Prelude begins at 0:00. Service begins at 21:04.
Modeled on the beloved carol service broadcast each Christmas Eve from King’s College, Cambridge, A Christmas Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is our most popular choral service of the year. Ancient prophecies foretelling the coming of a Messiah and the Gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus are illumined by extra-biblical texts, anthems and Christmas carols that have inspired composers, choirs, and worshippers throughout the world and across time.
The officiant is the Rev. Canon George Maxwell. Choral repertoire includes:
- “Once in royal David’s city” Irby
- Peter Warlock, Adam lay ybounden
- Robert Pearsall, In dulci jubilo
- “Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming” Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
- Kerensa Briggs, A tender shoot
- “Comfort, comfort ye my people” Psalm 42
- Carl Rütti, I wonder as I wander
- Fredrik Sixten, There is no rose of such vertu
- Cecilia McDowall, Gaude et laetare
- “On this day earth shall ring” Personent hodie
- arr. Paul Halley, What Child is this
- arr. Gerre Hancock, Come, ye lofty
- arr. Dale Adelmann, “Of the Father’s love begotten” Divinum mysterium
- arr. Kenneth Leighton, O leave your sheep
- arr. David Willcocks, “God rest you merry, gentlemen” God Rest You, Merry