At the invitation of my friends Bp. Todd Hunter and Rev. Elizabeth Khorey, I’m very excited to post this announcement about a very special Christmas Eve Service at Holy Trinity Church in Costa Mesa. On a semi-regular basis, I’ve been fortunate to “fill-in” on occasional Sunday mornings when needed to contribute musically to the Liturgy. During those Services, I play “solo acoustic”, as I do almost all time. But on this blessed evening, I will be joined by several fine musicians associated with the Church. We will be singing and playing to accompany and join with the Congregation throughout the hour.

Our format for the evening is a slightly shorter adaptation of the traditional Anglican Nine Lessons and Carols Service. There will be a series of brief readings, each followed by a traditional carol sung by all. Of course the Story of the Nativity is familiar to most, but one that we never tire of hearing. God’s direct intervention into human history by the Incarnation of Jesus was His master plan all along. While it’s certainly true that every day is infused with Jesus’ Life, Death, and Resurrection, particular calendar feasts (aka holy-days/holidays) are effective reminders and guideposts along our day-to-day, year-to-year lives in the Faith. They remind us to consider and reconsider the great lasting truths of Scripture and our place in His heart.

We’ll be starting at 5:00 p.m. and expect to be together for about an hour or so. If you’re visiting Holy Trinity for the first time, please note that, as always, we’ll meet at Needham Chapel on the campus of Vanguard University. If you turn into Civic Center Drive from Fair Drive (across from the OC Fairgrounds), you’ll immediately see a couple rows of parking spots to the left, adjacent to the University. If you look to the right and see the Costa Mesa Civic Center (City Hall, Police, Fire Station), then you know for sure you’ve made the correct turn. Then as you drive down those two rows of parking spots, you’ll eventually see that they dead-end into a private street called Vanguard Place. Once you park and are on foot, proceed to the left to Needham Chapel. It’s a very short walk from that point and you’ll be able to see the building easily. Here is a LINK to a campus map … the Chapel is labeled as “18”.

I know that Christmas Eve is often etched-in-stone as to where you might have to be. But if you have some flexibility and think, “You know, I can do this and still do that”, then please bless us with your presence and your voice as part of our Everybody Choir!