On Christmas Eve, Eve, the 23rd December, we were joined in the studio by Rev'd Patrick Shelling .Patrick is the Vicar of St Edmund and St Mary's Church Ingatestone and St Mary the Virgin, Fryerning. He took time out of one of the busiest times of the year to speak with us on our Christmas Keep The Faith Show on Phoenix FM.

Patrick reminded us that amidst all the business of the festive season, we need to stop and slow down at this time of year. He spoke of the joys of being a Vicar in the Church of England, everyday being different in the Church at the heart of a community. The Churches in Ingatestone and Fryerning are there for you if you need for a moment of peace.

We chatted about the desire to buy happiness at Christmas time, and the importance above all, of friendship. And for those of us finding Christmas a difficult time, Patrick explained how the Church is a community of brothers and sisters who offer a welcome to everyone, and  why Christmas time is a perfect time to go back to Church.

Patrick reflected on how the journey that Mary and Joseph made all those years ago relates directly to us this year, this week, when many of us in Essex have had difficult journeys in our snow-capped county.

You can find out all about the way that you can be involved in the Anglican churches in Ingatestone and Frynerning by visiting the following websites:

http://www.ingatestoneparishchurch.org.uk/

http://www.fryerningparishchurch.org.uk/

Patrick also spoke of the Essex charity HARVEST for the HUNGRY, which exists to look after people far away from us.You can learn more here: http://www.harvestforthehungry.co.uk/index.php

And the music went like this:

When a child is born - Cliff Richard

Arlington Way - Cerys Matthews

World Christmas - R Kelly

Harvest for the World - The Isley Brothers

Hold up a light - Take That

The power of love - Frankie goes to Hollywood

It came upon the midnight clear - traditional carol sung by St Paul's Cathedral Choir, London

Keeping the dream alive - Freiheit