Parish Profile Alexandria

27 Pages·2015·2.03 MB·English

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Parish Profile A Week in the Life
of Christ Church ...........3
Introduction and
Church Tour..................3
Christ
Worship .........................8
Music Ministry ............10
Education ....................12
Church
Outreach .....................15
Mission ........................16
Pastoral Care ...............17
Finances &
Alexandria
Membership ................18
Christ Church by
the Numbers ................20
History .........................21
118 N. Washington Street
Alexandria & Environs .24
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Moving Forward ..........25
www.HistoricChristChurch.org
Candidate
Application .................27
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Fowler
House
Gift Entrance
PARISH HOUSE
Shop
Main
Entrance
CHURCH
CAMPUS LAYOUT
CAMERON ST.
NURSERY GIFT
SHOP
NURSERY
STAFF LIBRARY CHAPEL
COPY
MEADE
NURSERY
RECTOR ENTRANCE
PARISH HOUSE KITCHEN
BUSINESS
Lower Level
STAFF
STORAGE STAFF
AUDITORIUM
STAGE ARCHIVES COPY ST. JOHN
PARISH HOUSE
KITCHEN
Upper Level
FOWLER HOUSE Stairs
Lower Level
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PARISH OFFICES GIFT SHOP
CLASSROOMS
(Ground Floor)
& OFFICES
AUDITORIUM LIBRARYCHAPEL(upstairs)
(upstairs)
MEADE ROOM
Stairs to Auditorium
PARISH OFFICES
(Ground Floor) NURSERY
AUDITORIUM
(upstairs FOYER
Entrance from Churchyard
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Introduction &
Everyone is Welcome at Christ Church.
Today we are in the heart of bustling Old Town, Alexandria, but at our found- Church Tour
ing we were “the church in the woods,” in a copse of trees uphill from the
shipping and commerce at the shore of the Potomac River. Christ Church is A Week in the Life of
Christ Church
older than the United States of America. George Washington worshipped here. In
SUNDAY
the Civil War, Union soldiers took over the grounds.
7:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Nursery
Care and Infant Caring Room
We are steeped in history but we believe we are making history today.
8:45 a.m. – Noon Christ Church
Our congregation of 1,800 members represents a wide cut of Washington. We are Gift Shop open
young and old. Lifelong Episcopalians and seekers. Single and married. Straight and 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
gay. White and persons of color. Retirees and young professionals. We are military. 8:30 a.m. Fellowship Breakfast
(third Sundays)
We are social justice activists. We are young families. We are the sandwich genera-
8:45 a.m. Coffee Hour – Library
tion—taking care of elderly parents and teenagers or young adults. We are the quiet
9:00 a.m. Adult Forum – Meade
ones, some suffering loss or illness, gathering strength and support from our parish
Room
community and our God.
9:00 a.m. Parents Coffee &
Conversation – Teen Center
Ten miles from the White House and the Capitol, we are tied to Washington life.
9:00 a.m. Sunday School/
We have allegiances across the political spectrum (and Washington people can be
Children – Fowler House
passionate about their politics) but we are here together: praying, working for jus-
9:00 a.m. Sunday School/Youth –
tice, supporting the needy in our city and the poor in missions around the world. Back of Fowler House
10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist with
We’d like to begin our parish profile with a tour of the church campus and then
Children’s Chapel
go more in depth into the missions and ministries. “A Week in the Life of Christ
11:15 a.m. Coffee Hour –
Church” is a day-by-day rundown that gives an idea of the breadth of our regular
Churchyard or Meade Room
ministries—side notes on each page give details about the Christ Church commu- 11:15 a.m. Centering Prayer –
nity. Christ Church by the Numbers and the Finance and Membership sections will Parish House Basement
show a gradual decline in membership and pledges over the years. The final section, 11:30 a.m. Out & About Potluck
Brunch – Auditorium (monthly)
Moving Forward, talks about how we plan to turn around those declines, our parish-
11:30 a.m. Daughters of the King
ioners’ vision for the future of the church, the obstacles to reaching that vision, the
(monthly)
in-parish tools and talents already in place—and those still needed—and the gifts
Noon – 4:00 p.m. Church open.
and graces we hope for in our next rector. Docent tours
5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist
✠
Let’s go to church.
