The story of Christmas will be told through choral and instrumental music when Crawford Street United Methodist Church presents its Christmas Cantata, “A Celebration of Carols” by Joseph Martin.

“We will be delivering it during our Sunday service, Dec. 11,” coordinator Robyn Lea said, adding the program will last about one hour.

The cantata will begin at 10:55 a.m.

“We will have an orchestra and our choir performing a collection of Christmas carols, and most of it is recognizable music,” Lea said.

The cantata is based on a traditional “Lessons and Carols” service, and tells the story of Christ’s birth accompanied by music.

“It’s narration, and most of it will be familiar Christmas carols,” said choir director Kathy Mahloch. “There will be some congregational singing with the choir.

“The story starts off with telling about the birth of Christ and how people were walking in darkness, and then the child is born and the celebration of Christmas. It’s a progression in narration and music.”

The church’s 32-member choir accompanied by a 20-piece orchestra composed mainly of string and woodwind instruments with some brass and percussion will perform the cantata.

The program’s repertoire of music includes the Christmas carols “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Angels We Have Heard on High,” and “Joy to the World.”

Mahloch said several local residents will join the choir to sing in the program.

“Some of our own (church) members will be playing some instruments, and we have percussionist from Vicksburg,” Lea said.