Last evening Gail and I attended the annual Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols at The Episcopal Center at Duke University. A bit early for carols? Of course, but this regular event is held early as it's the last chance the students get to sing carols and enjoy Christmas fellowship before the festive break.
We have attended this event for the past three years and enjoy it immensely. After the service, we tucked in to wonderful food, hot cider, mulled wine. Sharing food is a crucial part of hospitality and hospitality is a crucial part of Christianity.
After dinner, we settled down, with the huge log fire roaring, to sing carols by request. I'm pleased to say that members from St. Joseph's were there in force, probably sang the loudest, and, as usual, were the last to leave. St. Joe's also provided three of the four musicians, with Lyn seemingly never tiring on the organ, Alison contributed with her wonderful flute playing (and voice) whilst David was our great guitarist.
Thank you Karen (interim Chaplain), the vestry and board at ECD for continuing this wonderful tradition.
--Mick
