Angels and Stars

A big morning for St Luke’s today, as we had our annual Christmas Bazaar. I spent quite a bit of cash on some bits and pieces for gifts, which has been a good start to my Christmas shopping. Hopefully we will find out tomorrow how much we have raised for the charities.

Today was also the opening day of our Christmas Tree Festival with the theme this year of ‘Angels and Stars’. The church looks beautiful, filled with many pretty trees, some twinkling with lights. They’ve been decorated by various schools and groups from around Tiptree village. You can get a small flavour of the festival from my two Extras. The tree in my main photo was sponsored by one of the local funeral directors who of course often work closely with our church. Visitors are invited to write the name of a loved one on a star to hang on this special Memory Tree. I have dedicated a star on behalf of my sister and myself to our dear Mum, Dad and sister, which you can see in the picture beneath an angel. On a poster beside the tree, there is a little verse -

Those we love don't go away;
They walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard but always near.
Still loved, still missed, and very dear.