Pining
for
the
Trees...?
A page of
impressions, memories and reflections on the December 2009 Christmas
Tree Festival at St Faith's, after the last pine needles embedded in
the church carpets had been hoovered up.
A good many months ago, a small group
of the usual suspects sat down to
think up ways of raising funds to reduce the church overdraft and meet
the ever-increasing demands of the Diocesan Parish Share (or Quota, as
we used to call it). That meeting resulted, in the fullness of time, in
the resurrection of the Talents Scheme, of which you will have read in
past months, and which as the year ends is fast approaching the
£2,000 mark.
The Talents idea was not new… but
Margaret Houghton’s idea of a
Christmas Tree Festival was, at least to us. The plan was to invite
local charities, churches and individuals to sponsor a tree to adorn
the church for a week in Advent, collecting money for their chosen good
causes, and at the same time raise some money for the church. The idea
was explained and enthusiastically adopted (worth a go, although who
knew how successful it might be?) and the rest, as the cliché
has it, is history.
In the event, the ten days or so of
concentrated activity leading up to
and including the week of the actual Festival proved to be just about
the most worthwhile, enjoyable and all-round excellent thing to have
hit St Faith’s in this writer’s (long) memory. The full story of the
event, from the arrival of the trees to sweeping up a million fallen
needles on the day after we closed, is recorded in the form of a
sequence of pages, illustrated by this writer’s photographs, on
the church website. If you haven’t visited it, and have the means to do
so, go to www.stfaithsgreatcrosby.org.uk/treestale.html and take it
from there. Last month’s Newslink carried some pictures as well. What
follows are a few impressions of some of the highlights of a colourful
week of outreach and celebration.
Seeing St Faith’s now in its normal
spacious mode, it is already hard
to envisage forty trees, festooned with lights, tinsel and baubles,
attended with collection buckets and appropriate literature, thronging
the nave (six-a-side on platforms on the pews up against the pillars)
and every part of the church (at the back, in both side chapels, in
serried ranks flanking the nave altar, the choir and below the high
altar). They came, they were de-netted, they were positioned, and an
army of volunteers transformed them into a festival of colour and
light. All were a delight, and all attracted admiring comments and
donations. Wrong to single any out, perhaps, but the ‘Dentistree’, hung
with molars and dentures and topped with a giant tooth (fairy) deserves
honourable mention! At the back, food and drink was served and
there was just room for tables for folk to relax and enjoy the view and
the refreshments. On sale also were the products of the ubiquitous St
Faith’s Jam Factory (with suitably seasonal tops), other food items and
an enticing range of decorations, jewellery, scarves and other goods.
At the Sunday morning services
just before the Festival opened
and on the day after it closed, priests, choir and people manoeuvred
happily round the arboreal obstacles impeding their liturgical spaces
(i.e. dodged the trees). Throughout the week, to the accompaniment of
soft background music, and some batches of visiting school parties
providing occasional choral entertainment, a stream of visitors came
and went in every corner of the church, and pronounced themselves well
pleased with what they saw. The entries in the visitors’ book say it
all…
‘Great idea... spectacular… absolutely
fabulous… loved every minute… a
beautiful start to the season… such a lovely atmosphere… how different
the church looks… magic…very moving… well done and thank you… so
generous of you… what a good way to involve the community and young
people… amazing and uplifting… you MUST do it next year!’
So what was special about the week? A
strong and uplifting sense of
fellowship among all those who helped in so many ways: stewarding,
selling, welcoming, erecting, cleaning up or just being there: the St
Faith’s ‘family’ feeling has surely never been so strong. An
astounding effort of organisation by Margaret Houghton and Maureen
Madden, her right-hand woman. A very real outreach to the
thousand or so people who visited during the week, many of whom
had never been inside our church, and more than a few who wished their
churches could do something as adventurous and worthwhile. Goodly sums
of money raised for the various good causes, and a share for us. A very
definite feeling of belonging to and doing something for our community
rather than being a gathered congregation set apart although in its
midst.
And a place of prayer for many. We set
up a prayer tree in the Chapel
of the Cross and invited people to write a prayer and hang it on the
tree, not knowing if it would see any use. By the end of the week it
was festooned with petitions, ranging from children’s Christmas wishes
to heartfelt prayers on behalf of sick friends and relatives. One in
particular touched our hearts and stands as a testimony to the value of
our Christmas Tree Festival, our place in our parish, and its needs.
‘Thank you God for all these lovely trees,’ it read. ‘Please help all
those who are suffering from the terrible floods in Cumbria. And please
look after my Daddy in heaven.’
Chris
Price
It was certainly not possible to have
foreseen the success of the Christmas Tree Festival. Initially,
when the approximate number of trees had to be ordered around the end
of September, it became apparent that I knew nothing about how to
organise this event. However, with a considerable amount of
footwork introducing myself and the idea to local charity
representatives, and subsequently to local businesses, we were
off. The idea was embraced with much enthusiasm by all the people
approached to sponsor a tree, followed by a tremendous input by the
members of St. Faith’s who gave their all to make the event a
success. A committee was not formed: this was too formal for the
requirements, but a group of six ladies met, pens and paper at the
ready and from then on there was no stopping us. We could hardly think
of anything else, such was our determination to have ‘a good
show’.
From the day the trees were delivered
spot on time by the suppliers, Tony Almond, to the day of the
dismantling was like a dream. Some trepidation was experienced as
to whether all the publicity had been enough - what had been
forgotten? But from the moment the first visitors came through
the doors at 12.55 pm on the opening day, the festival opening at 1
pm., I felt a thrill of excitement and knew it was going to be a very
special week. From comments written in the Visitors' Book many
people were visiting the church for the first time, others after a long
absence: comments about the delightful atmosphere and warm welcome,
what better way to bring our church to the community; on top of which
over £4,000 was collected, enabling £2,700 to be
distributed to the charities and nearly £1,500 being given to the
church.
Overall an incredible occasion, made
possible by the tireless support by the aforementioned ladies without
whose help the event could not have been the fantastic experience it
was. Thank you all so much. Also my thanks to the gallant
band of good humoured gentlemen who arrived each evening to help count
the takings.
Margaret
Houghton
... and here
endeth the Tale of the Trees - until next time!
Go to
the first page of the tale of the trees
Back to the home page