By Yvonne D. Nelson A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was performed by The Memphis Chamber, Boy, and Girl Choirs at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Memphis, TN from 4 to 5 PM CST on Sunday, December 9, 2018. The service of Nine Lessons with Carols was first drawn up by Archbishop Benson when Bishop of Truro for use in that cathedral, and was later simplified and modified for use in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, in 1918 by then Dean, the Very Reverend Eric Milner-White, to whom also we owe the Bidding Prayer. The congregation of St. John’s Episcopal Church performed these services in hopes that attendees would find meaning and inspiration through the offerings of lessons and carols and welcomed all to prepare themselves in joyful anticipation of Christmastide. The nine lessons included the following: 1) Genesis 3:8-15 2) Isaiah 40: 1-5 3) Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 4) Isaiah 11: 1-9 5) Luke 1: 26-38 6) Luke 2: 1-7 7) Luke 2: 8-20 8) Matthew 2:1-11, and 9) John 1:1-14 The program began with a prelude of three songs, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, We Three Kings, and Prelude on ‘Irby.’ The organist was Brian Campbell who was accompanied by David Spencer and Ben Lewis on trumpet; Geoff Durbin and Eddie Clark on trombone, and Kevin Sanders on the tuba. After the processional hymn, a bidding prayer was read by St. John’s Deacon, The Rev. Miranda Cully Griffin. Carols were sung after the first, third, sixth, and eighth lessons. Hymns were performed after the second, fourth, and seventh lessons. A Motet from Luke 1:3032 was read after the fifth lesson and a carol-anthem, the offertory carol, and the collection and blessing preceded the postlude. The Rev. C. Dean Taylor is the Interim Rector and The Rev. Robert L. Van Doren Jr. is the Sr. Associate Rector at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 3245Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111, where the first service of the day begins at 8 AM CST with a small gathering for Eucharist on Sundays. After the 8 AM service concludes, the Altar Guild prepares the table for the next Eucharist. Sunday School begins at 9:15 AM and the Chancel Choir begins to sound at 9:30 AM as the choirmaster plays through the hymns of the day. For more information on the early morning preparations and order of services, visit St. John’s Episcopal Church online at www.stjohnsmemphis.org. 16
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