04.12.2015
The Christmas Story in Trees – Crinken Christmas Tree Festival On This Weekend
St James’s Church, Crinken has been transformed into a magical Christmas wonderland. Crinken Christmas Tree Festival ‘The Journey to Bethlehem’ was officially lit up last night and for one weekend only the church is filled with almost 50 beautifully decorated trees. Together they tell the Christmas story from the visit of the Angel Gabriel to Mary to the birth of Jesus with further trees illustrating His life and character.
The festival is open from 10.00 am until 9.00 pm today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday December 4 and 5) and from 2.00 pm to 8.00 pm on Sunday. Admission is free and donations are invited towards Crinken’s food bank, The Storehouse, which works alongside a number of charities in Bray and Shankhill providing parcels of food where a need has been identified.
The 49 trees have been decorated by parish groups, local schools, community groups and businesses. From six foot natural fir trees, to sculpted ones made from books, tyres and other materials, each tells, with a Bible Verse, a part of the Christmas story. The trees include the Shepherd’s Tree, the Journey Tree, the Good News Tree and the Angel’s Tree.
The festival is part of Crinken’s 175th anniversary celebrations and the lights were turned on last night by Archbishop Michael Jackson who described it as a Christmas pilgrimage. He praised the organisers for opening up the doors of the church to visitors and inviting them to connect with Christmas and with God.
The Rector of Crinken, the Revd Trevor Stevenson, came up with the idea for the cross–community spectacular following a visit to a similar festival in Castleblayney last year. Last night he thanked the team who had helped put the festival together and hoped visitors over the weekend would be touched and moved by what they see inside the church.
The festival takes place entirely inside the church so people can take a break from the wild weather which is forecast. There are also refreshments available.
For more on the festival see: https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasTreeFestivalCrinken
There are more photographs on the Dublin and Glendalough Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DublinandGlendalough
To read about The Storehouse see:
http://dublin.anglican.org/news/2015/11/Crinkens-Storehouse-Provides-Food-For-Families-in-Need
Photo captions:
Top: Festival Coordinator Glenys Good, Archbishop Michael Jackson and the Revd Trevor Stevenson.