Community comes together for Carol Services
St George’s Church played host to both the Senior and Junior School Carol Services during the last week of the Autumn term.
Senior School Carol Service
On the evening of Monday 13th December, the School’s Chaplin Rev Liz Leaver welcomed the SGS community to the Senior School service before the Chamber Choir delivered a sterling performance of ‘Gaudete’. During the service there were also performances from the Junior Chamber Choir, VOX and Boys Vocal Group who sang ‘Miracle of Lights’ and ‘The Saviour’s Come’, the Chamber Choir who performed ‘Magnificat in C Stanford’ and ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ and the Chorus who sang ‘Sussex Carol’. The service concluded with the Chamber Choir’s version of ‘O Little One Sweet’.
Readings were delivered by Head Boy Harry Brown, Head Girl Jessica Horsford, Fourth Years Anjali Abraham and Eddie Griffiths, Second Year David Francis, First Year Niall O’Reilly and Headmaster Dr Paul Owen.
The congregation enjoyed singing ‘Once In Royal David’s City’, ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’, ‘O Little Town Of Bethlehem’, ‘Good King Wenceslas’, ‘God Rest You Merry Gentlemen’, ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ and ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’ and it was great to hear the church enveloped in the wonderful sounds of these well-known carols.
The beautiful evening of candle-lit music was arranged by Director of Music Michael Dow and his colleagues in the Music department.
Junior School Carol Service
The following evening the Junior School community gathered together to enjoy an evening of festive cheer.
The children treated the audience to a seamless performance of readings, singing and orchestral music led by Junior School Head of Music Miss Anastasia Micklethwaite.
Soloist Sophia S opened the evening’s festivities with a fantastic performance of the first verse of ‘Once In Royal David’s City’ before she was accompanied by the Year Five and Six Choir – thus inspiring the congregation to take part in verses three and four.
Readings by Head Boy Marco B, Head Girl Minnie H, Alexander J, Sienna E, Lucas W, Poppy S, Joshua H and prayers offered by Sophia C complemented an evening of hymns and music performed by all year groups.
The Year Five and Six Choir performed ‘Ding Dong Merrily on High’, Years Three and Four sang ‘Now Tell Us Gentle Mary’ and the Year Three and Four Choir delivered ‘Away in a Manger’. The Year Five and Six Choir sang ‘The Innkeeper’s Song’ with the full year groups rousing finale of ‘Blow The Trumpet’ and ‘Bang The Drum’ including soloists Thomas C, Pearl H and Thom K finishing the evening on a high note.
Rev Leaver closed the evening with a Christmas Blessing and Headmaster Mr Matthew Copping echoed the congregation’s thoughts on the pride in the children’s performances, their hard work in creating the evening and how thankful we all are to have had the opportunity to enjoy the service live at such a beautiful venue.
