CHOCOWINITY — An unusual cantata will give new life to the story of Christ’s birth for a special audience Sunday.

The Singing Hands, a trio of signers who use their hands, not their voices, will interpret a Christmas cantata with sign language at Hodges Chapel Pentecostal Holiness Church Sunday at 6 p.m. The public — especially the hearing-impaired public — is invited to the performance, according to Judy McRoy.

McRoy is the mother of two members of The Singing Hands: Joy McRoy, who is hearing, and Jill Sparks, who is deaf.  Jill’s husband, David Sparks, who is also deaf, rounds out the trio.

The candlelight ceremony will bring together both the hearing and non-hearing community — the music is recorded and will be played as it’s being interpreted by The Singing Hands.

“The cantata is presented to give our hearing impaired community members an opportunity to ‘hear’ the Christmas story in song,” McRoy explained. “The beauty of signing has blessed our hearing congregational members as well. … I don’t know if you’ve ever seen sign language but it’s so graceful. It really is a ministry of its own.”

The Singing Hands have been performing at the church for about eight years, in a rotation of church singers who do special singing. The Sparks will play Mary and Joseph in the cantata, roles that include solos, while Joy McRoy will also sign and help keep the beat, McRoy said.

“So many times, the hearing impaired can’t take part in the cantatas,” McRoy said, explaining that someone would have to interpret the music as it’s being sung. But that won’t be an issue Sunday, as this performance will cater to the hearing impaired.

“We’ll have a special section up front for the hearing impaired because they really need to see the signs,” she said.

Regardless of hearing ability, the church is issuing an open invitation.

“Hearing impaired person, hearing person — if they can come, they will be blessed. It’s a beautiful cantata in itself,” McRoy said.

Hodges Chapel Pentecostal Holiness Church is located at 549 Carrow Road in Chocowinity.