Whilst all our preparations were going on, outside, the market stall holders were also busy preparing:

Turner New Leaf were busy getting their chutneys out:

Pom Pom Heaven were also getting ready:

Our thanks go to the Goldthorpe Development Group whose vision and action have made the Christmas Market such a wonderful community event for us all and to the volunteers who helped with the setting up and taking down of the market, marshalling the traffic and ensuring a safe and peaceful event for all. It was a great event!

Immediately after the Parent & Toddler party yesterday, a team of volunteers began work on tidying up and getting the hall ready for the Christmas Market:

Outside, posters were put up advertising the event:

Inside, stalls were prepared:

The donkey was put up!

The gazebo was erected outside, in preparation for the carol singing:

Goody bags were brought out, ready to distribute:

Kitchen preparations, ready for the rush for hot chocolates!

Soon it will be time to start!

The Parent & Toddler group at church is supported by a great time of parents whose children have now grown up but who continue to provide the most amazing baking for us:

The party is self-funding, largely through the generosity of parents who donate raffle prizes and then buy lots of tickets which helps us to buy the food and presents for the party. The raffle prizes were won by these smiling faces this year!

No wonder she won – look at how many tickets she bought!

Bev and Tracey have learned to pose for the camera!

Some other prizewinners:

Thanks to all our church helpers throughout the year (Mark, Debbie, Pat, Ray, Dave and Joan), but a special THANK YOU must go to Diane, whose energy and vision are the heartbeat of the Parent & Toddler Group. She bought and wrapped all the presents for the toddlers, folded well over 1300 raffle tickets, wrapped all the raffle prizes, prepared all the sandwiches and food for the party and did so between an early morning shift at work and a lunchtime duty at school, before coming back to church to help with the Christmas Market. We can’t thank her enough for all she does and are grateful for her commitment, hard work and faithfulness.

Yesterday was the Parent & Toddler Christmas Party, a much anticipated event (by parents more than the toddlers, I suspect!)

Getting ready:

Firstcomers, our parents who no longer have toddlers, but who still support us:

Generations of families… The group was started when Diane’s children were toddlers, and now her eldest daughter is bringing her own daughter to the group, with her son’s son also attending. Dave and Joan (Diane’s parents) have also supported the group since it started all those years ago!

Our newest addition to the Parent & Toddler family was born just a few weeks ago!

Having fun with the festive food:

Playing:

When the toddlers are too young to unwrap parcels, we play ‘Pass the Pug’ instead!

Then there was an important visitor with presents for all:

All in all, a great time – we re-pen on Friday 6th January 2017, so please do come along with your babies and toddlers and help them to get to know other children as well as have a chance to connect with other parents. At 50p a session, with drinks and snacks provided for parents and toddlers, it’s a bargain and a fun place to be!

In Yorkshire there is a saying ‘strength goes in at t’mouth.’  The Bible says ‘those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.’ (Is 40:31) Today is a busy day with the Parent & Toddler party this morning (9-11 a.m.) and the Christmas Market/ community carol service this afternoon (4-8 p.m. with the carol service at 6 p.m.) As we wait on God and hope in Him, He will renew our strength so that we soar on wings like eagles, run without faltering and walk without getting faint.

Please pray for our Christian witness at this event. We pray God will open our lips and fill our mouths (see Ps 51:15, Eph 6:19), giving us words of boldness and courage to ‘fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel’ so that others may hear of the love of God for them.

For us, the Christmas Market and community carol service are not ultimately about raising money for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal (though we long to do that so we can help those who are struggling financially and who need a visible reminder of God’s love for them) or about being known in our local community (though we want to be God’s representatives in the community in our local area.) For us,the Christians from all local churches, this is an opportunity to declare God’s praise and testify to His goodness to us and to tell people that Christmas is about Christ: how God, in the fulness of time, sent His only Son to become human so that He could live sinlessly, reveal God’s heart of love to all humanity and offer Himself as a sinless sacrifice for our sins so that we could have the opportunity to become children of God. Christmas is about so much more than Santa Claus, mince pies, chocolate logs, carol singing and twinkling lights. Christmas is about Jesus, ‘God with us’, coming to rescue and restore us. There will be much fun and laughter today, but in it all, hope in God and renew your strength, for Christmas reminds us we’re not alone and don’t have to walk this journey on our own.

After months of preparation, the Christmas Market is almost here!

Behind the scenes, there is a lot of work going on in Goldthorpe, as the Goldthorpe Development Team work tirelessly to make the event a success. Stallholders are busy getting ready – from church, Turner New Leaf will be selling homemade chutneys and apple sauce on the market and Pom Pom Heaven will be selling blankets for prams, doll’s prams and car seats.

All the local churches have been working for months, making items to sell on the craft stalls, preparing goody bags to give out to everyone and getting involved in organising raffles, tombolas and a range of other activities. We are all really looking forward to this community event, especially the community carol service at 6 p.m. in the church car park. Come along to sing of the reason we celebrate Christmas – Christ the Lord, our Saviour, come to earth as a baby, showing us God’s love for us!

Inside the church, all proceeds made from the event will be given to the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal which helps local families in need have Christmas food and presents.

Come along to the church (opposite the market) between 4 and 8 p.m. and enjoy hot drinks… homemade baking… the opportunity to have your Christmas presents wrapped for you… the chance to buy craft items… raffles, tombolas, competitions, activities and lots more!

[Please note there will be no parking available on Market Street or in the church car park. Parking is available on side streets and in the car park behind the library on Doncaster Road.]