St Paul’s Anglican Church Hosts Community Christmas Carols - FULL ARTICLE

Excerpt from Sumpton’s Gold Rush Gazette - Friday 12th of December 2025

Community Christmas Carols and Lessons banner out the front of St Paul's Anglican Church on Gill Street

(photo provided by St Paul's Anglican Church)

By St Paul's Anglican Church - Licensed Lay Minister Colleen Brown

St Paul’s Anglican Church, with great thanks to our sponsor Jack Watson from Queenton Landscaping, is hosting a service of Lessons and Carols on Sunday 14 December starting at 6:00pm.

As we know, Christmas is almost upon us and sometimes in the rush to buy presents to decorate homes and businesses and buy and serve meals to family and friends, we can forget the real meaning of Christmas.

Two thousand years ago, our Lord Jesus Christ was born in a humble stable in Bethlehem. This baby grew to become a wonderful teacher and friend to the marginalized of his time. He offered hope to those in need and encouraged all to be accepting of each other.

Today, in our modern world we need to be reminded of these lessons of love and to adopt these same practices. We live in a broken world where many people are hurting. This is what has inspired the congregation of St Paul’s Anglican Church to present our service of Lessons and Carols on 14 December. Our readings will focus on telling the Christmas story and we will sing many much-loved traditional carols.

Christmas, customarily, is a time spent with family and friends, but it does not have to incur great expense. Christmas can be very lonely for some and that’s why St Paul’s is reaching out to the community as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.

We can look forward to an evening of uplifting hope. Glenn Lang will be our organist and our singing will be bolstered by the voices of the Charters Towers Choristers. Given the busyness of the season, we are most appreciative of the willingness of these performers. Christmas time is about giving and that is what these wonderful people are doing – giving of their time and their talents to bring joy to our community.

Following our service, please join us for a sausage sizzle in our gardens. St Paul’s congregational members have worked tirelessly this year to improve and beautify our gardens, and this newly restored area is the perfect setting for our sausage sizzle. We are indebted to members of the Dalrymple Regional Lions Club who, whole-heartedly, indicated their support. Like the members of St Paul’s, they saw this opportunity of promoting community spirit as paramount.

Entrance to our church service is free. Battery operated candles will be on sale for $2 per candle. Proceeds raised from the sale of these candles will support the Christmas Bowl Appeal; an ecumenical tradition which raises funds for humanitarian aid. St Paul’s Church contributes to this appeal annually.

In the church, there will be a rather plain Christmas tree. As we know, Christmas trees are meant to be bright and adorned with colourful baubles and tinsel. All attendees at our service are invited to contribute $1. For this small sum of money, you can select a decoration and, personally, hang it on the tree. Money raised will also support the Christmas Bowl Appeal.

For primary school aged children attending the service of Lessons and Carols, you will be offered a small gift from under the Christmas tree. This will be a gift which, through its use, can be used to bring shared happiness and laughter to others.

The sausage sizzle is free, but a donation can be made to support the work of the Lions Club.

Our message to the community is simply this – we wish everyone a safe, happy and holy Christmas as we praise God for sending us His Son. It is important that we look after and care for one another. Let us remember those who this Christmas are elderly, not well, grieving, lonely, separated from family members and for those who feel that all hope is lost.

Please consider joining one of the church families this Christmas as we celebrate the real reason for Christmas – the birth of Christ. There is a place for you at our local churches where you can find solace, company and, of course, the hope, peace, joy and love of the Christmas season.

All are welcome to attend.