Home for Christmas at All Saints

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By Steve O’Connor, Director of Music Ministries

Some of my fondest memories of growing up in a small town Rectory, were Christmas Eve’s every year.  Our family usually invited guests for an early dinner.  Then my sister and I were allowed to open one gift from under the Christmas tree (usually selected by my mother and almost always contained a new pair of pajamas – we were a very practical Mid-Western family).  We then had to move pretty quickly to get dressed for Christmas Eve services at church.

As the service began, the choir began to gather, the candles were lit and the intensity of the wonderful aroma from the holiday greener seemed to intensify.

Then we stood and began to sing John Francis Wade’s most important work, O Come All Ye Faithful.  I remember the great swell of unified voices from the congregation, and the antiphony of choir member’s individual voices as they passed in procession toward the altar.  Then came the words of the Opening Collect, “O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ…”

Now THAT’S HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!

Every year, with Christians all over the world, we at All Saints celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, on Christmas Eve.  Once again, this year, we’ll raise our voices in singing O Come All Ye Faithful, Joy to the World, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and a host of our most cherished Christmas Carols from the great tradition of the worshiping Church.

This year, I’d like to make Christmas Eve at All Saints a real HOME FOR CHRISTMAS celebration, by inviting anyone from the congregation to join us in an All Saints’ Community Choir.  Our anthem will be a lovely and simple setting of one of the Christmas Carols, accompanied by the string ensemble, and rehearsals will be minimal and easily accessible the week or two prior on Sunday mornings.  You may sing at whichever service you plan to attend (or both if you are inspired), and you’ll have the opportunity to help lead the family of All Saints in one of its most important worship celebrations of the entire year.

Our December 24^th evening services (7 and 9:30 p.m.) will also feature the musical support of the Santa Barbara Strings, Mezzo-Soprano and UCSB Professor of Music (and member of All Saints), Dr. Linda Di Fiore, as well as other local professional musicians.  Wouldn’t you just love to sing with these artists?

Will you join us?  I hope so.  If you’d like more information, catch either Don Ziehl or me on the patio after church some Sunday soon, or give me a call at the Church Office.  I can’t wait to make music with you!

God’s peace,
Steve