Community Corner
5 PM Family Christmas Eve Service
Our 5 p.m. Christmas Eve family friendly service, especially for children, will feature the Beacon Brass Quintet who accompany us along with Music Director Christine Hogan on organ. This is fun service celebrating the Christmas Bible story of the birth of Jesus. Upon entering the church all attendee's are presented with one or two figures who were present in the manger - Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, angels, wise men, and animals. As a narrator reads the story and announces the sacred favorite hymns/carols we sing in unison, participants - children and adults alike - are invited to bring the appropriate characters to the manger that is positioned upon a table in the front of the church alter. Upon announcing the birth of Jesus at the completion of the manger scene, the service concludes with an exuberant singing of Joy to the World and the congregation is encouraged to participate and celebrate with noise makers (tambourines, wooden blocks, toy drums, marimbas, etc.) previously handed out by church members and staff. This is followed by another postlude singing celebration. This will be the third year Beacon Brass has celebrated with us. They are nationally acclaimed and have performed in such venues as Carnegie Hall, the opening ceremonies of the John F. Kennedy Library and the Centennial Dinner for members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In recent years they have been featured in informal recitals/lectures with Boston Pops conductor, Keith Lockhart.
