THIS Sunday’s 9.30am service at Crediton Parish Church will be a bit different from the now established monthly “Celebrate” services on the first Sunday of each month.

These informal 40 minute services usually take place in the Boniface Centre but this one will be alongside the trees of the Christmas Tree Festival inside the church.

The style will be very much the same but will have the theme of preparing for Christmas with the reading setting the scene of the Roman census that caused Jesus’s parents to make the long journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

This will be followed by a short drama enacted by members of the Bible Storytellers group who usually take familiar bible stories (either in person or by recorded video) into Haywards School.

On this occasion they will be enacting a specially written script that focusses on the practical choices Joseph and Mary had to make in preparation for such a journey.

The worship songs will focus on traditional Advent and Christmas themes of Light and Joy, and Rev Sue Rose who leads the lay team who deliver these services hopes that the service will provide a chance for people to step back from the world of parties, presents and wrapping paper to reflect on our own real priorities in preparing for Christmas.

• The Christmas Tree Festival opens at 11am on Thursday, December 4 and finishes at 5pm on Sunday, December 7.

As well as the concerts on Thursday, December 4 at 7pm (the Ad Hoc singers and Crediton Strummers) and on Saturday, December 6 at 6pm (Holy Cross Choir and Crediton Town Band), visitors to the Festival can also enjoy listening to the West Gallery Quire at 11am and the Crediton Singers at 12.15pm on Saturday, December 6.

For safety reasons only Assistance Dogs are permitted in the church and Boniface Centre during the festival.