The Ipswich Noël is a new music video created by the churches of Ipswich to wish the town a merry Christmas.
The video will premiere on YouTube at 17:00 on Saturday 5th December. It can be viewed here.
42 churches from across Ipswich have come together to sing a special cover of ‘Noël’ by Chris Tomlin.
52 Christian singers from a wide variety of ages and backgrounds have each recorded their own parts of this
contemporary Christmas carol.
The churches involved in The Ipswich Noël are from a diverse range of denominations, but they are all
united by the story they celebrate each Christmas.
The project’s organisers hope that both the song itself and the story its lyrics tell of God’s amazing love for
the whole world will bring hope, joy, and peace to the people of Ipswich at the end of what has been an
immensely challenging year for so many people.
The Ipswich Noël follows the success of The Ipswich Blessing, which was released in June, and has now
received more than 12,000 views on YouTube.
The music video has been co-ordinated and produced by Amy & Matt Key, both of whom are Curates at St
Augustine’s Ipswich and will be starting a brand new church in the town in the autumn of 2021. Amy and
Matt are both in their twenties and have previously worked in the music industry.
Anyone inspired by The Ipswich Noël to explore the Christmas story and the Christian faith further would be
so welcome to check out the Christmas services at any of the churches featured in the video this December,
or to try an Alpha course online in January (details about Alpha can be found here).
“It’s so inspiring to see so many churches of all shapes and sizes come together to sing out the good news we
all share and celebrate—that Jesus was born, lived, died, and rose again for all people, so that we can live life
to the full.” — Matt Key
“It is a huge honour, and very humbling, to play a small part in the project and collaborate with such a
talented group of people!” — Matt Key
“I really hope that people who maybe wouldn’t call themselves Christians might hear The Ipswich Noël and
be touched by it, and might then want to explore what Christmas and the good news of Jesus is all about.” —
Amy Key
“I am delighted by The Ipswich Noël and hope you are too! Singers and churches across ages, genders, races
and indeed denominations have come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Given the difficulties of this
last year we need our spirits lifting and our sights raising and this joyful act of praise does just that - I hope
you find it as joyful an experience as those who are singing it clearly did. It's also a great resource for
churches to use on-line or in physical worship at Christmas - what's not to like?” — Rt Revd Mike Harrison,
Bishop of Dunwich.
“And behind it all lies the amazing story of Christmas, a moment when God comes bursting into our world in
the shape of a human baby - a completely unprecedented, unexpected and unmerited act of love by the God
who loves us enough to desire to be with us and loves us too much to leave us where we are! May the joy of
knowing the truth of this story be yours this Christmas.” — Rt Revd Mike Harrison, Bishop of Dunwich
The churches represented in The Ipswich Noël are:
All Hallows Church
Bethesda Baptist Church
Bridge Church
Burlington Baptist Church
Chantry Methodist Church
Christ Church Ipswich (URC/Baptist)
Christ Embassy Ipswich
Colchester Road Baptist Church
Holly Lodge Baptist Church
Hope Church Ipswich
Inspiring Ipswich
Ipswich Community Church
Ipswich International Church
Ipswich Methodist Circuit
Ipswich Vineyard Church
Landseer Road Methodist Church
Lindbergh Road Community Church
Mission Ipswich East (St John’s; St Andrew’s; Bixley Farm Church)
Museum Street Methodist Church
Nansen Road Baptist Church
Rushmere Baptist Church
Rushmere Community Church
South West Ipswich Team Ministry (St Mary at Stoke; St Francis, Chantry; St Peter’s, Stoke Park)
St Andrew’s, Rushmere
St Augustine’s Ipswich
St James the Lesser Roman Catholic Church
St Margaret’s Church
St Mary at the Elms
St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church
St Thomas’ Church
Stoke Green Baptist Church
Trinity Praise Centre
Waterfront Churches (Holy Trinity; St Helen’s; St Luke’s)
WT&W Benefice (St Mary Magdalene, Westerfield; St Martin’s, Tuddenham; St Mary’s, Witnesham)
Published 3 December 2020