If this were Sunday, we would be warmly greeted by our welcome ministry and ushers.
Step inside the colonial worship space. Sun streams through the large clear windows,
illuminating the simple white walls—the churchyard gardens and trees bring nature
inside. A raised wine-glass pulpit front and center reflects the value Christ Church
has long placed on great preaching and teaching. On Sundays at the 10:00 a.m.
service, which combines two former services, about 300 congregants would be filling
these pews.
Now walk up the side aisle (There is no center aisle here.) and see the numbered
door on each pew. Walk to the center of the communion rail. Directly behind the
pulpit is a Palladian window. On the wall at right of the window, in black colo-
nial-era lettering on a dark gold (originally white) background, are the Ten Com-
mandments; on the other side, the Apostles Creed, Lord’s Prayer and the Golden
Rule. Turn around to face the back of the church and look up to the gallery where
a pipe organ holds center stage. On Sundays, the Christ Church (Adult) Choir and
the Canterbury (Children’s) Choir fill about half of the right hand side of the gal-
lery. Once a month, the 3- to -5 year olds of the Cherub Choir join this heavenly
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A Week in the Life of Christ Church throng. And for much of the year, the adult choir sings monthly Sunday Evensong
MONDAY in the low-lit church with candles in the windows. Crowds come from the parish
9:30 a.m. ELL Classes – and the community—particularly in Advent for Lessons & Carols.
Fowler House
12:30 p.m. AA – Parish House Now walk back down the other side aisle. On the right in the space of two regu-
Basement lar pews is a single box pew, George Washington’s, which has been maintained in
1:30 p.m. New Beginnings the original configuration since his days in Alexandria. Before central heating, the
AA meeting
whole church had square pews like this. We especially like to have visitors sit in
7:00 p.m. Men’s Group
Washington’s pew on Sundays. On any visit to Christ Church, you might see some
Bible Study –Teen Center
of the more than 20,000 tourists who come every year for our daily docent-led tours.
7:30 p.m. Living Sober AA Group
– Parish House Basement
Let’s head outside and across the churchyard gardens, past the brick patio toward the
Parish House. Sit in the garden for a moment and look around. This large church-
yard cemetery is one of the most beautiful spots in Old Town. The old brick paths
and the gardens are maintained by church volunteers (our Stewards of the Dirt) and
locals who love to work in the splendid churchyard. In spring the perfume of the
flowers is enthralling. Little wonder that when weather allows, after-service coffees
are here on the large brick patio. Grownups catch up with each other while children
play on the lawn among the trees and gravestones.
Through the double doors is the Parish House, where the business and most of the
large, indoor festivities of the church are conducted. A large multimedia bulletin
board shows every scheduled event for the week. Today there are three dozen meet-
ings or other events listed. Go left, past the Chapel of the Infant of Bethlehem,
used for Wednesday noon Communions and other smaller services. On the right
is the Library, a large room with a meeting-sized table and settees. This is the most
formal room in the church and it is where our Lazarus Ministry guests—Alexandria
residents in need—are warmly greeted before the Wednesday and Thursday Lazarus
Ministry days.
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A Week in the Life of Christ Church
TUESDAY
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Church
open to visitors. Docent tours
10:00 a.m. Christ Church
Gift Shop open
10:00 a.m. Hunger Free
Alexandria – Meade Room
noon Al-Anon – Parish House
Basement
12:30 p.m. AA – Parish House
Basement
6:30 p.m. Vestry Meeting
(monthly)
7:00 p.m. Bridge Group –
McMurray Commons
Moorings, Women’s Bible Study
– Teen Center
7:00 p.m. Communications
Committee – Library (monthly)
Down the hall are the staff offices. Here you might find the Senior Administrative
Director of the parish, who oversees the business side of Christ Church. Close by is a
volunteer office. So is a large office for our financial staff, the mail room and a small
staff kitchen.
We can’t stop in these offices today because we’re heading to just outside the Rec-
tor’s office midway down a line of doors. No one could miss the singular feature of
the Rector’s waiting room—a commercial-sized stainless steel refrigerator, a recent
addition purchased with funds from another Alexandria church, which is working
through a consortium of Alexandria churches to alleviate hunger. This is where a
good portion of our weekly Lazarus fresh food is stored until the Thursday farmers’
market day (Client Choice Food Pantry). Wednesdays are Financial Counseling
and Assistance days for our Lazarus ministry guests. Up and down the hallway where
we are standing, our Lazarus counselors meet at small desks, with those in financial
crisis.
