Article and Photographs: Jonathan White
The annual Crib Service took place at St Mary’s Church Nantwich on Christmas Eve (Friday 24th December 2021).
This re-telling of the Christmas story was performed by a mixture of adults and young people at 2pm, 3:30pm and 5pm.
A temporary raised stage and scaffolding, along with a live video feed onto two large TV screens meant that all the congregation, including the side pews, could easily view the service.
Rev Dr Mark Hart, St Mary’s Church Rector, encouraged all to join him in prayer and stand to sing various Christmas carols between each scene consisting of ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’, ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’, ‘While shepherds watched their flocks’, ‘We Three Kings’.
The service was completed with a rousing ‘Away in a Manger’ during which the church lights were dimmed, and the new multi-coloured lights were switched on, with the audience encouraged to switch on their smartphone torches to light up the church.
In John 8:12, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’
Covid guidelines followed by the congregation at these free (donations welcomed), ticket-only event, limited to 200 people per performance, included hand sanitiser and mask wearing.
Rev Dr Mark Hart invited everyone to attend the weekly services throughout the year at St Mary’s Church Nantwich.
