This Important Tradition Continues

By Kristen Kliner, University Communications

Snow covers the ground, Christmas lights are hung and Santa is at the mall. It is easy to see that another Christmas season is upon us, which means the Drury and Springfield communities celebrate through Christmas Vespers.

Christmas Vespers has been an important tradition to both the Drury and Springfield communities for many years. No one is quite sure how long Vespers has existed, but it is at least half a century old. In all this time, the service has changed very little. “Indeed, that may be the genius of the tradition. It has its own ritual pattern,” says Dr. Peter Browning, Drury’s chaplain.

The Vespers service follows the format of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, a festival originating from an Order created by E.W. Benson, an Archbishop of Canterbury. He wrote it for use in a wooden shed that served as his cathedral. It was first performed in 1880 in Truro at 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was adapted for use in the chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, by Eric Milner-White in 1918. He felt the Church of England needed more imaginative methods of worship; the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was one way to accomplish this. After his adaptation, the trend of this festival quickly spread to other churches.

Drury has used the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols for several years. A break in this pattern occurred when Professor Darrell Benne served as the music department chair at Drury in the 1950s and 60s. When he was chair, Handel’s “Messiah” was performed in place of the festival format. After he left Drury, however, the original Christmas Vespers service was used again.

Presently, Dr. Allin Sorenson, associate professor of music and organizer of Vespers, changes the theme every year. This year’s music centered around the concept of Christ being found in every person, “both stranger and friend alike,” says Sorenson. Much of the Drury community participates; professors read during the service and the music department contributes a great deal to Vespers. Dr. Browning does the invocation and benediction every year. He gives complete credit for the success of Vespers to Sorenson, however. “Allin Sorenson has done such a masterful job leading the Drury Singers. It is always a packed house and I trust that it always will be,” he says.

Sorenson says he has basically planned the event since he has been at Drury, although he would like to include more music faculty in the process in the future. “It is a big responsibility, but it’s worth it to see the chapel packed every year with faculty, students and especially alumni,” he says.

One of the reasons Christmas Vespers is so popular among the community is because it marks the beginning of the Christmas season for many people. It influences the Drury community specifically. “Christmas Vespers is the most important time of worship for the Drury community every year,” Browning says. “What makes it especially wonderful is that it happens right before finals week and, in a simple way, it reminds beleaguered students that a season of joy is beginning. I can’t help but think that it makes the last push before the semester ends a bit easier to endure.”

To find out more about this Christmas tradition, click here.

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