In the bleak midwinter, a strong sense of community

We were delighted to welcome The Farnley Singers to our Service of Lessons and Carols on December 12.

The choir, composed of professional, semi-professional and amateur musicians, has doubled in size to 18 since it was formed for the carol service at St Lucius' in 2017. 

The 11am service started with the reading of a poem, O Emmanuel, by Malcolm Guite. A solo soprano then sang the first verse of Once in Royal David's City, the choir processing to the stalls as the congregation joined in this lovely carol.

The Christmas story was told through the music and in passages of scripture read by the Rector and members of the church and village community. And the service ended with hearty singing from the congregation beneath a soaring descant to Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.

We are grateful to all who came to the service. Particular thanks go to our Rector, to The Farnley Singers, formed and directed by Jim Cowell, to our readers, helpers, bakers and servers. This was a real community effort with a tangible spirit of Christmas.

Many in the congregation said how moving they had found this reflection on the Incarnation and many in the choir expressed their wish to join us again next year.

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