christmas

Christmas in Bolnore

By Dan Woodfield

You are invited to celebrate this Christmas Season with Grace Church Haywards Heath! We are a friendly family church located in the heart of the Bolnore Village Community, meeting at The Woodside Centre. The church is made up of people from different nationalities, various stages of life (we have around 30 kids every Sunday) and backgrounds. We’re very used to welcoming anyone and everyone.

We will be running a number of special Christmas Services:

Carols by Candlelight – Sunday 16th December, 4pm

– Join us as we gather to sing traditional carols under the soft glow of candlelight, enjoy mulled wine and mince pies, and reflect on the Christmas Story together. We run a Children’s Christmas Party upstairs during the Carols as well, so feel free to bring the whole family.

Christingle Service – Monday 24th December, 4pm

– On Christmas Eve, we fill The Woodside with as many people as we can fit and give a Christingle to as many children as want one. This is a family-friendly service with popular Christmas Songs, an age-appropriate Christmas Reflection and a Christingle for every child. Of course, Christmas snacks are provided both before and after the Service.

Christmas Day Celebration – Tuesday 25th December,

10.30am – On Christmas Day, we gather together to celebrate together as a local community. This is a short service with Christmas Carols and a Christmas Message to get us thinking about the significance of the birth and life of Jesus Christ. Don’t worry, we promise we’ll finish with plenty of time to get back for Christmas Lunch!

Cuckfield Christmas Light Show

Screen Shot 2013-12-17 at 10.33.53.png

You don’t have to venture far to be dazzled by a fantastic display of Christmas lights.

A Cuckfield family have been providing the village with a festive treat for the past 10 years, raising hundreds of pounds for good causes.

The display, created by Mike and Wendy Jourdain outside their home in Hatchgate Lane, has become a Christmas tradition for the village and attracts dozens of well-wishers and even the odd coach party! 

“In the past we’ve raised money for the Food Bank, Help for Heroes, Chestnut Tree House and the homeless charity Off the Fence,” said Wendy. “This year we’ve chosen Open Doors who are working in Syria.”

“It’s nice to do something that gets the family, the street and the community together.”

The couple celebrated the annual ‘switching on ceremony’ on 8th December with friends and neighbours and intend to keep the lights shining until early in the New Year.