Guernsey Press

Church Square nativity scene receives blessing

A CHRISTMAS nativity scene outside Town Church was blessed at a special service yesterday.

Published
Town Church rector the Rev. Matthew Barrett, leads a short service blessing the nativity scene outside the church yesterday. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 23273305)

While the St Peter Port Christmas lights were switched on the day before, the religious display was lit separately in a short service attended by around 50 people.

Led by Town Church rector, the Rev. Matthew Barrett, there were festive songs performed by the Elizabeth College choir, a reading by the Dean of Guernsey, the Very Rev. Tim Barker, before the blessing of the scene and the switch-on of the lights inside the reinforced perspex shed that houses it.

‘It is a fantastic addition to the High Street to have this beautiful Christmas crib so we can remind people while they are out frantically shopping of the real meaning of Christmas,’ said Mr Barrett.

The scene was funded through an £1,100 donation from the Skipton Community Fund.

‘It is important to ensure that our beautiful scene remains intact,’ said Mr Barrett.

Jax Robin, from the St Peter Port Christmas Lights charity, said such displays were more common around other parts of Europe.

‘It brings the true meaning of Christmas back to the High Street,’ she said.

‘In this day and age, there is more foreign labour in the island. I was sat in the little recess outside on Friday and whilst I was there I heard people saying how it reminded them of home, so it makes it more inclusive for the whole island community.’

Town Church mission priest, the Rev. Peter Graysmith, said the new display was positive for the Town as a whole.

‘I think Market Square is a better place for the Christmas Tree and it is fantastic to have the crib here, so it is a good decision all round,’ he said.

Skipton International commercial manager Aaron Walden said the company was happy to support the initiative.

‘We set up the community fund this year and have received a lot of applications and have donated to a lot of different causes. This stood out to us as a good community initiative.’