The Memorial Church of the Prince of Peace, Gettysburg’s Episcopal parish, will present the traditional Christmastime Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 13 at the church, 20 West High Street, Gettysburg. Everyone is welcome; free off-street parking is available in the rear of the church, and a reception with light refreshments will be served in the parish’s Stahle Parlor immediately after the service.
“This year’s service marks another annual presentation of the festival by Prince of Peace — a Gettysburg tradition that we plan to offer for many years to come,” said Father Jim Strader-Strasser, priest-in-charge at Prince of Peace.
The Festival will feature the Prince of Peace choir and the Gettysburg College Brass Quintet under the direction of guest organist-choirmaster Hannah Koby.
The traditional Anglican service dates to 1880 and was first presented in its current form more than 100 years ago on Christmas Eve 1918 at King’s College, Cambridge, England, just one month after the Armistice ended the fighting in what was then called the Great War. Though closely associated with King’s College, the festival’s popularity spread widely and is now performed during the Christmas season in thousands of churches, of many denominations, around the globe.
The Festival tells the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus in nine short Bible readings interspersed with the singing of Christmas carols and hymns.
Carols in the service will include “Once in Royal David’s City,” “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and others.
The entire Prince of Peace congregation invites everyone in the community to enjoy the music and join in the singing of the carols. For more information, contact Art House at 717-398-2653 or aehouse@aol.com.
Prince of Peace Episcopal Church To Offer Annual Festival of Nine Lessons And Carols
Gettysburg — The Memorial Church of the Prince of Peace, Gettysburg’s Episcopal parish, will present the traditional Christmastime Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 13. The church is located at 20 West High Street in Gettysburg. Everyone is welcome, and free off-street parking is available in the rear of the church. A reception with light refreshments will be served in the parish’s Stahle Parlor immediately after the service.
This year’s service marks another annual presentation of the festival by Prince of Peace — “a Gettysburg tradition that we plan to offer for many years to come,” Father Jim Strader-Strasser, the parish’s priest-in-charge, said.
The festival will feature the Prince of Peace choir and the Gettysburg College Brass Quintet, under the direction of guest organist-choirmaster Hannah Koby.
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a traditional Anglican service that dates to 1880 and was first presented in its current form more than 100 years ago on Christmas Eve 1918 at King’s College, Cambridge, England — just one month after the Armistice silenced the guns of what was then called the Great War. Though the festival has long been closely associated with King’s College, its popularity soon spread far and wide and it is now performed during the Christmas season in thousands of churches of many denominations around the globe.
The festival tells the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus in nine short Bible readings interspersed with the singing of Christmas carols and hymns.
The carols in the service will include “Once in Royal David’s City,” “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and others.
The entire Prince of Peace congregation invites everyone in the community to enjoy the music and join in the singing of the carols.