Across from the Rector’s office is a small conference room, used frequently by staff
for a wide range of meetings and discussions.
Below us are rooms dedicated for Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step groups,
which have 10 meetings a week here. Contemplative prayer gatherings also happen
in these quiet spaces. Facilities maintenance offices, the boiler room, and extensive
storage areas are also on this lower level.
Above the main floor is our Auditorium with its stage and large kitchen. This is
the site of our major social events, meetings and receptions, including monthly
all-parish breakfasts. This is also where our Bag Lunch program makes meals every
six weeks for the homeless. Behind the stage, is a room lined with shelves where the
church archives are kept.
The auditorium is also the site of the annual Christ Child Project—a pop-up store
for the working poor run by the parish, and open for one extended day of shopping
at Christmastime.
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A Week in the Life of Christ Church We had been patching the heating and cooling systems throughout our buildings
WEDNESDAY since 2011, when the campus main boiler failed. In 2013, at the height of a scorch-
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Church ing Virginia summer, the air conditioning in the church finally gave out, so we held
open to visitors. Docent tours summer 2013 services here in the Auditorium.
9:00 a.m. Lazarus Ministry –
Library Planning for HVAC replacement already was well underway by the staff, vestry, and
9:30 a.m. ELL Classes – an incredibly talented lay committee but the sudden failure of the system roused
Fowler House the parish. A quickly organized HVAC capital campaign raised $1.4 million in cash
10:00 a.m. Christ Church Gift and pledges in 12 weeks. An additional $700,000 came from the parish contingency
Shop open
fund (set aside by the vestry) and the Christ Church Foundation. Construction was
10:00 a.m. Meals on Wheels
completed in time for Easter 2015.
12:05 p.m. Holy Eucharist –
Chapel Now let’s walk back to the vestibule, up a few steps and through a door into the old
12:30 p.m. AA – Parish House Parish House. Straight ahead is the nursery for our youngest parishioners. Across
Basement
the hall is the Infant Caring Room with several cushioned rockers for parents and
1:45 p.m. AA Step Group
a closed-circuit TV to stay connected to Sunday services. Around the corner is the
Meeting – Parish House
Basement nursery for 2-to-4 year olds. Child care is offered at all morning services, a necessity
4:00 p.m. Canterbury Choir – for our young families. Each nursery is staffed by two paid caregivers.
Choir Room
Walk straight ahead into our main group meeting room, the Meade Room. An in-
5:15 p.m. Cherub Choir –
Choir Room viting room with a high ceiling, soft colors and wonderful natural light, this is home
6:30 p.m. Education for Ministry – to Sunday coffee hours, post-Evensong receptions, most Adult Forums, and vestry
Fowler Conference Room
meetings. On one side, a wall of large windows looks out onto the churchyard. More
6:30 p.m. Finance Committee –
large windows face out to Columbus Street. Turn around and look up and there is a
Fowler House (monthly)
large mural of the church on one wall. Most of our Sunday forums and regular parish
7:00 p.m. Covenant Class –
Meade Room get togethers happen here. Off to the right is the smallest—but most used—of our
7:00 p.m. Prayer 101 – three kitchens.
Parish House Basement
Slip out the door closest to Columbus Street and to the left is the Christ Church
7:00 p.m. Rector Search
Gift Shop where you can find Christian items, plus home décor, wedding gifts, baby
Committee – Library
7:00 p.m. Water into Life Class gifts, toys, books, fashion accessories, jams and jellies, jewelry, greeting cards, and
(Baptism preparation – 5 times seasonal items. The shop is run completely by volunteers. All profits are donated to
per year)
support local outreach efforts. The biggest shopping day of the year is the Annual
7:00 p.m. Christ Church
Birthday Bash after services on the first Sunday in November. This year the Gift
Foundation Meeting (monthly)
Shop is celebrating its 100th Birthday.
7:00 p.m. Ministry Resident
Program Support Committee
Above us are more offices for clergy and staff including the Senior Associate and
(monthly)
Associate Rectors, our Clergy Resident, the Director of Children’s Ministries, the
7:00 p.m. Outreach Committee
(monthly) Director of Music, and the Parish Membership Coordinator. There’s also the St.
