Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

The St Bride’s Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday 21st December at 5:30pm is a wonderful opportunity to hear the full range of readings in the now famous service devised for King’s College, Cambridge in 1918 by Eric Milner-White.

The congregation sings Christmas hymns ranging from Once In Royal David’s City to O Come, All Ye Faithful and we also have the opportunity to hear a number of contrasting pieces from the wide repertoire of Advent and Christmas music which St Bride’s Choir sings.

Admission

The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend. Doors open 30 minutes before the event which lasts approximately 1 hour.

Pre-registration for early admission to this event is now closed. Plenty of places (125) are available on a first come, first served basis for later admission via the West Door (15 minutes before the service starts) for those who arrive on the day without registration.

Music

This music for this service will include some old favourites, such as Andrew Carter’s arrangement of I wonder as I wander, but will also feature two contrasting contemporary carols, both suggested by choir members – Clive Osgood’s lyrical setting of the Coventry Carol and Ding Dong Diggety by Janet Wheeler – a jazzy re-working of the classic carol “Ding dong merrily on high.”

Support St Bride’s

St Bride’s is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation without which this service could not happen.

There will be a retiring collection at the end of the service to support the work, ministry and music-making of St Bride’s and help maintain our magnificent Wren church.

Donations can be made by cash or contactless at church or via JustGiving. A donation can also be made in advance via EventBrite if you choose to register for early admission to the service.

Do please Gift Aid your donation if you are eligible which generates an extra 25p in every £1 donated.

Additional Information

Directions to St Bride’s Church and information about accessibility are available on our Visit Us page.

If you register for early admission please arrive 30 minutes before the service. Your place may need to be released to others queuing if you arrive later than this.