And the Glory was Revealed
On December 4th, I stood up on the altar of Holy Trinity Church along with my fellow members of the Chapel Choir and members of the Dahlgren Contemporary Choir and Gospel Choir to bring in the season of Advent with the Lessons and Carols service. Every year it is truly such an amazing experience to sing in this beautiful church with the people who have become some of my best friends, all while surrounded by the Georgetown community.
Throughout the night, each choir sang some of their own songs, each representing their own style between the lessons. This is always one of my favorite nights of the year because we get to showcase some of our most beautiful pieces– pieces that also allow us to reflect upon the meaning and importance of the Advent season.
What is most remarkable about this evening is the feeling I am left with each year. As we sing these songs in preparation for Christ’s birth just a few weeks later, it is clear that Christ is present in that church. After my favorite piece, “Christus Paradox,” I took a second and looked around at the Chapel Choir. That moment was a moment of satisfaction, love for the choir, appreciation for the music and hard work of everyone involved, and also deep faith.
At the end of the night, all the choirs joined together on the altar to sing “And the Glory.” The text of the piece came alive that night as the Glory of God was truly revealed. The choirs all swayed and the congregation quickly joined in, standing and singing the glory of God.
This night has been such a special night for me. It brings my choir together and allows the Spirit to come alive in all of us and in our relationships with each other. It is also a wonderful opportunity to come together with other choirs and members of the faith community to get to know each other better. Lessons and Carols is an experience I will greatly miss after graduation.
Written by Sean Viscount, B’16