Busiest day of the year for hard-working clergy

Those with busy diaries will be leading a variety of services throughout Christmas day starting with Midnight mass, with other services during the day on December 25.

At St Michael's, in Pelsall, senior minister the Rev Preb Carl Ramsay and his team have already led many carol services at the premises in Hall Lane and schools in the village.

They will welcome more than 200 residents at traditional midnight mass on Christmas Eve, but hope to combine their commitments with family celebrations on the day.

Rev Ramsay, aged 59, says: "The Christmas Eve service is a candle light affair and is usually a very good event.

"We always get a very good crowd for that one. People really look forward to it and for many this will be the only service that they attend for the whole year.

He works closely with associate priest the Rev Alison Morris and lay members who also help to lead services.

"On Christmas Day we have a communion service at 10am that lasts about 60 minutes. I lead the services along with Alison. After the service I myself and my wife Joan tend to meet with family and friends for the rest of the day. We're still organising this year's family gathering.

"Last year we drove to Anglesey to see our daughter.

"Of course the season doesn't end there for us. On Boxing Day we mark the feast of St Stephen who was martyred for his faith with a service and the feast of St John follows on December 27."

He said one thing is for sure they will be spending it with their grown up children Toni-Ann, aged 32, and Mark-Anthony, aged 26, and granddaughters Leilah, aged five, Ave, aged three, and Xanthie, aged two.

"The Christmas period is extremely busy for me, but I wouldn't change it.

"After wards I am very tried, but it's a nice and rewarding kind of tiredness.

"I love this time of year, it's amazing. In all the services we do we try not to be killjoys, but to remind people that within the context of all the fun and parties that it's all centred around Jesus and it is because of his birth and subsequent death that we have these festivities.

"The Church of England does encourage leaders to have a week off after Christmas, and Alison will take a break first and I'll have some time off later in January," he says.

While Rev Morris says Christmas for many people can also be a sad time when they may be dying and want someone to pray with them.

"It's a time of year that encompasses the range of feelings, happiness and sadness and we must have the ability to recognise that for some Christmas is difficult and challenging

Miss Morris, aged 56, also a school's inspector for the Lichfield diocese, plans to spend the rest of the day at home with her husband Jonathan Grice, aged 45, and their pets.