Christmas carol service for Scottish brewery

A Kirk minister and a Scottish Episcopal priest have teamed up with a brewery to host a medieval Christmas carol service.

Rev Dan Harper and Rev Jo Mulliner get ready for their brewery carol service.

Rev Dan Harper, Bridge of Allan Parish Church and Rev Jo Mulliner from nearby St Saviour’s Church are holding the Wassailing dubbed Folk Carols in the bar at Allanwater Brewhouse in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling, on 22 December at 6.30pm.

Wassail is the ancient custom of people going door-to-door, singing and offering a drink from the wassail bowl in exchange for gifts – a practice largely replaced by carolling. The word comes from the Anglo-Saxon phrase ‘waes hael’, meaning ‘good health’.

Originally wassail was a drink made of mulled ale, curdled cream, roasted apples, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar.

Mr Harper said the service was about “reaching beyond where the Church normally goes.”

“It will be an evening of festive fun for all the community, reaching beyond where Church normally goes to celebrate that light overcomes darkness when grace comes to town.”

“We will all celebrate and being able to do that together is a really special thing, showing that whatever way we look to God we can all share in rejoicing at the love that came down at Christmas.”

The event is also being live streamed on the Sanctuary First website.

The virtual church is led by Very Rev Albert Bogle, a former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, who is attending the event and will offer a reflection on the spirit of Christmas.

Douglas Ross, the brewery’s founder, will provide those attending the service with mulled cider or apple juice.