Church will host holiday festival

Newton — Christ Episcopal Church in Newton will host the Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols, on Sunday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m. The worship service includes nine Bible stories interspersed with Christmas carols which depict the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah and the birth of Jesus. The Christ Church Senior Choir will perform along with a brass quintet under the direction of Senior Choir Director, Joe Mello. There will be several opportunities for the public to sing along. The format for the service was based on an Order drawn up by Edward White Benson, later Archbishop of Canterbury, for Christmas Eve, 1880 in Truro, Cornwall. It has since been adapted and used by other churches all over the world. “Christ Church is delighted to invite the public to this wonderful celebration of Christ’s birth,” said the Reverend Robert Griner, rector of the church. “There is no better way to usher in the week leading up to Christmas than to come together as a community in our beautiful space and raise our voices in song.” The event is free and open to the public, although a good will offering will be accepted. Christ Church is located at 62 Main St., in Newton. For more information, call 973-383-2245.