SHINE Your Light – the annual evangelistic campaign encouraging UK churches to take carol services and Christmas events out of their buildings and into public spaces – officially launched this week, (DEC 3) which included the Celebrate Christmas Carol at the Royal
Albert Hall.
More than 5,000 guests were welcomed by Shine Your Light partner The Salvation Army Great Britain and Ireland to hear a Christmas message, hear celebrities bring the Bible aliveand enjoy some spectacular worship.
Commissioner Paul Main, UK Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army, said: “We were delighted to welcome the leadership of Shine Your Light, along with ecumenical and civic guests, to The Royal Albert Hall for our ‘Celebrate Christmas’ carol service. It was a wonderful way to begin Advent in worship centred on the Christmas story, and to encourage everyone to shine the light and love of Jesus into their community.
“As leaders of The Salvation Army for the UK and Ireland, we’re excited to see how the Shine Your Light initiative will enable the good news of Jesus to spread across the nation this month, as God’s people step out in faith and shine brightly in their communities.”
Next week (DEC 10) Shine Your Light partner Spring Harvest will hold a carol service at Westminster Chapel, London. The recording will be broadcast in UK prisons on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Prison Fellowship estimates that 57,000 prisoners will hear the gospel. Through another Shine Your Light partner, Green Pastures, the service will also be shown in hundreds of homeless accommodation centres across all four nations – just one example of the 60-plus denominations, networks and charities involved this year.
Jo Moir, Head of Spring Harvest, said: “This celebration is more than a single gathering in one location – we believe it will echo with hope and joy across the Isles. Our heart is to see the message and music shared far beyond Westminster Chapel: into prisons and communities throughout the UK, urban and rural. We look forward with great expectation as we shine our light into every corner of our nation this Christmas.”
The Spring Harvest carol service will be available on the Spring Harvest YouTube channel from 19 December, joining the suite of free resources offered to churches registered for this year’s campaign.
Now in its third year, Shine Your Light expects 2,000 UK churches to take part, supported by expanded resources designed to help churches reach young people, engage effectively on social media and equip Christians to share their faith in the workplace. BBC Songs of Praise has also recognised Shine Your Light’s growing national impact, filming partner churches in Bedford singing carols on the streets for a special Sunday programme. Carols, testimonies and an interview with Shine Your Light Founder and Convenor, Pastor Jonathan Oloyede, will be broadcast on BBC One at 1.15pm on Sunday 14 December.
Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England, has encouraged all 54 member churches to get involved. He said: “Christmas is a unique opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Shine Your Light encourages churches to make the most of this moment to share Christ’s message of joy, peace and hope. At CTE, we are encouraging as many churches as possible to engage with this year’s campaign.”
• To register your church for Shine Your Light 2025, and access FREE resources, visit www.shineyourlight.org.uk
ENDS
For further information/interview:
Adam May 07736 949869 adam@ndopw.com
Director of Communications and Engagement for NDOPW
Revd Paul Eddy 07923 653781 paul@pauleddy.uk
PR Consultant to Shine Your Light/NDOPW
Editor’s Notes
For further information about the Shine Your Light 2025 partner organisations mentioned, visit the following links:
The Salvation Army UK Territory: In the UK and Ireland | The Salvation Army
Spring Harvest: Home – Spring Harvest
The Prison Fellowship: Home – Prison Fellowship
Green Pastures: A future without homelessness is possible
Churches Together In England: Churches Together in England