7:30 p.m. AA meeting – Parish John’s Room, a medium-sized meeting space, and rooms behind the Auditorium
House Basement Stage.
Let’s leave the Gift Shop and head outside, turn left, and walk into Fowler House,
where you’ll find our Sunday School. This was built as a J.C. Penney department
store in the 1960s. It was put up for sale by a new owner in 1998. A large building
adjacent to the church with plenty of room for growth—and rental income? A
dream come true. Christ Church quickly bid on it and the church voted unanimous-
ly to take on the debt (about $2.5 million) and purchase the property. The current
occupant, Ross Dress for Less, would retain the street level as its sales floor and upper
levels for stock, while Christ Church would take over the lower level.
After a lengthy visioning process, it became clear that the parish wanted two things
in this lower level: a place for our children and a place to offer training and educa-
tion to help Alexandrians climb out of poverty. Building renovations would bring
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the total cost of the project to more than $3 million, but the church united behind A Week in the Life of Christ Church
this mission opportunity. THURSDAY
7:00 a.m. Men’s Fellowship –
In Fowler House you’ll see the fruits of our labor. Through the doors is a large lobby
Library
with stairs and a handicapped accessible elevator on the left. The lobby often has a
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Church
fleet of baby strollers parked along one side. Ahead are double doors into the Bride’s open to visitors. Docent tours
Room with adjacent changing area with three-sided mirrors for our brides, the 9:30 a.m. Lazarus Ministry –
bride’s family and attendants. Meade Room
10:00 a.m. Christ Church Gift
Walking down the wide stairs it’s hard to believe we’re in a basement. High ceilings,
Shop open
bright lighting and large-paned windows look into classrooms around McMurray 12:00 p.m. Al-Anon – Parish
Commons, the center meeting area, site of our Children’s Chapel during the 10:00 House Basement
a.m. sermon each Sunday. 12:30 p.m. AA – Parish House
Basement
During the week, these are the classrooms of the New Neighbors English Language
6:15 p.m. Ladrey Senior High
Learners. Christ Church provides free classrooms for this school that gives English Rise Bingo Night (monthly)
classes—and child care—to new immigrants and refugees in our community. It 7:00 p.m. Mengo Prayer Group
– Library
began in 2001, shortly after Fowler House opened. Last year it served 326 adults in
8:00 p.m. Christ Church Choir –
nine levels of English Classes, plus 102 children in four child care classes. Among
Choir Room
other things, New Neighbors volunteers (many of whom are from Christ Church)
connect students with resources such as financial services, housing and health care,
FRIDAY
job searches, skills training, immigration and naturalization assistance, and family
9:00 a.m. Bag Lunch Program –
literacy. Auditorium (one week every 6
weeks)
With an adjacent commercial kitchen, McMurray Commons is also the center of
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Church
many weekend youth activities, which might start down the hall in the Teen Center, open to visitors. Docent tours
a large living room with a giant TV, pool table and lots of comfy sofa seating. Next 9:30 a.m. ELL Classes –
Fowler House
door is a shower area, perfect for lock-ins.
10:00 a.m. Christ Church
Across from the Teen Center is the Choir Room, a large practice room with space Gift Shop open
for our three choirs to practice next week’s selections, a music education computer 5:00 p.m. Carpenter’s Shelter
lab (part of the Children’s Choirs), and an area to store robes and music. Friday Night Dinner (monthly
at homeless shelter)
The final section of the Fowler lower level includes middle school classrooms and
meeting rooms. There’s also lots of storage space for precious church items from the SATURDAY
Christmas Pageant stable and donkey to Easter flower crosses. Behind unassuming 9:00 a.m. Labyrinth Prayer Walk
doors at the far end of the (monthly)
9:30 a.m. Baptism Rehearsal
building, a large space re-
(5 times per year)
mains unfinished, perhaps a
10:00 a.m. Christ Church
symbol of Christ Church’s
Gift Shop open
future potential to extend 10:00 a.m. Liturgy Guild Meeting
its ministry further into the (monthly)
community. Noon – 4:00 p.m. Church open
to visitors. Docent tours
Time to head back upstairs,
Various Hours – Weddings
past 14 wall crosses built
as an Eagle Scout Project,
back to the Fowler Lobby
and out into the church-
yard.
