by Carl Warmouth
Dean of the Grammar School
On December 20th, our students will take to the stage for what is arguably The Ambrose School’s highest level music and drama production: ‘The Gift of Christmas’ at the Morrison Center in Boise. From the venue, to the orchestra and choir performances, to the Greek theatre motif of call and chorus, to the technical aspects of television production, this year’s Christmas concert will be an incredible event. Lighting, beautiful clothing, carefully planned movements on and off the stage, video recording, editing and broadcasting – it’s amazing to think that these are our children pulling this off!
And we make no apologies for expecting excellence from our students and staff, and for a night to celebrate Truth, Goodness and Beauty in a highly visible and complex way.
But, “…as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:31)
We know from God’s word that “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’” (1 Timothy 1:15)
In the same way that each family experiences both “the hustle and bustle” of Christmas (shopping, cooking, parties, and events) and the quiet reflection of the birth of our savior, so we at Ambrose celebrate Christmas with both performance and quiet worship. As Temperance balances Fortitude, so must our hectic lives be tempered with being still before the Lord.
We invite you to join us for a joint Grammar School/Upper School Exordium of Lessons and Carols on December 12th at 8:00 AM. This exordium is adapted from a traditional Christian worship service celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is the story of the fall of man, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus told through a series of Bible readings and songs.
Following in this beautiful tradition, we have adapted this service for use at our school. The tone of this service will be one of quiet and worshipful reverence as we meditate on God’s plan of salvation at this most glorious time of year.
Please mark your calendar and plan to join with us at 8:00 am on December 12th.
The History of Lessons and Carols
The original service, Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols dates back to 1880 when the Bishop of Truro, Edward Benson, formalized a service of nine readings from Genesis, the books of the Prophets, and the Gospels along with accompanying hymns. Benson would later become the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Since that time, the original liturgy has been adapted for use by many churches of various denominations worldwide. The longest running and most popularly known version has been held at King’s College, Cambridge, UK, since Christmas Eve, 1918. The King’s College Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols has been broadcast annually by the BBC since 1928, except for a brief hiatus during the 1930’s.
