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The CSI Church, Toronto’s service of Lessons and Carols was held on the 15th of December at 6.00 pm at our church (1315 Kipling Ave, Etobicoke). It was a serene and beautiful night of music and meditation under the auspices of our Church Choir.
The service was a fusion of the traditional order of worship and innovative styles of presentation. It was beautifully orchestrated through music that spanned multiple centuries, and lessons that depicted a solemn visualization of the historic episodes of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus.
In addition to our own parish members, the church was packed with members from sister churches, friends and relatives. Colorful lights sparkled and lit the inside and outside of the sanctuary, with a gorgeously decorated twelve-foot-Christmas tree adorning the front of the sanctuary.
The service commenced at 6pm in darkness, symbolizing humanity’s anticipation of ‘the light of the world’ that brings hope and guidance, with the vestry prayer “Come and See” arranged by Tom Fettke. This was followed by the candle lit procession to the traditional carol “Once in Royal David’s City”. For the next hour and a half, the choir under the direction of Daniel Thomas, performed a variety of carols in perfect harmony, including the classical Malayalam piece “Yesu Mahesan” in Shanmukhapriya ragam, composed by our own vicar Rev. Shaji M. Johnson.
The inaugural carols, “Prepare Ye” and “Ningal Kettoh” (Malayalam), spiritually prepared the congregation to receive the news of the new born king. The men in the choir proclaimed the good news to the world by singing a vibrant piece called “We’ve Got Good News to Tell”. Under the direction of Suzane Sneha Thomas, the women performed a tranquil arrangement of “What Child is This” and the contemporary piece “Child of the Poor”. The Youth and Sunday School Choirs also added zest to the saintly musical evening through renditions of the traditional carols “Away in a Manger” and “Go Tell it on the Mountain”.
The instrumentation of the pipe organ, piano, violins, guitar and tabla made lovely accompaniment. The congregation spiritedly participated through responsive readings and singing traditional hymns such as “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night”. The readings and music reflected the penitential solemnity of Advent and the joyful celebration of incarnation as each part fluidly moved from one to the next. Venerable Peter Fenty (the Archdeacon of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto) inspired the mass with his contextual, informative and thought provoking message.
The service concluded with the choir singing “Hallelujah to the New Born King”, which was followed by the customary symbol of sharing the word through the lighting of candles and singing of “Silent night”.
The evening continued with dinner and a time of fellowship, where Santa paid a visit and sent the kids into a tizzy—setting the mood for a joyous and wonderful Christmas.
We extend our sincere thanks to all who stretched their hands of support in making this evening a remarkable one. We wish you and your family a wonderful and joyous Christmas, and a blessed New Year!
