.jpg)
A traditional service of the Lexington Presbyterian Church, the Christmas Festival of Lessons and Carols, will be held during the 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday, Dec. 17. This will be the church’s only worship service that day.
In the service of Lessons and Carols, a series of Old and New Testament scripture passages are read. Between the reading of the lessons there is music - carols, anthems, and hymns - offered by choirs and congregation. The Festival of Lessons and Carols, which dates from late 19th-century England, was first used at the Lexington church during the 1950s by the late Mary Monroe Penick, who served as the church’s director of music for 46 years until her retirement in 1977. The observance has continued under the direction of Penick’s successor, William McCorkle.
Reading scripture lessons this year will be the church’s pastor, the Rev. Drew Ditzel; director of Christian education, Sandra Hayslette; director of music, McCorkle; and several members of the congregation.
At the service of lessons and carols, McCorkle will lead the choirs of the church in the singing of carols, hymns, and anthems. The Lam Handbell Choir, under the direction of McCorkle and Mayumi Smitka, will offer arrangements by Susan Rucker of two well-known carols, “In Dulci Jubilo” (“Good Christian Friends, Rejoice”) and “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly.”
Music to be sung by the adult choir will include “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light” from the Christmas Oratorio of J.S. Bach; John Ireland’s “Adam lay ybounden”; Charles Vardell’s “Lullaby in the Manger”; William Llewellyn’s arrangement of Geoffrey Ainger’s “Born in the Night, Mary’s Child”; “Out of Your Sleep” by Richard Rodney Bennett; “All for Love” by Robert Young; and the effervescent “On This Day Earth Shall Ring” by H.C. Stewart. The children of the church, with pianist Laura de Maria, will sing the Austrian classic, “Still, Still, Still.” Soloists in the choir will be Philip Coulling, Melissa Holland, Sue Anne Huger and Scott Williamson.
Hymns and carols to be sung by the congregation and choirs together will include “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “Once in Royal David’s City,” “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “As with Gladness Men of Old,” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”
For those wishing to participate virtually, the service will be livestreamed on YouTube through the church’s website, www.lexpres.org.
