Bishop Martin has shown his support for the Inspiring Angels project by crafting a wooden angel himself.
Bishop Martin Seeley’s angel, of which he turned the wood himself, will join hundreds, perhaps thousands, adorned across Ipswich this December.
The Inspiring Angels project, from St Thomas’ Church in Ipswich, will see the town ‘angel-bombed’ throughout the festive period.
Bishop Martin said: “It has been a difficult year for many people and it is wonderful to be able to spread a bit of extra joy this December. Every time I see one of the inspiring angels, I can’t help but smile. I hope lots of people get involved in the project in all sorts of creative ways- it would be lovely to see angels all over Ipswich this Christmas.”
Bishop Martin said he also hopes that Ipswich residents will enjoy the many carol services happening throughout the town this Christmas to hear the message of the angels for themselves.
He added he would like to see the initiative become an annual tradition in the town.
Inspiring Angels invites the people of Ipswich to create their own angels, large and small, and hang them up all over the town. The idea came from the new vicar at St Thomas’ Church, Revd Rachel Revely. She said: “Angels are a symbol of hope, joy and the good news of Christmas. They appear and say to us not to be afraid. I thought this was really fitting after going through nearly two difficult years of the pandemic. The idea of the angel-bombing is that they can be made out of anything – we have people making angels out of coat hangers, card, crochet, anything you can think of. We have people crafting them out of wood, like Bishop Martin, and out of recycled materials – like the washing machine angel someone has created. This is something that is accessible to absolutely everyone.”
One of Ipswich’s new Vicars, the Revd Tom Mumford, is also helping to fill the town with angels as part of St Mary Le Tower’s Christmas Tree festival, Trees @ the Tower, which opens on December 1.
For more information about Inspiring Angels, upcoming carol services and how to get involved, visit www.inspiringangels.org.uk