Angels to descend on Ripon to deliver message

Volunteers at Allhallowgate Methodist will place knitted angels around the city as an “angel bombing” to promote the church’s forthcoming Angel Fest which will be open on December 2.

Spokesman Lynda Blackburn explained that the event follows the desire to do something different to last year’s highly successful Nativity Festival.

“We decided to leave angels around Ripon for the week before the festival as traditionally angels are God’s messengers.

“Each little angel will have a label on it with a Christmas message on one side of it and information about the Angel Fest location and times on the other.

“So, the angels are acting as messengers of good news joy and peace.”

The angels will be put in unexpected places in Ripon from Monday November 28 and people are being encouraged to take them home.

Last year the church, in Victoria Grove, was decorated with Nativity sets from around the world.

“Church members agreed that we should hold a community activity that would encourage people to come into the church to get a taste of the Christmas story without having to experience a service or listen to a sermon which might have discouraged them from coming at all,” added Lynda.

The Angel Fest will feature an activity day on the Saturday as well as a look and see day with angel craft work for children and a mural to paint.

The event will be open on Friday, December 2, 10am-3pm; Saturday, 10am-4pm and Sunday 2-4pm.