordion (me) as it makes plenty of racket with no power supply needed, and can carry on warbling while the rabble move to the next streetlight. Fingerless gloves essential.

Mind you, it is becoming more and more difficult to raise an audience, due to double-glazing and that scourge of carollers, the security-controlled block of flats!!
 

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Posted by Spike (# 36) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by SyNoddy:
We'll be heading down the pub for our annual Beer & Carols the week before Christmas. Does that count?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
This year I'm going to try to gather some to sing along to a CD of Messiah. None of my churches are willing to do that, singing along with a CD just for the fun of singing is not good enough quality music for them, but they don't have enough good soloists to do Messiah as a concert.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
This year I'm going to try to gather some to sing along to a CD of Messiah. None of my churches are willing to do that, singing along with a CD just for the fun of singing is not good enough quality music for them, but they don't have enough good soloists to do Messiah as a concert.

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quote:

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Originally posted by ExclamationMark:
... not a zillion miles away from a railway museum and lots of roundabouts.

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I didn't know that Hemel Hempstead had a railway museum ... take me to it
 

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Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
Thank you for calling "Messiah" by its proper name!

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quote:

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Originally posted by leo:
So what's its IMproper name?

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