(Cazenovia, NY – Dec. 2015) The Cazenovia Presbyterian Church will hold a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Thursday evening Dec. 24 at 8 p.m.. Elder Kevin Curtis will light the traditional Christ Candle in the middle of the advent wreath.
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 Quintet 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 quintet are Natalie Brandt on violin, Maddie Fikorn on viola, Saulo Ferreira on cello and Joanna Robertson on cello. .
The “Carol of the Bells” will be sung by the Senior Choir and accompanied by The Sounds of Chimes.” The offertory will be “On This Night” by Nancy Price and Don Besig song by the Senior Choir.
A duet of O Holy Night will be sung by sopranos Kate Ball McGinnis 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, a graduate of Cazenovia High School is now studying Visual and Performance Arts at Syracuse University. Lesley Roberts is the lead vocalist in the local folk/rock band Route 66.
Elder Kevin Curtis will deliver the Christmas message: “What We Believe.”
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.
Child Care is available during the Christmas Eve service.
For more information contact the church at 655-3191 or www.cazpres.org.