After a successful first weekend of the Christmas Vespers service at the Central Moravian Church, I'm excited to do it all again this weekend!
Vespers is a very popular Christmas service in the Lehigh Valley, and takes place at the Central Moravian Church in Historic Bethlehem, and is located right across from Moravian's music building.
A main part of the Christmas Vespers service is music-- both Moravian College's Choir and Women's Chorus are participants.
Both ensembles perform pieces, as well as sing hymns along with the congregation. The whole church fills with music, and it's really a wonderful experience.
And the organ! If anything, it would be worth it coming to this service just to see and hear the organ played. The organist, Russel Jackson, is phenomenal! Postlude is always my favorite.
Both the choir and the women's chorus perform pieces from the balcony, voices melodically flowing, filling the space. I can only imagine it feels magical, as I've only ever viewed it from the balcony, as part of the women's chorus.
But it feels great singing in the space, and my family members who attend are always so happy with the service. My grandmother is particularly a fan of the organ!
I know my family members enjoyed it, and I'm sure your family members would enjoy it as well! Try to scrounge up tickets for this weekend, as they are hard to come by, as Vespers is very popular. I can even help out if you don't know where to look! (Ask fellow students and faculty or even post on Facebook)
The times and dates for the services are:
*Friday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m., doors open at 7:15 (get there promptly!)
*Saturday, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m., doors open at 7:15 (get there promptly!)
*Sunday, Dec. 11, at 5 p.m., doors open at 4:15 (get there promptly!)
Really, Vespers is my favorite part of the Christmas season, even though I felt like I was living in the church this whole past weekend. But I can't complain, I really love it.
And the spiritual energy of the event, it moves me, and it will move you too! You really have to be there to really understand it.
Just so you know, I'm not religious. The spiritual energy goes beyond religion.
I hope to see you there!
--Ashley ^^
