St. Peter’s Lewes to offer Advent Lessons and Carols Dec. 4

The full choir of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Lewes, led by a guest organist and guest choirmaster, will present a special service of Advent Lessons and Carols at 5 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4.

Advent, a season of the liturgical year observed in most Christian denominations, is a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the nativity of Christ at Christmas.

St. Peter’s service, with readings from the Bible, accompanied by choral music and congregational hymns, is patterned after the first one held at King’s College in England on Christmas Eve in 1918, following the end of World War I. The lessons will be read by the church’s clergy, lay leaders and representatives from the Lewes community.

Guest organist will be Dr. Richard McPherson, professor emeritus at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., where he taught applied organ, harpsichord and music theory, and created a degree program in sacred music.

Michael Main, the guest choirmaster, has more than 50 years of choral directing experience. He was the founding artistic director of the Arts Chorale of Winchester, Va., and led the group for 19 seasons.

This program is part of the 2022-23 season of the St. Cecilia Music Guild.

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church is located at the corner of Second and Market streets in downtown Lewes. The public is invited to attend, and a freewill offering is welcome.

For more about the guild’s presentations, go to stpeterslewes.org/music/st-cecilia-music-guild.