A Festival of Nine Lessons with Carols is a service rooted in tradition. The appalling atrocities of World War One had scarred people across the globe, leaving them bleak and despairing. Against this backdrop, the service was first held at King’s on Christmas Eve, 1918, and planned by Dean Eric Milner-White, the resulting Festival was seen as both imaginative and hopeful.
The service creates a narrative journey from the promise of a Messiah, to the birth of baby Jesus in Bethlehem. The readings move from Genesis to Isaiah to Micah and then onwards through the New Testament with extracts from Luke and Matthew’s gospels and finally concluding with the Christmas Day reading where St. John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.
Led by Director of Music, Paul Buckmaster, nine readings were interspersed with familiar Christmas Carols, new choral compositions and poetry set to music. The choir, boosted by visiting chorister, Oliver, and accompanied by the organ and the piano, sang beautifully throughout the sequence.
Inspired by the recent Diocesan conference on ‘Leading Your Church into Renewal (LYCiG), attended by nine church members from across the Benefice, this year’s service saw the inclusion of a talk, delivered by Paul outlining how the structure of the service develops the idea of the hope of our deliverance from the torments of sin to the joys of God’s eternal kingdom.
Traditional in form, reflective in subject and atmospheric in delivery, the service flowed seamlessly, leaving the congregation in contemplative wonder as they took the final steps of their Advent journey towards Christmas Day.
Not to be outdone by the adults, the children’s Sunday Club had a wonderful journey of their own during the service crafting opulent crowns, making sparkling angels, twinkling stars and composing nativity scenes.
As always, a warm invitation was extended to all to enjoy some festive treats and a time of fellowship, before heading off home.
Final destination: Crib service at 4.00pm for children and families and the First Communion of Christmas at 11.30pm.
