First used in England on Christmas Eve in 1880, the Festival of Lessons and Carols celebrates the birth of Jesus. The service consists of nine short readings from the Bible, the lessons, accompanied by the singing of carols that focus on that particular aspect of the Christmas story. The service moves from lesson to carol with little extra, to allow the story to flow unbroken and to wash over the participants. The interplay of the lessons and carols draws the participants in to the Christmas story to hear it afresh and to enter in to it.

The story of Christmas told by these lessons and carols is more than just the familiar words of Jesus’ birth. Beginning with God’s first promise of this child given to Adam and Eve in Genesis, the Festival of Lessons and Carols follows the promise through the Bible to its fulfillment at the birth of Jesus that first Christmas morning.

This is the tenth year that Free Grace Presbyterian Church has been celebrating Christmas Eve with a Festival of Lessons and Carols. Located in the old Carroll’s Music Store on Canal Street in Lewiston, the service begins at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome.