Dear friends,
We are well into the Season of Advent, and Central is a busy place during Advent! One of the many ways we mark this time of year is with our annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, which is this coming Sunday afternoon at 4:00.
Our service of Lessons and Carols is modeled on that of King’s College, Cambridge University. This well-known annual service is the one most associated with the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. However, this holiday tradition can be traced to Truro, England where the service as we know it was first celebrated in 1880. Church leaders in Truro were looking for ways to discourage the raucous celebration of the season in pubs and instead invite people to reflect on the true spiritual meaning of Christmas. As such, they developed a festive service in which Scripture readings recalled the fall of humanity, the prophetic promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus. The readings are interspersed with Christmas carols, hymns, and choral anthems. At Central, we continue this tradition as we hear the story of God’s loving interaction with humanity and sing the songs of the season.
One aspect of the service is that it offers an opportunity to celebrate and support community ministry. Each year a representative of one of Central’s partner community ministries participates in the service. We also receive an offering, which goes to support the work of that ministry. This year our offering will support Lighthouse Ministries and its mission to help our needy neighbors. Central was instrumental in the founding of Lighthouse Ministries and this is one of the ways we offer ongoing support.
After the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, there will be a reception with refreshments in Spears Fellowship Hall.
All of which is to say, I hope to see you Sunday afternoon!
Yours in Christ,