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Sunday
• 8:00 AM Chapel • 10:30 AM Chapel • 10:30 AM Church (combined service) with Live Stream • 5:00 PM Chapel

Christmas at Christ Church

11 12 2024

Christmas at Christ Church

We can't wait to spend the Christmas season with you! We have many special services and events to participate in, ensuring there's something for everyone this Holiday Season at Christ Church. The church service schedule can be found in the graphic above. Below you'll find special events (including registration links), giving opportunities and further information about some of the special services of the season.

SPECIAL EVENTS

CHRISTMAS DOWNTOWN: 2024 CONCERT SERIES
Wednesday, December 4, 11 & 18 | 12:05PM | Church
The season can be filled with hustle and bustle, so join us for a moment of peace and beauty. Concerts are free to the public. Come early or stay after and purchase lunch from the food truck of the week.

12/4: CCES Upper School Choir & One Eyed Donkey Food Truck
12/11: GSO Wind Quintet & MacAttack GVL Food Truck
12/18: Christ Church Friends Jazz Ensemble & ClukTruck Food Truck

TH
E COMMON TABLE: PREPARING FOR ADVENT
Wednesday, December 4 | All Saints Center
5:30-6:15PM: Clergy Klatch & Christmas Pageant Rehearsals | 6:15-7PM: Advent Wreath-Making, Nativity Crafts & Supper
This special evening will help prepare our hearts for the season with a delicious supper, Advent wreath-making and festive Nativity crafts! Click here to RSVP and to purchase your wreath and Nativity banner supplies.

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT REHEARSALS

Wednesday, December 4 | 5:30-6:15PM | All Saints Center
Wednesday, December 11 & 18 | 5:30-6:30PM | All Saints Center
Sunday, December 22 | 11:45AM-1PM | Church
All kids 3 years old through 5th grade, including non-Christ Church members, are welcome to join for music, art, and fun! The Christmas Pageant will take place on Tuesday, December 24, at the 4PM Christmas Eve Service.

ANGEL TREE STORE

Saturday, December 14 | Legacy Early College
Work at the store, wrap gifts, clean up or donate to stock the store! Click here all of the Angel Tree Store details.

HANGING OF THE GREENS

Monday, December 23 | 9AM-12PM | Church
Join the Altar Guild for a fun morning to decorate our worship spaces for the Christmas services. No prior experience with flowers, greenery or the Altar Guild is needed, just a desire to help! If you have work gloves or garden clippers, please bring those. For more information, contact Catherine Whitehead at kinworthycat@gmail.com.

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

CHRISTMAS FLOWER DEDICATIONS OPEN THROUGH DECEMBER 13
Honor or offer thanksgivings for loved ones at Christmastime with a donation of $20 or more. Your gifts will allow the Altar Guild to purchase flowers and greenery that will be used to decorate the church and chapel during Advent and Christmas. Dedications and donations will be accepted Monday, 11/18 through Friday, 12/13. Donations received after 12/13 are appreciated but will not appear in the printed bulletins. Click here to make your dedication online. Contact Kristin Bennett at 864-672-4148 with any questions.

CHURCH STREET CHORAL ACADEMY CHRISTMAS HONORARIUMS OPEN THROUGH DECEMBER 18
Honor a music lover with a gift of $15 or more to the Church Street Choral Academy. Checks must be made out to CSCA and send to the Parish House or click here to make an online donation.

SPECIAL SERVICE DESCRIPTIONS

ADVENT EVENSONG ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1
The service of Choral Evensong (sung Evening Prayer) dates from the sixteenth century, yet has its roots in the far more ancient Daily Offices of Vespers and Compline. One of the jewels of our Anglican/ Episcopal worship tradition, Evensong has given birth to one of the largest and richest bodies of sacred music outside of the Mass itself. It is, at its heart, a contemplative worship service, and much of the service is sung by the choir alone or the congregation is invited to a sung response. We hope that you can join us for this special Evensong, where we celebrate the beginning of this special season.

ADVENT PROCESSION OF CAROLS ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8
Join us for our 8th annual Advent Procession of Carols next Sunday, December 8 at 5:00 pm. This unique service, based on similar services in the great cathedrals of England, was designed especially for Christ Church and our historic church building. The service incorporates the use of each of the liturgical spaces from the bell tower to the sanctuary. The candlelight procession throughout the building commemorates the beginning of the Advent season and recalls the coming of Christ’s light into the world.

CONFIRMATION & BISHOP'S VISIT ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15
Rt. Rev. Daniel P. Richards will visit Christ Church to celebrate a service of Holy Eucharist and Confirmation. Any adults wishing to be received, reaffirmed, or confirmed, please contact Carrie Moore.

SERVICES ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22

  • 8:00am, Markley Chapel - Rite I Eucharist for the 4th Sunday of Advent
  • 10:30am, Church - Rite II Eucharist for the 4th Sunday of Advent, note the 10:30 am services are combined
  • 11:45am, Church – Final Rehearsal for Christmas pageant
  • 5:00pm, Markley Chapel – Blue Christmas Service

BLUE CHRISTMAS: During this holy season, this service offers a time when we can acknowledge, within the joy of Advent and the “Christmas season,” feelings of grief, loneliness, even despair, and look to the support of God and our community to help them find our way through what can feel like the longest night. Join us for this quiet, contemplative service of hope and healing.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

We invite you to join us as we celebrate the birth of our Lord. The Nursery will be open from 3PM until 8:30PM.

  • 2:00pm, Rite II, Church
  • 4:00pm, Rite II with Children's pageant, Church
  • 5:00pm, Rite II, Markley Chapel
  • 6:30pm, Festal Eucharist, Rite II, Church with choral concert at 6:00pm
  • 10:30pm, Solemn Eucharist, Rite II, Church with choral concert at 10:00pm (incense)

A Ceremony of Carols is a masterpiece composed by British composer Benjamin Britten as he returned to England from the U.S.A. in 1942. The 11-movement work consists of an eclectic mix of anonymous medieval texts and poems with intricate harmonies. Accompanied by harp and organ, the Christ Church Parish Choir will present this masterwork at two Christmas Eve choral prelude concerts before the 6:30pm and 10:30pm services.

CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE (There will be no Nursery available on Christmas Day.)

  • 10:30am, Rite II, Church

CAROLS FOR CHRISTMASTIDE ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29
This service will take place at 10:30AM in the Church. There will be no other services on Sunday, December 29.

LESSONS & CAROLS FOR EPIPHANY ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 5
This service will take place at 5PM in the Church. Regular Sunday morning services will take place on January 5.