Free
reservations open Nov. 25; two services to be streamed live from Greene Chapel;
Methodist Foundation for Arkansas joins as sponsor of decades-long holiday
tradition
CONWAY, Arkansas (November 11,
2024) – The Hendrix College Choir and the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas
present the 2024 Candlelight Carol Service, Dec. 5-7 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 8 at
4 p.m. in Greene Chapel and (building 13 on the current campus map). In addition, two tour
services will take place, Dec. 19 in Fayetteville at Central United Methodist
Church and Dec. 20 at Jonesboro’s First United Methodist Church.
While there is no admission
charge, reservations are required for the on-campus services because of limited
seating capacity. Seats may be reserved online at www.hendrix.edu/candlelight beginning Monday, Nov. 25, at
9 a.m. The Choir’s tour services begin at 7:30 p.m. and do not require
reservations.
For those who cannot attend a
Candlelight Carol Service in person, the services on Friday, Dec. 6 and
Saturday, Dec. 7 will be streamed live from Greene Chapel at www.hendrix.edu/candlelight.
The Hendrix College Choir’s
Candlelight Carol Service has long marked the start of the holiday season for
many in Arkansas and the broader Hendrix community. The 2024 Candlelight Carol
Service continues this beloved tradition spanning more than six decades,
offering both familiar and new music for the holiday season.
The Candlelight Carol Service
at Hendrix shares many features with the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
celebrated each Christmas Eve since 1918 at King’s College in Cambridge,
England. The scripture lessons, taken from Old and New Testaments, weave a
narrative from Adam’s fall into sin, through the prophecies of Christ’s coming,
and culminating in Christ’s birth. The carols performed between the lessons
change yearly, and offer opportunities for reflection, exultation, and
celebration. A vibrant tradition, the Candlelight Carol Service includes familiar
hymns, music that spans several centuries, and pieces by living composers. This
year’s program includes the world premiere of O Magnum Mysterium by Shavon Lloyd.
This year’s services are
sponsored by a gift from the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas.
“This beautiful tradition
underscores the historic relationship of Hendrix to the United Methodist Church,”
said the Rev. J. Wayne Clark, President and CEO of the Methodist Foundation for
Arkansas and a 1984 alumnus of the College. “It also provides an ongoing
connection through the congregations the Choir visits on tour, all while achieving
the larger purpose of helping to usher in the Christmas season for more than a
thousand people each year. The Foundation is proud to be able to support the
continuing work of the Hendrix College Choir.”
About Hendrix College
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is featured
in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think
About Colleges and celebrated among the country’s leading liberal arts colleges
for academic quality, engaged learning opportunities and career preparation,
vibrant campus life, and value. The Hendrix College Warriors compete in 21 NCAA
Division III sports. Hendrix has been affiliated with the United Methodist
Church since 1884. Learn more at www.hendrix.edu.
“… Through engagement that links the classroom with the world, and
a commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice, and sustainable living, the
Hendrix community inspires students to lead lives of accomplishment, integrity,
service, and joy.” —Hendrix
College Statement of Purpose