King’s College at Cambridge Choir
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was first held on Christmas Eve 1918 at King’s College in Cambridge, England. It was planned to provide a more imaginative worship service during the Advent
season. Sometime in the early 1930’s, the BBC began broadcasting the service on the World Service. It is estimated that millions of listeners tune in every year.
This year at St. John’s, we continue that grand Anglican tradition by mounting our own version of the service. Nine lessons are read beginning with the creation story and ending with the birth of Jesus. Each lesson is then paired with special choir anthems and carols that complement the readings. Interesting, reflective and joyful, it’s a great opportunity to share the the beauty of St. John’s with our
community.
The music will include selections from Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols”, Harold Darke’s “In the Bleak Midwinter” and Holst’s setting of “Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”. The service will be followed by
a grand reception in the Community Room.
Click for maps and service information!
Learn more about Lessons & Carols from the people who did it first – King’s College at Cambridge.
I love listening to the live broad cast on Christmas Eve. The time difference between Michigan and England means we can hear it in the morning as a sort of family-devotional before all the hustle and bustle of our formal Christmas Eve services begin in the evening.
It would be awesome to actually go sometime. Till then I’m happy to maintain the tradition with the St. John’s Choir!