Thanks for taking our tour.
Find out more about us in
our ministry guides.
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Worship Worship is at the heart of the life of Christ Church.
We are a “broad church,” comprehensive rather than exclusive. Our
priests do not wear chasubles, and most of us call our clergy by their first
names, rather than “Father” or “Mother.” While many people now stand during
the prayers and Consecration, most congregants kneel. Our Easter Vigil service has
incense and during some liturgical seasons, we sing the Sursum Corda and response.
The Passing of the Peace is often long, loud, and energetic. We invite all to the
Communion Table.
On Sunday mornings, the first service, at 8:00 a.m., follows the traditional Rite I
liturgy and features two hymns (without choir), a reading, the Gospel, and a homily.
The 8:00 a.m. service is cherished by an average of 108 parishioners each week, with
fewer children, and more quiet reflection. It usually concludes in less than an hour
and is followed by a well-attended coffee hour in the Library.
In 2014
Christ Church
For all congregants, there are Sunday forums at 9:00 a.m. (or once-a-month all-parish
celebrated:
breakfasts) and, during the academic year, Sunday School for children and youth.
50 Baptisms
16 Weddings The second service of Holy Eucharist (Rite II) begins at 10:00 a.m. This service
26 Confirmations
especially welcomes Christ Church’s many families, and sees an average attendance
14 Funerals
of 310 parishioners. This service typically features a reading of two lessons, a sung
Psalm, sung Gloria and Sanctus, and four hymns led by the choirs. In addition, an
offertory anthem and one or two communion anthems are sung by the Parish Choir
and/or the Canterbury Choir. There is usually a fraction anthem, often led by the
Canterbury Choir. Baptisms are held at this service throughout the year – usually for
two to as many as eight candidates (almost all infants).
This somewhat more “joyful,” or perhaps just noisier, 10:00 a.m. service features a
special interlude of Children’s Chapel, when those aged 3 through third grade are
invited (with or without their parents) to follow clergy, staff or a lay volunteer to
the McMurray Commons in Fowler House for their own Gospel reading and in-
teractive, age-appropriate sermon, Prayers of the People, and songs. The children
rejoin their families and the congrega-
tion for the Peace, announcements and
Holy Eucharist. The church provides
free childcare by dedicated staff for
infants through 5 year olds, from 7:45
a.m. through 11:30 a.m. The 10:00 a.m.
service generally ends at about 11:15
and is often followed by coffee hours in
the courtyard or Parish House.
This service has occasionally used re-
sources from Enriching Our Worship. Our
music is from the classical repertoire,
supplemented with other styles, such as
African American Spirituals.
Note: In 2014, because of reduced
attendance and the reduction in clerical
staffing availability due to the retire-
ment of our rector and the planned
sabbatical of our associate rector, we
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combined our 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Rite II Eucharists service into the 10:00 a.m. Special Services/Events
service. This combination of services was a year-round extension of the practice we First Night on New Year’s Eve –
10 p.m. service & musical venue
adopted several years ago for the summer months.
Martin Luther King Holiday
The 5:00 p.m. service averages 69 worshipers. This spoken service follows Rite Washington’s Birthday with a
II, and offers a homily. This healing service also features the Laying on of Hands. Washington family Bible
Survey results indicate that the parishioners who attend this service are very likely Ashes to Go at Alexandria
Metro Station
to have a daily spiritual practice. The first Sunday of the month, the choir—and
Lenten Taizé Services
sometimes a visiting choir—leads Choral Evensong followed by an all-parish recep-
Labyrinth Walk (monthly)
tion. These are always popular and attended by parishioners and other members of
Liturgy of Mourning for the loss
the Alexandria community.
of a loved one
On Wednesdays at noon, we celebrate Enriching our Worship Eucharist in the Palm Sunday Procession from
Market Square (with Meade
Chapel. Occasionally our Lazarus guests join this service.
