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<p>KINGSTON TWP. &#8212; It wasn&#8217;t a typical night service for the Trucksville United Methodist Church on Wednesday.</p><p>Members of the congregation gathered inside one of the barns at The Lands at Hillside Farms. Pastors Ian Hastings and Dick Williams said the service was held in such a unique location for a reason &#8212; to celebrate to real meaning of Christmas.</p><p>&#8220;We wanted to make Christmas more meaningful this year in a way that would make people stop and think about what it&#8217;s all about,&#8221; Williams said. He added that Jesus Christ was born in a stable, which he thought brought more meaning to the service.</p><p>Before the services began, children scurried around to get a glimpse of the ducks, goats and other animals in the barn. Others mingled inside and chatted out of the evening&#8217;s cold air.</p><p>Most stood as the services began, but some sat on the floor with their backs against bales of hay. Every now and again, the faint quack of a duck could be heard as Hastings and Williams took turns speaking. The congregation also sang, prayed and shared communion.</p><p>Hastings said that approximately 50 members of the congregation attended the first service that the church held in the barn. He said the service gave congregation members &#8220;a chance to step away from the business and the noise &#8230; and think about what really happened and reconnect.&#8221;</p><p>Williams said the church was thinking of ways to reach out into the community, and given the church&#8217;s close proximity to Hillside Farms, the idea fell into place.</p><p>Among those in attendance was Lois Gross, 57, of Trucksville and her three grandchildren &#8212; Hailey, 14, Tyler, 9, and Kayden, 8.</p><p>Lois called the service &#8220;beautiful&#8221; and was impressed with the turnout.</p><p>Wayne Long, of Trucksville attended the service with his wife, Diane. He was impressed with the idea behind the service and the turnout in such a unique venue.</p><p>&#8220;I thought it was wonderful,&#8221; Wayne said, adding it gave congregation members an idea of the surroundings Jesus Christ was born in.</p><p>Like Hastings, Gross saw the service as a way to remember what Christmas is really about.</p><p>&#8220;It has become too materialistic,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We need to keep the Christ in Christmas.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Amy Kuiken and 3-year-old Madeleine sing &#8216;Joy To The World&#8217; in the Lands at Hillside Farm livestock barn during a service held by the Trucksville United Methodist Church. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL121715church1-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Amy Kuiken and 3-year-old Madeleine sing &#8216;Joy To The World&#8217; in the Lands at Hillside Farm livestock barn during a service held by the Trucksville United Methodist Church. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL121715church2-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Mary Baker tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ to the children of the Trucksville United Methodist Church while they have services in a barn at Lands at Hillside Farms. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL121715church2-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Mary Baker tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ to the children of the Trucksville United Methodist Church while they have services in a barn at Lands at Hillside Farms. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger|Times Leader Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL121715church3-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Memers of the Trucksville United Methodist Church sing during services in a barn at Lands at Hillside Farms. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL121715church3-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>Memers of the Trucksville United Methodist Church sing during services in a barn at Lands at Hillside Farms. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger|Times Leader Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL121715church4-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Memers of the Trucksville United Methodist Church sing during services in a barn at Lands at Hillside Farms. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_TTL121715church4-1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Memers of the Trucksville United Methodist Church sing during services in a barn at Lands at Hillside Farms. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger|Times Leader Aimee Dilger|Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Pastors hope event reinforces real meaning of Christmas</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Travis Kellar</p><p>tkellar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter @TLNews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Trucksville United Methodist Church holds services in barn at Lands at Hillside Farms