Christmas nativity sets the scene outside Town Church

Sunday 02 December 2018

In addition to the festive lights, the St Peter Port Christmas Lights charity has arranged for a nativity scene to be on display outside the Town Church during Advent and over Christmas.

With the island's main Christmas tree moving to Market Square this year, it means the Town Church will have a religious focal point during the festive season for those passing while doing their shopping and socialising in St Peter Port.

While the nativity scene has been organised by Jax Robin and the St Peter Port Christmas Lights charity, it has been funded by the Skipton Community Fund which has covered the £1,100 cost of installing it.

Local artist Rob Sweeney designed the inn’s interior and a number of volunteers helped to adapt a shed, install lights, paint the scenery and help with the reinforcements.

Pictured: Guernsey's Town Church. 

The Rector of St Peter Port, the Revd Matthew Barrett, will lead a ceremony to bless the nativity scene this lunchtime, at 12:15.

“Our organisation was thrilled to have the chance to have an outdoor Nativity scene on display for the public, following the relocation of the town’s Christmas tree. This will give us an opportunity to communicate the central message of the Christmas story and serve as a gentle reminder that the birth of Jesus ‘is the reason for the season’. We hope that the prominent location of the Nativity scene will touch the hearts of those who are going about their Christmas preparations in St Peter Port,” he said. 

Aaron Walden, Commercial Manager at Skipton International, said: “As mortgage providers we have helped a lot of islanders to buy homes over the years, but assisting to home the birth of Jesus is perhaps one of our biggest achievements yet!

"The Skipton Community Fund aims to provide financial support to those projects that will bring joy and benefit to the wide community, causes that perhaps wouldn’t normally receive funding or donations. The switching on of the Christmas lights is one of island’s historic traditions and one which we were happy to contribute towards, so that St Peter Port can have the addition of a lit Nativity scene, bringing the true spirit of Christmas to our High Street for all to enjoy.”

Pictured top: The nativity scene is now on display outside the Town Church.