Lessons and Carols
“Lessons and Carols: A Festival in Word and Song to Prepare for Christmas” is a celebration of the birth of Jesus through readings from the Old and New Testaments interspersed with beautiful music. A full choir and orchestra lead the performance that includes traditional hymns along with modern carols. Through word and song, the congregation is invited to reflect on the birth of Jesus in the context of its significance in salvation history. The service dates back well over 100 years and is followed around the world in a multitude of different places. The most famous celebration comes from the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge University, in England (celebrated each year from 1918 to the present day) although the first festival of its kind can be traced to Truro, Cornwall, England, in 1880. The carols and hymns that accompany the readings are specially chosen for each year, along with some constant traditional favorites. Past festivals have included, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel", "Joy to the World", "Angels We Have Heard on High", “Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming” and "What Child is This", as well as the performance of selections from pieces such as Handel’s Messiah and such uplifting modern carols as “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, which has served as the festival’s recessional song.