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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. 22. This will be the church’s only worship service that day.
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.
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 Barbara Kinyon’s arrangement of the English carol ‘I Saw Three Ships’ and Dan R. Edwards’ colorful “A Christmas Medley,” a work incorporating a number of carol melodies.
The children of the church will sing Valerie Collison’s lively “Come and Join the Celebration.”
The choir of the church will sing “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light” from the Christmas Oratorio of J.S. Bach; Boris Ord’s “Adam lay ybounden”; Robert Roth’s “Summer in Winter”; Benjamin Britten’s “A Babe Was Born”; Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “No Sad Thought His Soul Affright”; John Rutter’ arrangement of John Jacob Niles’ Appalachian classic, “I Wonder as I Wander”: and David Willcocks’ arrangement of “See Amid the Winter’s Snow.”
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 “On This Day Earth Shall Ring.”
For those wishing to participate virtually, this Sunday’s service will be livestreamed on YouTube through the church’s website, www.lexpres. org.
-Lexington Presbyterian plans two worship services for Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The 5 p.m. family candlelight service, with scripture readings and music, will include a pageant entitled “The First Christmas: Fear Factor,” presented by the young people of the church under the direction of Sandra Hayslette.
At the 7:30 candlelight service, the Rev. Drew Ditzel will offer a meditation and will lead the congregation in celebration of the Lords’ Supper. The service will include Christmas hymns as well as special music by the choir and guest musicians. Congregational singing will begin at 7:20 p.m.
On the final Sunday of the year, Dec. 29, the church will hold one worship service at 11 a.m. The Rev. Betty Dax will preach on passages from Luke’s gospel. Special music will be offered by James Baker, saxophone; Mac Baker, guitar; and Laura de Maria, piano.
