FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (11/04)
Contact: Centenary Chaplain’s Office, 318-869-5156, or Lynn Stewart, Centenary News Service, 318-869-5120

Centenary Christmas Celebration to Include Public Service of Music, Readings, Candlelighting Dec. 10 in Brown Chapel

	Christmas Candlelight Service is an annual event in Brown Chapel. (Centenary News Service file photo)

SHREVEPORT, LA -- Centenary College will share an annual Christmas tradition with the public on Friday, Dec. 10, when it presents its Christmas Candlelight Service, a program of readings, prayer, music, song and candlelighting in Brown Memorial Chapel. The program is free and open to the public. Pre-service music presenting selected carols by the Centenary String Ensemble will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the service beginning at 6 p.m.

Music will be provided by the Centenary Camerata, Cantare and Chorale singers, conducted by Dr. Julia B. Thorn; the Centenary College Choir, directed by Dr. Will K. Andress and accompanied by Mandy Bourgeois and Daniel Ley; the Centenary String Ensemble, directed by Laura Crawford; and Dr. Hollice Watson, organist.

The Centenary Choir will present the English Carol Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, the Austrian Carol Still, Still, Still and Haan’s Welcome, Holy Child with Codey Whitt, soloist.

Camerata will sing Rachmaninoff’s Bogorditse Devo and Boeker's Jesu und Maria. The Centenary Chorale will sing Shaw’s Coventry Carol and the Centenary Cantare will present Walter’s This Endris Night.

The Centenary String Ensemble will present the prelude with several selections of gathering music for Christmas. The ensemble performers are Robert Schaumburg, Tim Nicholson, Holly Richardson, and Cody Andrews, violins; Carrie Collins, viola; and Sara Kate Ross and David Pennywell, cellos.

Centenary students presenting prayers or readings are Ashley Sittig, Devin Verrette, Mamina Turegano, Chris Lavan and Andrew Roach. The Rev. Betsy B. Eaves, Centenary chaplain and director of the Church Careers Institute, will deliver the message, “Search for the Holy in the Silent Night.” Dr. Peter Huff, who holds the T.L. James Chair of Religious Studies, will lead the Advent Litany.

The congregation will be invited to sing several familiar Christmas hymns, including Hark the Herald Angels Sing; O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, O Come All Ye Faithful; Silent Night; and Joy to the World. Dr. Watson will accompany the hymns and will play Bach’s Savior of the Nations, Come for the postlude. The Rev. Don Meeks, director of the Center for Theologicl Studies, will give the benediction.

Members of the Maroon Jackets honor organization will distribute programs and candles. Organizers will encourage people to enter the chapel in silence to allow for a period of quiet and meditation and to hear the pre-service music.

After the service, the congregation is invited to attend a reception and visit with Santa in Magale Library. For further information, contact the Centenary Chaplain’s Office at 318-869-5156.

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