The Cazenovia Presbyterian Church will hold a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Saturday evening, Dec. 24, at 8 p.m. Pastor Tom Oak will light the traditional Christ Candle in the middle of the advent wreath. His message will be “Unexpected Advent” with scripture reading from Matthew 1: 18-25.
The service begins with Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op.6, No.8 composed by Arcangelo Corelli in the late 1600’s. Known commonly as his Christmas Concerto, the piece will be played by a String Ensemble led by Mary Coburn on violin. Coburn, a graduate of the Crane School of Music and Ithaca College, is the string instructor and orchestra conductor for the Cazenovia Central Schools.
Other members of the group are Maddie Fikorn and Brendan Coffey on violin; Michelle Wilcox on viola and Joanna Robertson and Eyhan on cello. This string ensemble will also perform Luigi Boccerini’s widely known minuet, String Quintet.
The Senior Choir will sing the “Christmas Lullaby” by George Stone.
A duet of O Holy Night will be sung by sopranos Kate Ball and Lesley Roberts. This celebrated Christmas carol also known as Cantique de Noel was composed by Aldophe Adam in 1847 to the French poem Midnight, Christian by Placide Cappeaus. The text reflects on the birth of Jesus and mankind’s redemption. Kate Ball McGinnis, a graduate of Cazenovia High School studied Visual and Performance Arts at Syracuse University and is now an elementary school teacher. Lesley Roberts is the lead vocalist in the local folk/rock band Route 66.
The service will conclude with members of the congregation lighting individual candles while singing Silent Night. The lyrics to this carol were written in German by Father Joseph Mohr with a melody composed by organist Franz Xaver Guber. Both gentlemen performed the carol for the first time on Christmas Eve in 1818 at the St. Nicholas Church in Salzburg Austria.
If you are looking for an open and friendly place to celebrate Christmas Eve, the Cazenovia Presbyterian Church welcomes you. Child Care is available during the Christmas Eve service. For more information contact the church at 655-3191 or www.cazpres.org.