Westminster’s 42nd Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols will return to campus this weekend after taking place last year at the First Presbyterian Church of Fulton, during preservation efforts at America’s National Churchill Museum (ANCM).
The beloved tradition will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, at the historic Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury — part of ANCM. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public. For those who cannot attend in person, the service will also be livestreamed on Westminster’s Facebook and YouTube pages as well as ANCM’s Facebook page.
A reception in ANCM’s undercroft will follow the program.
Robbie Pratte, Director of Museum Operations, says he is pleased the annual tradition will take place once again at ANCM.
“As we finalize our preservation efforts, we are thrilled to once again host Westminster’s annual Lessons and Carols ceremony,” Pratte says. “The historic nature of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, demands that life be breathed into it, and that’s just what special events like this do for a building that is not meant to be an artifact, but a location of celebration.”
Learn more about St. Mary’s highly unique history on ANCM’s website.
Like St. Mary’s, the roots of Westminster’s holiday ceremony can be traced to England. The annual event is patterned after the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College of Cambridge University. The service, founded in 1918, includes the reading of nine biblical scriptures that pertain to the Christmas story. Each reading is followed by a reflective carol.
A number of Westminster faculty and staff members, the Churchill Singers under the direction of Dr. Natasia Sexton, area musicians and members of the local community will participate in the event.
Rev. Jason Buckwalter, DMin, Director of Westminster’s Center for Faith & Service, says community involvement is one of the most exciting aspects of the service. He reflects, “Lessons and Carols is cherished here not only for its tradition, but also because so many voices from our community help bring it to life. It is a joy to see Westminster and Fulton celebrate together each year.”
The Festival of Lessons and Carols is co-sponsored by Westminster’s Center for Faith & Service, the College’s Fine Arts department, and America’s National Churchill Museum.
Sarah Rummel Backer is the Director of Media Relations and Senior Writer at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. A proud Westminster graduate, Sarah has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and strategic communications in the areas of higher education, medicine, agriculture, and the private business sector.
