First Sunday after Epiphany

Acts 8: 14-17 Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22

The Christingle

A Christingle service has formed part of the church’s calendar for many years. The service is often held in the weeks leading up to the Christmas festivities. But it also lends itself to being held in the season around the Epiphany. Whenever it is held, the format of the Christingle itself changes little. An orange has a red band around its circumference, rather like an equator, four cocktail sticks each with fruit or sweets on them pushed into the orange, and a candle with a foil sleeve pushed into the top of the orange.

The orange represents the world. But this is all too simplistic. The world is complex. It has continents all very different from each other. Some are freezing cold whilst others are at the other end of the spectrum by being baking hot.

If we look under the surface of the orange there is the pith. Every part of the orange has pith associated with it. This is the population of people which may be found in every land. To maintain the sanctity of the pith it must remain whole. Likewise, for the world to function we all must work together for where there are factions the wholeness is broken.

Delving deeper into the orange we find the segments. Here we see the individual countries which together make up the earth. Each country is complete in its individuality, yet each depends upon its neighbours to maintain the whole. Within each segment are the individual pockets containing the juice. They are the lifeblood of the orange. They give it its own unique flavour. No two pockets are the same. They are like the people on earth. We are all different. Can you imagine what it would be like to have two or more …….

Then we have the pips, the life seed of the orange. They, if allowed to grow would produce more trees from which more oranges Could be harvested. The pips can be likened to the world leaders and governments. They carry the responsibility for the progression of the world. Remove the pips and then the orange has no future. Remove the people who form governments then the population would wander through life aimlessly.

Into the world there are four sticks with fruit on them. Here we have the seasons that give us the variation in life. The fruit on the sticks represents the harvests for each season. Each season has its own fruit. Whilst it is true that some countries grow particular food according to the season the whole earth depends upon the harvested food being distributed and shared. Looking in the shops it is possible to buy bananas, for example, anywhere and at any time, yet there are not many bananas grow in Scotland in the cold winter months. The fruit and food we have we share to enable people to be fed.

The red band encircling the orange could be argued to be holding it all together, like a safety belt. It is there to protect us. The red band represents the blood of Christ spilled out for all people regardless of who they are or where they live. On that Good Friday Jesus was nailed to the Cross and died. By his death he saved mankind from its sinful ways. That sacrifice was made in love. It is a love that is around the world. It is there for us all. We just have to reach out for it is there to grasp.

The candle is Jesus. He is over the world. The flame is the light of Christ. It shines in the daytime and it shines in the darkness. The light is the love of Christ. That love is there for everyone. The foil at the top of the orange is the crown. The candle and the paper are together as Jesus wears the crown of his Kingship.

Holding the Christingle in your hand you are, in effect, holding the world. Then future of the world is in your hands. You have Christ to guide you and lighten your path before you. You have God’s creation. We have been entrusted with its care, and the care of the people who populate the world.

Collect for the First Sunday after Epiphany

Eternal Father,

who at the baptism of Jesus

revealed him to be your Son,

anointing him with the Holy Spirit:

grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,

that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.