After delivering some last cards, the church was three parts full when I arrived, to find to my relief and pleasure everyone busy doing things; David Rawlings ringing the bells, Tom Wall lighting the candles, Jean Wall attending to the Communion, George Huntbach and Don George handing out orders of service books and carol sheets and George later assisting with the Communion and Don Hearn putting us in the festive frame of mind with the organ. To our great pleasure people kept on coming so that we eventually had to put some chairs in the aisle and had a total of over a hundred present for Revd Claire Lording to lead in prayers and carols.
The church had been beautifully decorated including the large tree donated, transported, set up and adorned by the Huntbach family. Claire kept the children and others guessing what Christmas item was in the bag and wouldn’t let me keep the Christmas pudding! The service concluded with refreshments; thanks to the Huntbach family for providing and serving them and to all who helped to clear up after. Thanks also to Louisa Nesbitt for reading a lesson and to Colin Small and Connor Huntbach for carrying out the collection and to all who brought presents to place under the tree. The latter were later taken to Tenbury by Margaret George for forwarding to needy children. The collection for Save the Children raised £279.