Lessons and Carols at Saint Thomas Church

At Saint Thomas, we offer variations of Lessons & Carols at five services from December 17 through December 24. The version on Sunday, December 21 is the primary one, and the original. We offer it twice, at 11am (which is followed by Holy Communion) and at 4pm (not followed by Holy Communion):

  • A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Sunday, December 21, at 11am and 4pm. Music of Willcocks, Ledger, Tavener, Scott, Cleobury, Pearsall, Mathias, and Pettman; plus favorite carols and hymns.
  • A Service of Lessons and Carols and the Blessing of the Creche,Wednesday, December 24 at 4pm. Works of Archer, Rutter, Hadley, and Matthias; plus favorite carols and hymns.

The December 21 version is called A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols, which is a format designed by Edward White Benson (who later became Archbishop of Canterbury). Nine lessons are interspersed among the carols and motets sung by the choir, and the carols and hymns sung by the congregation. The lessons cover the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus. The nine lessons are read by nine representatives of our parish: a Chorister, a Member of the Sunday School, a Gentleman of the Choir, the Director of Music, the Headmaster of the Choir School, a Member of the Congregation, a Warden of the Parish, a Priest of the Parish, and finally the Rector. The services are among the best attended of the year, but in past years there have always been enough seats for all who have wanted to attend. We advise arriving early for the best seats.

We also offer a shorter version, simply called A Service of Christmas Lessons & Carols. The format is similar, but is designed to last less than an hour. It includes five lessons and fewer carols and motets—shorter yes, but packing a lot of power. These services are offered onWednesday, December 17 at 12:10pm and Saturday, December 20 at 4pm. These are popular, but there should be enough seats for everyone.

Finally, a third version of this service is on Christmas Eve at 4pm. It is called Lessons & Carols and the Blessing of the Creche. It includes five lessons, as well as carols and motets sung by the choir, and is ideal for those with young children, since children are invited by the Rector to come and sit near the steps of the chancel, near the creche, midway through the service. No tickets are necessary for this service, but in recent years it has become very popular, so those who arrive by 3:30pm get better seats (the doors open at 3pm). This service is also an excellent alternative for those who do not want to stand in long lines for the 11pm service on Christmas Eve.

Whichever Lessons & Carols service appeals to you, we hope you come. The service is one of the great glories of the Anglican choral tradition, and you will be glad you took part.

Other Advent and Christmas Resources on this Website