NEWS BRIEFS

St Nicholas comes to Canterbury

Sunday’s St Nicholas celebration saw Nave full of excited faces ready to welcome St Nick to Canterbury at this joyous service. The Dean, Very Rev Robert Willis said a big thank you to the Children’s Choir made up of singers from local schools and the 1st Whitstable Scout Group Training Band, who provided music for the occasion. St Nicholas also met the Bishop of Dover, Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, former Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Trinity College, Dublin, Carol Service

One week to go until the annual TCD Carol Service. A most beautiful evening with music by the wonderful TCD Chapel Choir. Members of college will participate alongside the chaplains in reading lessons, with the Methodist chaplain bringing the reflection. You will be most welcome on Monday 16th in the Chapel at 5.05pm

 I is for…Isle of Man Cathedral music

As far as we know Cathedral Isle of Man is not only the youngest cathedral, but also the youngest cathedral choir the Friends of Cathedral Music are are featuring in their Advent Adventure. Dedicated to the Celtic St German, the cathedral itself was consecrated in 1980, but the choir was only started by its current Director, Peter Litman, in 2012 and has gone from strength to strength.

The choir, of about 30 singers, consists of trebles (boys and girls), Young Songmen and Choral Scholars, and voluntary Lay Clerks. It sings Choral services each Sunday, a Eucharist and Evensong.

On Sunday, the choir performed JS Bach’s great Advent Cantata Wachet Auf! The performance featured the choir, two Lay Clerk soloists and members of the Isle of Man Symphony Orchestra. Some of the children who took part in the performance were just 7 years old!

Friends of Cathedral Music was delighted to support the choir with a grant for equipment for the new ML Wood Song School. Many of the members of FCM saw the Song School in June this year when they visited the Island for their National Gathering – the first National Gathering on the Isle of Man.

By donating to FCM, you can help choirs like Isle of Man Cathedral to continue to flourish.

FCM was very pleased to feature Isle of Man choristers on one of FCM’s Christmas cards this year. Sales of the cards help raise funds for their grant-giving programme.

[https://fcm.org.uk/news/i-is-for-the-isle-of-man/]

Well designed church logo for Whitehead

Saint Patricks and Saint Johns United Parish of Whitehead and Islandmagee should be well pleased with their new church logo. The design incorporates the Eagle of St John with the Cross of Saint Patrick plus the Celtic Cross. It has clean lines, history, tradition and a most acceptable modern presentation.