Memorial and St. Paul’s Episcopal
churches)
Analysis of a recent all-parish survey, conducted by a national research firm, showed
Easter Vigil
that we are very much at the progressive end of the theological scale. However, we
SRO Easter Services
are concerned that the same survey showed that in comparison to more than 900
International Women’s Day
churches across the country, Christ Church had low levels of spiritual vitality. The
Shrine Mont Weekend – Parish
exception was those who regularly attend the 5:00 p.m. service, where the self-
getaway to diocese mountain
described levels of spirituality were much higher. retreat
July 4 Readings and Patriotic
The parish survey was conducted specifically to assist the Rector Search Commit-
Hymns
tee in discerning the gifts and graces that are most needed in our next rector. The
September Welcome Sunday/
interim rector and vestry also are using the survey results as a strategic planning tool Potluck Picnic and Churchyard
in their stewardship of the church today. Consequently, preaching and teaching Carnival
have a renewed focus on the deep and abiding love of God and our need to be in October Blessing of the Pets
Veterans Day Blessing (with
relationship with God who is love. A new Prayer 101 class on Wednesday nights is
Wall of Honor exhibit honoring
introducing forms of contemplative prayer. Other changes are in the works to more
parish veterans)
fully address the spiritual yearning of our congregation and community. Thanksgiving (With Beth El
Congregation)
A Service of (Advent) Lessons
& Carols
Children’s Christmas Pageant
SRO Christmas Services
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W
Music Ministry e are a church of enthusiastic congregational singing. Led by a full-time
Director of Music, the music program is an essential element of our wor-
ship and also reflects the church’s mission of welcome and outreach.
Beyond directing the choirs,
the Music Director works with Services offer a variety of music emphasizing daily readings and the liturgical season,
low income students from a
through Holy Eucharist, Taizé, Choral Matins, Choral Evensong, Compline, and
local public school where one
of our parishioners was the Lessons and Carols.
band teacher. The program, Kids The 2015–2016 church year repertoire
of Note, identifies promising
includes:
young students for whom music
is a passion—but who need Orlando Gibbons’ This is the Record of John
additional support to contin- Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus
ue their music studies. Kids of
T.L. de Victoria’s O vos omnes
Note provides encouragement,
mentorship, instruments, and a Thomas Tallis’ If ye love me
variety of musical experiences Craig Phillips’ Festival Eucharist
to several band students in local
Benjamin Britten’s Jubilate Deo
schools, ensuring that their musi-
cal talents develop. Spirituals There is a Balm in Gilead
Every Time I Feel the Spirit and
We Will March Through the Valley
Kinley Lange’s Esto les digo
Peter Hallock’s The Baptism of Christ
David Ogden’s Christ Has No Body Now
But Yours.
The Christ Church Choir (40 volunteers and 3 professional singers) sings weekly at
the 10:00 a.m. Sunday service. Once a month this adult choir also sings at the 5:00
p.m. Choral Evensong, where we are often joined by guest conductors or organists.
The Canterbury Choir (grades 3–8; 15 singers), sings weekly at the 10:00 a.m.
service. Choristers follow Royal School of Church Music training, incorporating the
fundamentals of music, our faith traditions, and music history. Canterbury singers
use a computer lab in the choir room to learn rhythm and musical notation. Their
The Friends of Music help
sponsor the choirs and other repertoire includes Bruce Neswick’s A Chorister’s Prayer; Hal Hopson’s We Look for
music programs in the church. the Star; John Rutter’s Look at the World; Malcolm Archer’s Brightest and Best and O
Salutaris Hostia; David Ashley White’s A Lenten Prayer; William Bradley Roberts’
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us; Jack Noble White’s The First Song of Isaiah.
Both choirs are occasionally invited to sing at other churches. In Spring 2016, they
will participate in a Choir Festival at St. Paul’s in Philadelphia. Members also travel
annually to Royal School of Church Music summer courses in Newport, Rhode
Island, or at the National Cathedral.
The Cherub Choir (ages 4–6; 10 singers) makes a joyful noise unto the Lord
monthly at the 10:00 a.m. service. All choirs are accompanied by pipe organ or
grand piano.
The program supplements regular worship services with musical events for Alexan-
dria. Special musical offerings include Requiem by Gabriel Fauré on All Saints Day,
with guest instrumentalists and conductor; Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols with
brass quintet and guest organist; an Epiphany concert by Armonia Nova, an ensem-
ble of the medieval and renaissance tradition; Celebration of Hymns in May. Vis-
iting choirs from around the world include Christ Church on their itineraries, and
their concerts are open to the public. Scripture readers at the Service of Lessons and
Carols represent local civic, educational and business life in our city.
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