THEATRE isn’t typically what comes to mind when you think of religious service, however a church in Bala has taken a new approach to prepare its parishioners for what matters this Christmas.

Christ Church in Bala has held a ‘no-rehearsal’ production of the Nativity play at its Sunday service on December 2.

Led by Carol Roberts, the newly appointed Rector of Bala, the service was held in ‘Messy Church’ style – a new kind of service in which children and adults to learn about Jesus through craft and informal learning.

Attendees made the props for the stage before acting out scenes of the Nativity, which recounts the story of Jesus’ birth.

Mrs Roberts said: “As preparations for Christmas begin earlier each year, it seemed good to have an early nativity service.

"We held our no rehearsal nativity play in a 'Messy Church' fashion, an informal way to worship and lots of fun.

"Our hope is that, every single day in the lead up to Christmas, the children and young people who were present will remember that the reason we are preparing is to celebrate Jesus' birth.

“First we had some craft work – preparing crowns, and colouring pictures of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, making halos and trumpets for the angels, decorating stars, and making sheep masks so that we would have sheep with the shepherds! Once we had done this, we all dressed up as characters from the nativity story.

“I then told the story and we acted it out as we went along. We also sang verses of a Christmas song at different points in the story. The afternoon concluded with refreshments - mince pies and Christmas themed cupcakes and crispy cakes.

“Here in Bala we have a good team of people who work with the children and young people, and I am so thankful for this.”