Somero Christmas Carols

Forty-one years ago, a couple of Finnish vicars decided to start something new. Why don't we have a special service at Christmas where we do nothing but play and sing Christmas carols, and at the same time raise money for people in the developing world.  We'll try it in a couple of parishes and see if it works, they thought to themselves.

Olli Salomäenpää

Well it worked. And now this traditional Christmas service happens all over Finland and millions of euros are raised for people who need it much more than we do. This year the money is going towards supporting mothers all over the world to help them give a better start to their children, through learning about nutrition and health issues which will keep their children healthy and better nourished.

Somero church was packed this evening (this photo was taken ten minutes before the service started). The congregation sang carols and were also entertained by some young violinists, the Metka Kööri Choir and Somero's Youth Choir. The only photo I have of the youth choir is out of focus as I was sitting so far away but I thought I would put it on here anyway. Sorry about the poor quality.

The singing, however was wonderful. Even Minttu, who at three is young to be sitting through an event such as this, was dancing on my knee in time to Ave Maria.

I went to the service with my good friend Eira,who at eighty years old says that she has been attending this annual service since they first started forty-one years ago.

On the way home in the car she told me how her brothers and sisters used to walk to church on Sundays when they were children, walking ten kilometres each way from their farm to church. On Christmas morning, the service started at six o'clock, so they would have to leave at four thirty in the morning to get there on time. Eira remembers these times fondly and says how as a child she thought that the church was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen.

It was nice to see so many people there this evening, hopefully a good sum was raised for the cause of motherhood in the developing world.

Wishing you all health and happiness wherever you may be reading this and a good start to the week ahead.