St Chad & St Mark Nativity 2025: A Community Story in the Making

This year’s Nativity installation at St Chad and St Mark has been a true community effort — a blend of craftsmanship, care, and creativity. From the earliest sketches to the final brushstrokes, the project has been shaped by people who wanted to create something meaningful, durable, and beautiful for everyone who visits the church this Christmas season.

A Nativity Rooted in Community Tradition

The Lime Street Nativity has become a cherished tradition at St Chad and St Mark — one that began in 2020 when Shahab, a skilled carpenter and beloved member of the congregation, built the outdoor stable that still stands today. Each year since, the church has created a new scene to fill it, turning the space into a symbol of welcome, creativity, and shared celebration.

This year, I was invited not only to design and illustrate the Nativity, but also to project manage the entire installation. I was given full creative freedom to decide what the scene should consist of, how it should be constructed, and how the community could be involved in bringing it to life. Over the following weeks, I worked closely with volunteers from the Places of Welcome, the furniture recycling workshop, and the wider congregation to turn that vision into something tangible.

The early stages were filled with the sounds of saws and laughter as Roy and Vikum began cutting out the wooden figures that would become Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Their craftsmanship laid the groundwork for everything that followed, and their generosity set the tone for the whole project.

As the pieces took shape, the community gathered again — this time with paintbrushes in hand — to begin adding colour, character, and warmth to the figures. What started as flat sheets of wood slowly transformed into an almost life‑size scene ready to take its place in the stable.

Bringing the Nativity to Life

One of the most joyful milestones came during a painting session at the community centre, where local residents joined me to help bring Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to life. Many hadn’t painted anything beyond a bit of home DIY, but that didn’t stop them from diving in with enthusiasm and curiosity.

Together, we explored simple but effective techniques that make a big difference when working with wood:

• 🎨 Choosing and blending colours

• 🖌️ Brush strokes that work with the woodgrain

• 📐 Clean edging and confident lines

• 🧽 Looking after brushes so they last

What could have been a slow, solitary task became a lively afternoon of teamwork. Thanks to everyone’s help, the project moved forward much faster than expected — and the foundation for the figures was beautifully set.

The momentum continued the next day, when members of the church congregation gathered to paint the large background panel for the almost life‑size diorama. Once the detail work was complete and the varnish had cured, the entire scene was ready for installation in the outdoor nativity stable, where it would soon welcome the season with warmth and colour.

Crafted With Care

Every element of the installation was thoughtfully designed to withstand the winter weather while still looking warm and inviting. From the choice of paints and finishes to the protective varnish, the focus was on creating something that would last throughout the season without losing its charm.

The final stage — varnishing — ensured the colours stayed vibrant and the wood stayed protected, even through the coldest December nights.

The Unveiling and Blessing

The run‑up to Christmas culminated in a special moment: the unveiling and blessing of this year’s Lime Street Nativity. Local MP Warinder Juss joined the congregation to reveal the finished scene at the start of the Service of Blessing and Carols, led warmly by Reverend Ray.

It was a joy to see the installation surrounded by members of the congregation, volunteers who helped create it, and members of the wider community who came to share the moment. The church offered kind words of thanks to everyone involved, and the atmosphere was full of pride, gratitude, and festive spirit.

Reflections After the Reveal

Seeing the Nativity unveiled at dusk was a moment I won’t forget. Even though I’d already seen it during installation and varnishing, the final reveal — lit softly against the evening sky — looked better than I ever imagined during those early planning stages.

It was lovely to receive such positive recognition from everyone involved, especially from the young people who helped paint the scene. Hearing them proudly point out the bits they’d worked on was a real highlight.

The service itself was beautiful. I’d never attended a nativity blessing before, and it felt like a true moment of joy — a gathering that celebrated both the season and the community’s shared creativity. The church’s gesture of offering hot chocolate and mince pies afterwards was a thoughtful touch that made everyone feel welcome.

So often, you finish a project and move straight on to the next after a press release or a quiet handover. This was different. Being invited to join the community in celebrating the installation made it feel special — like the work had truly landed where it was meant to.

And perhaps most meaningful of all: my mum was there. This is the same church she used to bring me to as a little girl in the late 1980s, and I attended Sunday school here just like some of the children who helped paint the Nativity do now. It felt like a full‑circle moment — one I’ll carry with me for a long time.

Thank You

This Nativity has been a true collaboration, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped bring it to life. To Roy and Vikum for their skill and patience in cutting the wooden figures; to the volunteers at Places of Welcome and the congregation who picked up brushes with such enthusiasm; to the young people who painted with pride and left their mark on the scene; and to everyone who offered encouragement along the way.

Thank you to Reverend Ray for his kindness and leadership throughout the project, and to Warinder Juss MP for joining us at the unveiling and blessing. And thank you to the whole St Chad and St Mark community for welcoming me so warmly — not just as an artist, but as someone returning to a place woven into my own childhood.

Your support, creativity, and generosity made this installation possible. It has been a privilege to create something together that will bring joy to others throughout the Christmas season.

Wishing everyone at St Chad & St Mark, and all who visit the Lime Street Nativity this season, a very Merry Christmas.