Wallace Presents a Virtual Christmas Eve Service
A Christmas Eve event in Wallace, 45 years in the making, has been re-invented in this year of COVID-19.
The annual Service of Lessons and Carols will not be held in the Presbyterian church but it will be held by the church.
The service has been alternating between the Presbyterian and the United churches for 44 straight years, attracting worshippers and followers from numerous church denominations and backgrounds. However, public health regulations to combat the coronavirus pandemic will not allow people to gather as usual this year, at any church.
Undaunted, organizers are taking the event to the people, online.
The idea was floated by Run MacNutt and quickly adopted by the church community.
Stuart Semple, the long-time musical director modified the musical offering to include a few small groups instead of the usual choir initiative. Semple led the singers on a musical tour, recorded at the St. Matthews Presbyterian Church over the last number of weeks.
MacNutt, who is an accomplished sound engineer, did the production that will be streamed on Christmas Eve in the usual, precise, one hour event.
Semple remembers concerns were raised 45 years ago that a special Christmas Eve event might take away from the traditional services held at the area’s community churches. Organizers made a commitment that the special service would start at 7 o’clock sharp and end on the stroke of 8:00 to minimize the impact on local activities.
Organizers are keeping the broadcast details close to the chest, inviting all to the What’s Going on in Wallace Facebook page for updates as the date draws near.
While most can watch the online event, there are some who prefer something more tangible and MacNutt has them covered. He is producing the event on DVD, USB Stick (portable thumb drive), along with a download link.
The event, which has grown over the years, could possibly enjoy its largest audience ever this year, something that stirs the heart at the close of a most troubling year. Let the 45th annual be a special Christmas gift in this year of the virus.
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