Holy Eucharist and Pageant
4:00 PM, music at 3:45 PM
Our family friendly service will feature a paper bag pageant that will serve as The Liturgy of the Word. Children are welcome to wear a costume to the service if they wish, additional costumes (we have 60+ costumes ready to go!) will be given out to any member of the congregation that wishes to participate. The pageant will be followed by Holy Communion.
A special musical prelude will precede the service, beginning at 3:45 PM.
Festival Holy Eucharist for the Feast of the Nativity
10:00 PM, music at 9:30 PM
Our traditional Midnight Mass remains a highlight of the year, with Holy Communion and music with choir, strings, and organ.
For the musical prelude beginning at 9:30 PM, the Grace Choir will perform Christmas Oratorio of French composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921). The thirty minute work will be sung in English and is scored for five soloists, chorus, string quartet, harp and organ.
At 9:30 PM on Christmas Eve, preceding the 10:00 PM Festival Holy Eucharist, the Grace Choir will perform Christmas Oratorio of French composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921).
Saint-Saëns was just 23 years old when he wrote the piece. It was premiered in the church of La Madeleine in Paris in December of 1858. The thirty minute work will be sung in English and is scored for five soloists, chorus, string quartet, harp and organ. The narrative portion of the text is taken from the second chapter of St. Luke, appears in the second movement and tells the part of the traditional Christmas story involving the shepherds. The remainder of the texts, taken from John, Isaiah, Lamentations, and the Psalms, reflect upon the meaning and significance of the event. The work has been called “a musical enhancement of the words of the Christmas office, without interest in the human drama.”
It is a deeply moving piece both musically and spiritually and remains a treasured work in the Universal Christian Church.
Resources: Das Barenreiter-Magazin, Wikipedia: Oratorio de Noël
The service on Sunday, December 25 will be a spoken Eucharist (no music) at 10:00 AM. This service will not be livestreamed.
There will be one combined service of worship, with carols and Communion, on Sunday, January 1 at 10:00 AM. The service will be streamed to our website and to Facebook.
Compline will not meet on December 27 or January 3. The first service of the new year will be Tuesday, January 10 on Zoom.
The Wednesday Eucharist will happen as usual on December 28 and January 4 at noon in the chapel.
Prayer Yoga classes will not meet the week after Christmas – December 26 & 29. Hope you’ll join us for yoga in 2023!
There will be no Centering Prayer on December 26.
The parish office will be closed on Monday, December 26 and Tuesday, December 27 and open by appointment only on Wednesday, December 28 and Thursday, December 29. If you need to see clergy or staff, please reach out to them directly to coordinate a time. The office will also be closed Monday, January 2.
Please note that someone will be in the office December 26 – 29 from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM and on Friday, December 30 from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM to receive year-end contributions. Please ring the bell at the red double doors facing Brenau Avenue.
Look ahead to upcoming opportunities for prayer, worship, and community!
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