The Christingle Service is a Service of candle lights.

Christingle has its origins in Eastern Europe, where very many years ago
people gathered in the street, sang carols and collected gifts to help the
less fortunate in the community.

The Church of England Children's Society has adopted this service as way of
raising funds for the children resident in these homes. Each year during the
season of Advent, in Churches right across Britian, the service is held in
churches, and the pooling of funds raised sent to the church of England
Children's Children's Society to assist with their work.

In 1979 for the first time the Christingle Service was introduced into
Barbados at the St Ambrose Church. It is intended that wherever this service
is held, it should, make room to accomodate local custom.

Since those early days, the service has been held in six other Anglican
Churches and continues to spread throughout the Diocese. Two Primary schools
and one non Anglican Church have also held Christingle Services. Each year
during Advent and the Christmas season where ever this service is held, it
brings much joy to those who share in the service.

At the Church of St Leonard's our Sunday School Children get the opportunity
to put on their Christmas programme and the offering collected assists with
some worthy cause.

Though it is a beautiful candle light service of hymns, carols, recitations
and bible readings, Christingle goes beyond a candle light service it tells
a story.

The story is represented in the following Symbols:

An orange which represents the world.

A red band placed around the orange to symbolise the blood of Jesus shed for
his people.

Tooth picks decorated with fruits (rasins, prunes, etc.) are placed at the
four corners of the orange representing the people of the world.

A candle in the center of the orange when lighted represents the light of
Christ to the world.