Sunday 7th January
9.30am
St. James’ Church
All Age Worship
Come and share in the journey of the 3 wise men. Children dressed as kings are welcome!
Traditional Christmas carols sung in years gone by here in Meltham – hear them here….
Over the years, there was a strong tradition of carol singing in Meltham. Like many villages, Meltham had it’s own favourite ones and even adopted one as its very own!
‘Tenderly Sleeping’ (written by Caleb Simper – an English composer and organist) became known as ‘The Meltham Carol’ though the reasons as to how that came about appear to remain unclear. This, and the other carols were often sung by the various church choirs out carol singing around the village and they could often be heard on Christmas eve and well into Christmas morning after the midnight mass.
One of the carols does however have an official link to Meltham. ‘Good night’ was written by Jacob Roberts of Meltham and he was a conductor of Meltham Choral Society sometime during the 1800’s. It was originally named ‘Good morn’ and used to be sung by the carol singers out singing around the village in the early hours on Christmas morning.
Some of you old Melthamer’s will no doubt remember them and maybe have a tale or too to tell, either of singing them or hearing them being sung.
Back in 2001, the choir at St Bartholomew’s Church recorded some of them onto CD (Meltham’s Favourite Carols) in the hope that they would not be lost and that future generations could listen to and learn them so that this longstanding village tradition can continue.
You can hear some of them here – have a listen. We hope it will either bring back memories of bygone times or help those who don’t know them to become more familiar. Maybe next year, we should have a community gathering and learn some of them together, so they’re not lost forever!
You can also hear more of these traditional village carols sung by a local group of choristers called the ‘Melvo Singers’ recorded many years ago in the 60s/70s using this link:
http://www.melthamparish.co.uk/pages/2018/12/22/meltham-carol-singers-from-the-sixties-seventies-hear-them-here/
Christmas Services in the Parish of Meltham
Never mind Elf on a Shelf, Jesus wants to see Ewe in a Pew this Christmas! 😉
Join us over this festive period here in #Meltham as we celebrate his birth!
CHRISTMAS EVE
9:30am – Short spoken Holy Communion at St Bartholomew’s Meltham
10:30am – Scratch Nativity at Meltham Methodist Church – come along and join in – costumes available!
4:00pm – Crib Service at St James’ Meltham Mills
11:30pm – Midnight Mass at St Bartholomew’s Meltham
CHRISTMAS DAY
9:30am – Christmas Day Holy Communion at St James’ Meltham Mills
11:15am – Christmas Day Holy Communion at St Mary’s Wilshaw
Please note, unfortunately there won’t be a service at Helme Church as there is no heating!
NEW YEARS EVE
10:30am – Joint Parish Service of Holy Communion at St Bartholomew’s Church Meltham.
ALL WELCOME – it’ll be good to see faces old and new – yes this means EWE! 🤣
Christmas Eve – Midnight Mass – St Bartholomew’s Church, Meltham – 11:30pm
Join us to at this special late night service of Holy Communion on Christmas eve as we celebrate the birth and welcome Jesus! There will be carols, prayers and Holy Communion. ALL WELCOME.
The service starts at 11:30pm – we aim for the service to last no more than 1 hour so everyone can get home in reasonable time (including the Vicar).
Toilets are available for those who might need one 🙂
We will also try and stream the service live on our YouTube channel for those who are not able to attend in person:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpj6ZG35fYEmZGXFBhDF_kw/live
Please note there will be no service at St Bartholomew’s on Christmas day but services will take place at 2 of our other churches in the parish:
9:30am at St James’ Meltham Mills.
11:15am at St Marys, Wilshaw.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL!
Here is the link to the event on facebook, please share to help us make people aware:
CRIB SERVICE – Christmas Eve – 4pm at St James’ Church – Meltham Mills
Join us on Christmas Eve at 4pm for our popular annual Crib Service. This is such a lovely event, perfect for anyone. Young and old – ALL WELCOME
The link to the event on facebook can be found here: https://fb.me/e/3uk3bzMV5
Please share it to help us make people aware.
FOREST CHURCH CHRISTINGLE SERVICE – Saturday 23rd Dec – 4pm at Helme Church
Join us at Christ Church, Helme for a forest church Christingle!
An interactive event with all the elements of a traditional Christingle but also using our senses to engage with God and the world around us. Meet inside church before stepping outside to follow the Christingle trail. We’ll finish off by lighting our Christingles in church and a warming hot chocolate drink!
Don’t forget to wrap up, wear some boots or wellies, maybe bring an umbrella and a torch!!
Saturday 23rd Decemember at 4pm.
The event link on facebook can be found here. https://fb.me/e/35L8xImuQ
Please share it to help us make people aware.
CAROL SERVICE – ST MARY’S CHURCH, WILSHAW – Sunday 10th December at 6pm
CHRISTMAS CHURCH SERVICES in the Parish of Meltham – 2023
COME TO CHURCH THIS CHRISTMAS – JOIN WITH US TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS! – THERE’S LOTS OF FUN FOR EVERYONE!
Saturday 9th December, Carols in the pub, at 7:30pm – The Waggon and Horses, #Meltham.
Sunday 10th December, Carol service, at 6:00pm – St Mary’s Church Wilshaw.
Sunday 17th December, Community Pop-up Nativity with carols, at 4:00pm – St Bartholomew’s Church, Meltham.
(Everyone can dress up and join in as the story unfolds – singers also needed to help sing the carols!)
Saturday 23rd December, Forest Church Christingle, at 4:00pm Christ Church, Helme.
(Please dress warmly and bring your boots and torch!)
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
Crib service, at 4:00pm – St James Church, Meltham Mills.
Midnight Communion, at 11:30pm – St Bartholomew’s Church, Meltham.
CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES
9:30am St James, Meltham Mills.
11:15am St Marys, Wilshaw.
Christmas Jumper Sunday!
We’ve all got ‘em! Those fabulous, loud, cheesey Christmas jumpers. Wear yours to church on Sunday 17th December!
Carols in the Pub – Sat 9th December 2023 at the Waggon & Horses, Meltham
Come and sing carols from your heart!
The next highlight of Meltham’s Christmas – we’ve had Carols in the Park in the slightly Christmassy cold, come and join us around the piano in the warmth at the Waggon and Horses in #Meltham for our popular annual evening of festive song and cheer………..and beer! (other drinks are available, including mulled wine!)
Saturday 9th December 2023 from 7:30pm onwards.
Parish Magazine – December 2023 / January 2024 – double issue
Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year!
A very warm welcome to those who may be reading this for the first time. We hope you like it and find
something that interests you in it. The magazine is available in our Churches or on the Church website:
melthamparish.co.uk
Thank you to all who have contributed this month and throughout the last year. I really couldn’t make the magazine it is without you. This month is a great Christmas edition and you can find all about what is happening in our Churches this Christmas on the centre pages. Also there are ideas on how to make it a more greener Christmas on page 9 , and a lovely remake of 1 Corinthians 13 on page 13. There is BIG NEWS on page 11 on how this magazine is changing so do check that out.
The deadline of the February magazine will be Monday 22nd January 2024. Please send submissions via:
melthamparishmagazine@gmail.com or via the vicarage letterbox (150 Huddersfield Rd, HD9 4AL).
God Bless,
Fiona.
