Annual Flower Festival & English Tea

CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY - FLOWER FESTIVAL

 

 

Annual Flower Festival & English Tea

Celebrating: "Give Thanks Day By Day"

CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY

 5900 N Lockwood Ridge Road

(Just two blocks south of University Parkway)

SARASOTA, FL

Friday & Saturday -- February 22-23

10:00AM - 4:00PM

Sunday services: 8:00AM (no music) and 10:15AM

Phone: 941-355-3262

 

 

 

 

 

Flower Festival History

 

A Spot of Tea?

 

Cost $15

 

You are invited to our 15TH festival celebration

Come and be amazed as our main church building comes alive with arrangements of flowers of all kinds to depict our theme for this year - Give Thanks Day By Day. Enjoy musical presentations on Friday and Saturday -- and of course our traditional English Tea served in the fellowship hall.

 

A Brief History of the Flower Festival 

For centuries churches and cathedrals in many English towns and villages have held flower festivals in the summer months. These annual events attract visitors to enjoy the color, the fragrances, and the fellowship.

 

One of the most famous is held annually on Ascension Day in the Derbyshire village of Tissington. The custom goes back to 1350, the year of the Black Death. The villagers of Tissington survived because their water supply did not become contaminated. To show their thankfulness, they made posies and garlands of flowers. In 1615, there was a severe drought and many wells dried up, but not those in Tissington, and again the people were thankful. On Ascension Day, the villagers assembled in church for a service before processing to bless each of the five wells and dress them with flowers. Such "well dressings" are the work of a skilled team of people.

 

Here at Church of the Nativity we are blessed to be able to carry on this long standing tradition. Many arrangers with varying skills put their creative thoughts into action to arrange flowers relating to the designated theme that changes every year.   

Care for a spot of tea?

A Traditional English Tea will be served from: 

10:00AM - 4:00Pm Friday & Saturday

 

In the comfort of our fellowship hall -- transformed into an English Tea Room -- you will enjoy tea, scones, and all the trimmings served to you at your table. No reservations are needed.

 

 

English Tea Cost: $15 per person

No, We're Not Done Yet -- 

What a line up of musicians!

  

Friday at 1:00PM

Enjoy the sounds of various classical selections presented by guest artists.  

 

Saturday beginning at 1:00PM      

The Grand Musicale 

Music among the flowers will be presented by the Nativity Music Department; Sarasota Music Conservatory Young Artists with founders, Lena Cambis and Sean O'Neal; and Giuseppina Ciarla, Harpist, Sarasota Opera.

 

So, What Does It Cost? 

Well, that is entirely up to you. The only fixed cost is the English Tea which is $15 per person. 

 

There is no entrance charge to stroll through the festival of flowers and enjoy the music. But, we do ask that you prayerfully consider a freewill donation during your visit. 

 

Many hours of preparation, thinking, and praying goes into each of our festivals -- and we want you to enjoy it. So, any donation you would like to make as you leave would be greatly appreciated.  

 

Checks can be made out to: Church of the Nativity

 

 

QUICK LINKS 

  

Click on picture

to see video

   

 

 

Enjoy blooming flowers time lapsed

 

 

Click here to link to Church of the Nativity's website 

 

Greetings:

On behalf of the parish family of Church of the Nativity, I want to personally invite you to join us for this wonderful weekend we have planned for you. God has indeed given us so much beauty in our surroundings to enjoy and remind us of the love He has for us. 

 

So, come and see these wonderful arrangements, enjoy the music, and have some tea. You can also stroll through our Memorial Garden and enjoy the natural beauty of the surroundings you will find there as well.  Every year this event seems to get better and better, and this year is shaping up to be just that. It is truly a blessing to watch the unfolding of this event.  There is so much joy, dedication, and excitement  that goes into making it all happen.  And we want to share it all with you.  

 

To kind of set the mood for you, you will find a YouTube link to show you just what happens in the blooming of a flower.  It also includes some pretty neat photographic special effects.  Nature is beautiful and through that beauty around 30 arrangers will put together an arrangement to tell a story related to our 15th anniversary theme - Give Thanks Day By Day.  So, enjoy the video, then come and enjoy what we have in store for you on this special weekend.  You may also connect to our website by clicking on the link to the left.

Blessings,

Rev. Charles H. Mann

Rector

Church of the Nativity, Sarasota