St. Charles church to host Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols Dec. 4

On Sunday, Dec. 4, St. Charles Episcopal Church will host its annual Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols at 4 p.m., featuring the parish choir and instrumentalists.

Admission is free, but a free-will offering will be received.

A beautiful respite from the stresses of December, the St. Charles' choir and instrumentalists present the Advent message of anticipation and grace through meditative anthems, poignant readings, and carols sung by the gathered congregation -- all in the grand English style.

Join them as the St. Charles choir proceeds literally and symbolically from darkness into light.

The program, directed by music director Mark Downey, will include great choral music in the Anglican tradition by Palestrina, Keesecker, Rutter, White as well as Advent carols and hymns for the congregation.

St. Charles Episcopal Church is located at 994 N. Fifth Ave. (Route 25), just north of Route 64 in St. Charles. The church is wheelchair accessible and has ample free parking.

The St. Charles choir is well known in the area as a mixed choir in the Royal School of Church Music tradition. The result is a sound of wide dynamic range and beautiful expression.

"Sacred Music at the Red Door," St. Charles Episcopal Church's gift to the community of St. Charles, presents this musical offering, a grand conclusion in the 2022 season.

The series has helped to establish St. Charles as a destination for those seeking musical refreshment and excellence, drawing on the existing strengths of our choir and guest artists, Georgian architecture, the Howell 21-rank organ, and Anglican heritage.

For more information about this and other upcoming events, visit www.stcharlesepiscopal.org,call (630) 584-2596, or e-mail mdowney807@gmail.com.