Advent Carol Service

A traditional service of music and readings marking the beginning of Advent and the journey towards the light and hope of Christmas. Our Advent Carol Service at 5:30pm on Sunday 29th November is the first and most dramatic of our Advent events. The church begins in darkness and expectation, then moves slowly into light, as the hope-filled message of Christmas unfolds in readings and music. ADMISSION The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend. The service lasts approximately 1 hour. A voluntary collection will be taken after the service – without your generous support these services could not happen. Suggested donation £15 per person. Many of our Advent events are very busy; please reserve a spot for early admission to the church (30 minutes before the event) to avoid disappointment. 125 places will be held back for later admission via the West Door (15 minutes before the service starts) for those who arrive on the day without registration. If you need assistance with registration please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email [email protected]. ========================= St Bride's receives no state funding and is wholly reliant on – and deeply grateful for – the generous support of our visitors without which this service could not happen. There will be a voluntary collection at the end of the service to support our work, our magnificent Wren church, and the internationally-acclaimed music-making you will hear. The suggested donation is £15 per person. You can make a Donation on EventBrite when completing your reservation; or donate by cash or contactless at church; or via our JustGiving page. ========================= MUSIC Advent is a time of preparation and our anthems, hymns and readings help us reflect on the needs of the world and recognise the true significance of the coming of Christ. This year’s Advent Carol Service once again blends new and familiar musical repertoire. The service opens with Richard Lloyd's evocative setting of Drop down, ye heavens from above, which begins with the ethereal sound of a soprano soloist high up in the Minstrel's Gallery. Later in the service the choir will sing Franz Biebl's Ave Maria, set for double choir and full of sumptuous harmonies. The closing sequence is sung from the altar steps and consists of two settings of another text in honour of the Virgin Mary – Ave virgo sanctissima – the first by the Spanish Renaissance composer Francisco Guerrero and the second by the contemporary British composer Lucy Walker. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Directions to St Bride's Church and information about accessibility are available on our Visit Us page. If you register for early admission please arrive 30 minutes before the service. Your place may need to be released to others queuing if you arrive later than this.