Our Advent Carol Service at 5:30pm on Sunday 30th November is the first and most dramatic of our Advent events.
The service mirrors the Advent journey to the celebration of the coming of the light of Christ into our world at Christmas. The church begins in darkness and expectation, then moves slowly into light, as that hope-filled message of Christmas unfolds in readings and music.
ADMISSION
The service is open to all, ticketless and free to attend.
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 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 this please contact the office on 020 7427 0133 or email stb@stbrides.com.
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St Bride’s is wholly reliant on and deeply grateful for the generous support of our visitors and congregation without which this service could not happen.
This event is free to attend, but we hope you might consider making a donation to support our work, our magnificent Wren church, and the internationally-acclaimed music-making you will hear.
You can make a Donation on EventBrite when completing your reservation; or donate by cash or contactless at church; or via our JustGiving page.
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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 this year will begin with Richard Marlow's Advent Responsory, composed for the choir of Trinity College, Cambridge and first heard at St Bride's last year. Its twelve individual vocal lines perfectly match the voice distribution of our own St Bride’s Choir.
The service culminates with the choir performing from the altar steps and offering a rare opportunity to hear the great Marian antiphon Virgo prudentissima by the sixteenth century Flemish composer Heinrich Isaac court composer to Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor.
