One of Vancouver's most famous churches isn't going to let a renovation project get in the way of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Since 1888, local residents have been going to Christ Church Cathedral at the corner of Burrard and West Georgia Street to celebrate Christmas.

It's the city's oldest stone church.

This year, the Anglican house of worship will welcome more than 4,500 people for six Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.

The Christmas Eve events are scheduled for 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 8 p.m., and 11 p.m.

The 1 p.m. service will include music by the Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir and a children's story by Colin Houston. At 4 p.m., the Salvation Army Band will perform and Houston will deliver another children's story.

The 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. services will feature the Christ Church Cathedral Choir.

On Christmas Day, services take place at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., with Houston providing a children's talk at the latter event.

Christ Church Cathedral describes itself on its website as a "safe, welcoming and positive space for GLBT people, their friends and families".

"Our motto is 'Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds.' "

Two of the first six women ordained as Anglican priests in Canada were at Christ Church Cathedral.

The renovation project is part of a $9-million "Raise the Roof, Ring the Bells, Feed the Hungry" campaign. So far, $6.7 million has been raised for a new roof, a glass bell spire, and an expansion of a program to feed the hungry in Vancouver.