Midnight Communion "a special, sacred time"

For those of us at the very heart of the life of a local parish church, the sheer number of services sometimes means that the carols and Christmas readings are difficult to hear in fresh ways. But one service usually leads me to a moment where the hair stands up on my neck, the midnight Christmas Communion.

It's a time to be hushed, for the waiting of all of Advent to intensify. The yearning and longing for the appearance of our Saviour builds into a joyous but contemplative celebration.

Our service begins at 11:30pm and will end at about 12:45am, when we all slip away into the darkness of an early Christmas morning.