Advent Lessons & Carols

Today’s service of Lessons and Carols is part of an Anglican tradition that began in 1878. It was formalized as a Christmas service in 1880 by the Bishop of Truro, later Archbishop of Canterbury, Edward Benson. A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is the Christmas Eve service held in the UK’s King's College Chapel and broadcast around the world. It began when their dean, Eric Milner-White, tried to address a decline in church attendance following the horrific losses and suffering of the First World War. To bring people back to the church, Dean Milner-White introduced Archbishop Benson’s carol service on Christmas Eve in 1918. It was a great success.

Today’s Advent Service of Lessons and Carols is related to that Christmas service. Today we combine scripture readings and prayers along with choral presentations and hymns. Our common theme is humankind’s longing for liberation from sin and death, and our hope and expectation for both the first and second coming of Christ the Lord.

This Sunday, we are three-quarters of the way through Advent, a time of reflective preparation for celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25. Yet we realize that for some, Christmas is a time of painful remembrance and lingering loss. On December 21 at 7 p.m., Holy Spirit Church will host a Blue Christmas service for those who have lost loved ones or are experiencing grief at this time of the year. This service is traditionally held on the longest night of the year, which falls on December 21, the Winter Solstice. This night is open to all who are interested.

Next year, Holy Spirit Church will launch a monthly Eucharist for people in recovery next year. About a dozen different recovery groups meet in our building each week. Starting January 8 at 6 p.m., we will continue to meet on the second Wednesday of each month. Once again, the service is open to all who are interested.

Host or Publisher Fr. Tom Jackson