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‘Festival of Lessons and Carols’ premieres Dec. 11

Service available on college’s YouTube channel beginning at 7 p.m.

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Welcome the holiday season with Simpson College as it virtually presents the annual “Festival of Lessons and Carols” beginning Friday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. CST.

For the first time, this beloved holiday tradition is available to anyone with an internet connection. The prerecorded service will be available via the college’s YouTube channel.

View on YouTube

“Lessons and Carols” is presented by the Simpson College music department and the Chaplain’s office. This year, the service was shortened and filmed ahead of time to ensure the safety of all participants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than musicians and readers entertaining a capacity crowd at Smith Chapel, they read and performed in small ensembles while wearing masks in an empty sanctuary. 

The time-honored Simpson holiday tradition first took place in the 1970s and is modeled after the traditional English Christmas celebration, “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.”

Filming Simpson College's annual "Festival of Lessons and Carols"
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Simpson College's annual "Festivals of Lessons and Carols" service is being offered virtually instead of in-person. The event premieres Friday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. on the college's YouTube channel.

About Simpson College
Simpson College is a private, liberal arts college located in Iowa with campuses in Indianola, West Des Moines and online. Founded in 1860, the college has 1,268 undergraduate and graduate students. Simpson offers 74 majors, minors and programs in addition to three graduate programs. Outside of the classroom, Simpson is a member of the NCAA Division III American Rivers Conference, hosts eight Greek houses on campus and sponsors many extracurricular options for student involvement.
 
Contact Information
Roger Degerman, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Communication
Direct: 515-961-1595
Email: roger.degerman@simpson.edu