Ilkeston - St Mary The Virgin
w/e 20 December 2015
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
  Anyone
walking through the Market Place whether by day or by night and
looking up through the blue lights in the trees along the church
wall, will likely have seen the illuminated nativity scene on
the tower of the Parish Church of St Mary The Virgin. Those who
enter the church at this time of year will also see more decorations
as the followers of Jesus prepare to celebrate his birth on Christmas
Day.
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Immediately upon entering the nave of the church is another depiction
of the nativity which has been created from little more than
cardboard cutout figures and scraps of cloth.
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And at the side of the entrance door is a third representation,
this one being a carved wooden set.
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Throughout the year the church raises money and supports various
charities such as Christian Aid and the Barnabas Fund and this
year in particular there has been a fund raiding drive to help
pay for the restoration of the bells. The work has now been completed
and the Bishop of Derby rededicated the bells at a service on
Sunday 20th December. The fund raising drive has been helped
by the sale of raffle tickets for a luxury hamper all the contents
of which have been kindly donated.
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The font stands at the side of the entrance door and it has not
only been decorated but has been supplemented by the addition
of two Christmas trees each topped with a star.
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Angels are often placed on the top of Christmas trees too but
in St Mary's six angels have been placed on the screen at the
end of the nave. Looking past these three on the left hand side
of the screen, the stained glass windows in St Peter's Chapel
can be seen.
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In front of the screen is the Advent Wreath with its five candles.
One candle is lit each Sunday during Advent with the central
white candle being lit on Christmas Day.
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The pulpit to the right of the screen has also been decorated
along with another Christmas tree.
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There are even more trees at the altar and at the end of the
choir stalls.
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So all that remains in this week when Advent ends and Christmas
starts is to join with the greeting on the large bauble that
decorates one of the window sills in the St Peter Chapel and
wish you all a Merry Christmas.
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