The adult choir of St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, will present a Ceremony of Lessons and Carols at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 11 in the church at 1253 Lawrenceville Road. 

The 50-voice choir will perform traditional and contemporary music to inspire and help prepare listeners to celebrate the great feast of Christmas.  Works include “And the Glory of the Lord” from Handel’s “Messiah,” “O Magnum Mysterium” by Tomas Luis de Victoria, and “Creation Will Be at Peace” by J. Paul Williams, as well as favorite music of the season, such as “O How A Rose E’er Blooming” and a contemporary arrangement of “Let Your Little Light Shine.”

The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols celebrates the birth of Jesus by telling the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus in nine short Bible readings from Genesis, the prophetic books and the Gospels.  The program was first offered in 1878 in Truro Cathedral in Cornwall, England.  Bishop Edward Benson, later the Archbishop of Canterbury, formalized the ceremony in 1880, a tradition which continues to this day.

This version of this classic program will remind listeners of what Christmas is all about.  Through a combination of God’s word and a variety of musical styles, Lessons and Carols aims to create a bridge between over 2,000 years of faith and the promise of the future.  

The program will be followed by light refreshments.  All are welcome.  Parking is free.  For information, call 609-882-6491.