Given the surge in case counts, our 6 p.m. Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols will now be held via livestream only. Please see here for the latest on our plans for Christmas Worship (updated on December 22). If you have any questions about our 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service this year, please contact a member of our staff.
The UnPageant
Sunday, December 19
11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary and via livestream
How else to enjoy the UnPageant this year but in a hybrid experience? Join us online or in person on the fourth Sunday of Advent for First Church’s beloved tradition of the UnPageant, a unique way to include everyone in the story of Christmas. This year, characters will Zoom in, pre-record themselves, and/or show up in person—it’s an UnPageant for our hybrid times.
All-Church Cookie Swap
Sunday, December 19, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Margaret Jewett Hall
While we can’t gather together for our traditional Christmas Party after worship, we can celebrate with cookies! Bake or buy 6-10 dozen of your favorite holiday cookie, and then package them by the ½ dozen (6 cookies per bag) to be offered at our first All-Church Cookie Swap. Label each bag with ingredients/allergy info before dropping them off in Margaret Jewett Hall before or just after Hybrid Worship. In your baking/buying plans, consider if you can provide gluten-free, dairy-free, or low-sugar options, and definitely label any baked goods that contain nuts. We’ll organize them on tables and invite everyone to walk through from the parish building entrance to the Mason Street door, picking up treats along the way. Help spread some Christmas joy on UnPageant Sunday; the more cookies, the merrier!
Blue Christmas Worship on the Longest Night
Tuesday, December 21, 6:30 – 7:15 p.m., via Zoom
Join us for an evening worship service on the longest night of the year to hold our grief, our sorrow, and complicated experiences amidst the Christmas season. This is a time for reflection and solace, as we continue to experience the prolonged stress and grief of the pandemic and of difficult seasons of our lives.
Christmas Eve Carol Sing on the Lawn
Friday, December 24, 4:00 – 4:30 p.m.
Church Lawn
People of all ages are invited to this 30-minute family-friendly time of singing your favorite carols and hearing the Christmas story! All are welcome! We’ll have a lighted Christmas tree set up on the lawn to brighten our gathering, but bring a flashlight or headlamp with you to follow along. We’ll finish up with hot cocoa and tea for all.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Lessons and Carols
Friday, December 24, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. via livestream
Our traditional Christmas Eve service will be held on our livestream. The service will also be available to watch on YouTube from home anytime after the livestream ends. Watch with family and friends, near or far, after dinner, at 8, 9, or midnight!
Christmas Day Service
Saturday, December 25, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
First Church’s YouTube Channel
Watch our pre-recorded Christmas Day service from last year, which will re-premier at 11:00 a.m. on Youtube.
The First Sunday of Christmas
Sunday, December 26, 11:00 a.m. via livestream
Join us for online Worship at 11:00 a.m. for a service similar to what we usually offer on Christmas Day, complete with lessons, carols, and Peter Sykes’s masterful harpsichord rendition of William Byrd’s “The Bells.”