Christingle family service and Anglo-German Christmas Carol Service – celebrations of solidarity

In the run-up to Christmas, churches open their doors not only to believers, but also to people’s hearts. This year, the focus is on two Anglo-German celebrations: the Christingle family service on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, at 4.30pm in the Abdinghofkirche, and the traditional Anglo-German Christmas Carol Service on Thursday, 11 December 2025, at 7pm in the High Cathedral in Paderborn.
These services are more than just liturgical celebrations – they symbolise community, hope, and the cultural connections between Germany and Great Britain.

Christingle – a celebration for children and families

On Tuesday 9 December, Reverend Nick Adley, the British military chaplain, and Dr Eckhard Düker, the vicar of the Abdinghofkirche, invite you to a Christingle family service at 4.30pm. Classes from Attenborough School and from Lutherschule will be taking part. The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment, directed by Flying Officer Michael J Howley, will provide Christmas music. At the end of the service, the children will each receive a Christingle: an orange wrapped in a red ribbon and containing four sweets and a candle to symbolise Christ as the light of the world.

Anglo-German Christmas Carol Service – a celebration of solidarity

The popular Anglo-German Christmas Carol Service will take place on Thursday 11 December at 7pm in Paderborn Cathedral. The Paderborn Metropolitan Chapter and the Anglo-German Club invite you to this special event. The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment, under the direction of Flying Officer Michael J Howley, will provide the music for this very special service. The choir Zwischentöne Paderborn, the St Hedwig choir community and the St Laurentius Nordborchen church choir, conducted by Christian Nolden, will perform together as a project choir. Markus Maurer will play the cathedral organ. The service will feature choral singing, German Adventslieder and English Christmas Carols accompanied by the Royal Air Force Band and giving it a festive setting. The service will be led by Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Matthias König, British Reverend Nick Adley and the Protestant pastor Dr Eckhard Düker.
Nine readings from the Old and New Testaments will form the centrepiece of this special Christmas service, alongside German Adventslieder and English Christmas Carols. The tradition of the ‘Nine Lessons and Carols’ has been an integral part of Christmas celebrations in Great Britain for over 100 years. The most famous celebration probably takes place on Christmas Eve at King’s College in Cambridge. The readings bring to life the story of God’s salvation o creation and mankind. Not to be missed are the Annunciation of the Nativity by the angel Gabriel and passages from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. The readings conclude with the prologue from the Gospel of John: ‘In the beginning was the Word’.

Worldwide transmission

This German-British Christmas service can be attended not only on site at the High Cathedral. It will also be broadcast on the Archdiocese of Paderborn‘s stream the and will thus reach people all over the world. ‘We would like to thank Dompropst Msgr. Joachim Göbel for this opportunity,’ says Prof Dr Ilka Mindt, chair of the Anglo-German Club. The service will be broadcast live on the Archdiocese of Paderborn‘s YouTube channel. BFBS, the British radio station, will also be reporting on it.

“Christmas is a time for open hearts and gratitude. Through the fundraising campaign at the Anglo-German Christmas Carol Service, we demonstrate our solidarity and willingness to help in Paderborn and the UK,” says Ilka Mindt. “We remember that the light of Christ shines even in the darkness of need. We hope that we can alleviate some of the hardship through donations. We look forward to celebrating this contemplative evening of Anglo-German Christmas anticipation together.”

Fundraising campaign

The proceeds will be donated equally to two charities: The Verbund katholischer Altenhilfe for the PAULINE hospice and palliative care centre in Paderborn, and the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) in the UK.

The Paderborn Association of Catholic Care for the Elderly (VKS) offers a comprehensive range of services for the elderly in the Archdiocese of Paderborn. Christian values and personal care take centre stage. The construction of the VKA Hospice and Palliative Care Centre PAULINE in the heart of Paderborn is creating a place of warmth and care. Here, seriously ill people and their relatives will find a sense of reassurance and competent care. In addition to inpatient hospice beds, the centre includes a day hospice, the VKA AchtsamZeit outpatient hospice service and the LebensWert advice centre. The building project is supported by donations and will make an important contribution to the region.

The Army Benevolent Fund (ABF), also known as ‘The Soldiers’ Charity’, is based in North Yorkshire, England. It is also pleased to receive donations for its efforts to support soldiers, veterans and families in genuine need.

Programme booklet with songs and readings

The programme booklet will be published on the websites of the Anglo-German Club Paderborn (www.dec-paderborn.de) and the Archdiocese of Paderborn (www.erzbistum-paderborn.de) a few days before the Anglo-German Christmas Carol Service. The programme will also include the carols for singing along.

The programme booklet will contain the bank details of the two institutions, which will receive equal shares of the proceeds.
Join us in person at Paderborn Cathedral or online to experience an unforgettable evening of music, fellowship, and contemplative moments.

Donation accounts

PAULINE Hospice
Recipient: Hospice service AchtsamZeit
IBAN: DE09 3706 0193 1052 7091 44
PAX Bank for Church and Caritas
Referece: VKA Hospice and Palliative Centre Pauline

Army Benevolent Fund (ABF)

Recipient: ABF The Soldiers’ Charity
IBAN: GB22 BARC 2000 0073 1221 58
Barclay Bank
Reference: CCS 2025 Paderborn

Photo caption:

We look forward to seeing many people at the High Cathedral and online. From left to right: Reverend Nick Adley, Auxiliary Bishop Matthias König, Prof Dr Ilka Mindt (German-English Club Paderborn), Colonel Thomas Jefford (British Army Germany), Reverend Dr Eckhard Düker. Photo: Duncan Campbell.