Below are a few more shots from Christmas Eve. The first is a shot through the vestry door shortly before the first of our three Christingle services. During the course of Christmas Eve, with those services, and the Midnight service we had almost 850 people through the doors – we had over three hundred at the Midnight service alone. The 4pm service appeared to be the most popular, with even the Wokingham MP, John Redwood turing up (and apparently slipping out the back door at the end!).

When considering the numbers, it is worth bearing in mind that the Church realistically seats only 150 people comfortably, so all of the services had at least some people standing.

I took the other shots when I climbed the tower to fly the flag for Christmas. As the weather forecast was for wind and rain overnight, I took advantage of a dry, and relatively wind-less period between the 2pm and 4pm Christingles to climb the tower in the light. Not strictly correct, but it beat trying to do it in high winds and driving rain, plus I could take the pictures.

The first two shots are of the bells, which the bell ringers had rung into the up position ready for the peal before the midnight service. However it does give you a chance to see them before they get taken out next month for restoration.

The other shots are a couple from the top of the tower, one looking north towards Warren Lodge, now an old peoples home. The other looking south over Finchampstead village.