We hear them, we sing them, and we can even recite them.  They play out everywhere from shopping centres to churches to our own cars and homes –  but have you ever thought that maybe you’ve heard Hark the Herald or Away in a Manger just one too many times?  Well now a group of local young people have come up what they say is a fresh expression of the greatest story ever told.

‘While Earth Slept’ is an album created by a group of friends from the Ballymena and Belfast areas, who had a passion to cut through the tradition and routine that can so often surround Christmas.  The fifteen tracks, which include songs, thoughts and readings, are designed to offer a journey through the Christmas story.

Ruth Williams is one of those involved in the project and says she loves the vision behind it: “So often at Christmas I get frustrated with how we get caught up in sentimentality, instead of truly getting lost in worship. We want to give people new music and creative ideas to help them in their churches and their personal times with God. It’s our hope that as people journey through the CD they will rediscover the wonder of Christmas.”

From novel twists on old favourites like ‘O Come all ye faithful’, to lesser known songs such as Bebo Norman’s ‘Come and Worship’, the album is very varied in musical style.  But according to Rick Hill, who came up with the CD idea, that’s what makes it work: “It’s a collaboration project, it’s very varied but it does seem to weave together so hopefully there’s something for everyone.”  He says the vision was: “to search for the beauty within Christmas music and add our own touches to it.”  And says the heart of their inspiration and message is: “that God, at Christmas, became a regular person, stepped into a regular world, entered a regular family and was born in a dirty stable in order to identify with the social outcasts of the day.”

Two charities, Macmillan Cancer and Out of Africa Mission, are set to benefit from the proceeds of this project.  And so far the group say they have had really positive feedback as they’ve launched the CD at events in Enniskillen and Ballymena.

But what’s the story behind the name ‘While Earth Slept’?  Rick explains: “It seems like God almost sneaked onto earth while the majority of people slept and it got me thinking that maybe God is wanting to do stuff in our lives, yet sometimes we nod off and miss getting on board with what He’s up to.”