21 Nov 2022 Hendrix College’s Candlelight Carol Services

CONWAY — For nearly 60 years, the Hendrix College Choir’s Candlelight Carol Service has marked the start of the holiday season for many in Arkansas and the broader Hendrix community. The 2022 Candlelight Carol Services continue this beloved tradition while also introducing new music to those who attend. Services in Greene Chapel on the Hendrix College campus will take place at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 1-3 and at 4 p.m. Dec. 4. While there is no admission charge, limited seating makes reservations required for the on-campus services; seats may be reserved online at hendrix.edu/candlelight. 

This year, the choir will make tour stops Dec. 15 at Germantown United Methodist Church of Germantown, Tenn.; and Dec. 16 at Asbury United Methodist Church of Little Rock. Both tour services begin at 7:30 p.m. and do not require reservations.

In-person attendance is not the only option for those wishing to experience the Candlelight Carol Service. The service will be streamed live from Greene Chapel at hendrix.edu/candlelight on Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 3.

The Candlelight Carol Service at Hendrix shares many features with the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols celebrated each Christmas Eve since 1918 at King’s College in Cambridge, England. The nine lessons, taken from Old and New Testaments, weave a narrative from Adam’s fall into sin, through the prophecies of Christ’s coming, and culminating in Christ’s birth. The carols performed between the lessons change yearly, and offer opportunities for reflection, exultation, and celebration. A vibrant tradition, the Candlelight Carol Service includes music that spans several centuries and also features many living composers. This year’s service features a world premiere piece by Jerry Hui: As I Sat on a Sunny Bank, a cheerful arrangement of a lesser-known British carol.