Both the 9:00 and 11:15 Sanctuary Worship Services on December 14th will be built around the rich and wholly-scriptural texts Handel set to music in his classic Messiah oratorio. The Sanctuary Choir will be joined by the Alleluia Chorus and a string quartet to present the sections that tell the story of Christ's coming that first Christmas, with the congregation participating through responsive reading, hymns, and prayers.
Between the two services, Dr. Carey Newman--Handel scholar and editor of Baylor University Press--will speak about the text of “Messiah" as well a the history of the piece and how it became a classic both inside and outside the worshipping church.
If you've never experienced "Messiah" as the full narrative of Jesus' coming, or perhaps have never heard more than the Alleluia chorus, prepare to join the story in a fresh way through this music.
Our Contemporary Worship will be led by Alex Mejias in the Fellowship Hall at 11:15.
More on Carey Newman: Dr. Newman earned his doctorate in religion from Baylor in 1989 and holds a master’s degree in theology from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland) and a master of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author or editor of three books and numerous academic and professional articles and is a participating and contributing member of the Society for New Testament Studies, the Society of Biblical Literature, the Catholic Biblical Association and the Institute for Biblical Research.