2 December 2006 - The Blandford Civic Carol Service

The Civic Carol Service on 2nd December brought together dignitaries and representatives from towns and community groups around the area and featured readings from the Mayor of Blandford's Charities, local schools and a singing group from the Blandford School. The Pastor of Blandford Evangelical Church, Brook MacCallum spoke from the heart about the reality of Christmas and Councillor Haydn White sang a prayer by Dylan Thomas. Unfortunately, events were overshadowed by an incident where a gentleman dressed as Father Christmas was asked to remove his red outfit for the service. His response, along with some of his friends, was to leave the service and the incident has been reported in the local newspaper, the Western Gazette. In the intervening days, the story has been picked up on by the larger papers and the BCC:

  • Click here and here to see the report in the Western Gazette.
  • Click here to read the story in the Bournemouth Echo.
  • Click here to read the story in the The Telegraph.
  • Click here to read the BBC on line report.

    Various correspondence has been received on the matter but in order to clarify the position of the Church on the matter, below are printed two statements by the Rector of Blandford Forum, Rev Tim Storey:

    11 December 2006: Statement Following A Meeting with Blandford Lions Club
    Statement by the Rector of Blandford Forum and Langton Long, Rev Tim Storey, Following A Meeting with Blandford Lions Club

    “Following a positive and encouraging meeting between myself and the Lions Club tonight (Monday), I am confident that both parties in this unfortunate misunderstanding now appreciate each others views on the matter. I look forward to a healthy and growing relationship between the Church and the Lions Club in the future, and to be able to now focus my efforts on the task of ensuring that the birth of Jesus Christ is at the centre of Christmas Celebrations in Blandford Church in the coming days.”

    7 December 2006: Father Christmas and The Civic Carol Service
    A Response to Recent Events by the Rector of Blandford Forum and Langton Long, Rev Tim Storey

    Father Christmas is a valued part of Christmas celebrations but there is a danger of the modern celebration of Christmas blurring the traditional understanding of Christian celebration. It is a sad fact, but one which is recognised statistically and evidenced in the readings of the children at the Civic Carol service, that the central figure of Christmas in the secularised society of 21st Century Britain is now Father Christmas and not Jesus Christ. The traditional figure of St Nicholas is often used in other countries as a positive character which emphasises the Christian approach to giving, but it is a simple fact that the Father Christmas of British modern celebration is a far cry from St Nicholas. When it comes to Christmas, my job is to proclaim (or maybe "reclaim") the Christian story of the birth of Jesus Christ as being the heart of the celebration, in the midst of a secular, materialistic celebration which has lost the meaning on which it has stood for the best part of 2000 years. That is the principle on which I base my views.

    In practical terms, this means that I do not believe that Father Christmas should be a part of Church Services anymore than Santa's Grotto should have a Manger and a Baby Jesus present. Keeping the two distinct is important for both. It is true that aspects of a modern Christmas, such as decorations and trees, appear in Church settings but when they are used in services, they do so in order to emphasise the glory of the Christian message. To have a Father Christmas in Church is not only a potential major distraction, particularly for any children who may be present (as he is an attractive character), but it also suggests that somehow he plays a part in the traditional Christian Nativity Story. Given the misunderstandings in contemporary society which abound concerning Christmas and the Christian faith, this is something, however well-intentioned, which is counterproductive in a service of worship.

    Last year at the Civic Carol Service, when Father Christmas arrived at the end of the procession of Civic Dignitaries, I greeted him and I asked him politely if he would remove his robes before entering Church. He declined and left. I was, therefore, bemused when he appeared again this year. He must have known what my reaction would be and I therefore find his reaction to being asked the same question rather strange. A polite request of my Church Warden for Father Christmas to remove the outfit was met with a verbal response from several people supporting Father Christmas. The Warden suggested Father Christmas might go into the kitchen to disrobe but was met with a refusal. There was absolutely no question of him (or them) being told to or asked to leave and no thought that if they refused, then they would be forcibly removed – that is a ridiculous notion. It was a simple and polite request – to which the response of the individual and a group of friends was to leave the service.

    I have a great respect for Lions International and in October 2005 I led a Regional Lions Service in Blandford at which I expressed publicly these sentiments. Since the Civic service, I have been invited by the Lions Club to speak at a meeting in order that we can gain a deeper understanding of the relative viewpoints. My hope and prayer is that this visit will go some way to bring about a greater understanding of the Christmas celebrations and the appropriate ways in which we should engage with them.

    Rev Tim Storey
     7 December 2006

    For further Information

    For further information on this matter, please contact the Press Officer for the Diocese of Salisbury:
    Rob Marshall
    33rpm public relations
    11 Polychrome Court
    261 Waterloo Road
    London SE1 8XH

    Telephone: 0845 610 6420
    Mobile: 07917 272833
    Email:

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