For many Christians the world over, the weeks surrounding Christmas Day are a period of celebration. The fourth Sunday before December 25th marks the start of Advent, the season during which people await the Nativity of Christ. Observances continue through Christmas to the Epiphany, when the birth of Christ became known. Each year, Trinity College School has honoured the Christmastide, and reflected our founding as an Anglican institution, with a Service of Nine Lessons and Carols.
On Saturday, December 11th, TCS held its 96th Carol Service. The Memorial Chapel was in beautiful form for this special event, thanks to the efforts of the TCS Parents’ Guild, the property department, many families who donated poinsettias for the season, as well as the Helen Venables Memorial Fund, which provided the flowers for the altar in memory of the late Hugh D.L. Gordon ’58, a former head sacristan of the School.
The service was led by Canon Don Aitchison, TCS chaplain, and our Chapel Choir and Johnson Ringers were conducted by Mr. Randy Mills. Readers for the service were coached by Mrs. Pam Dew of the English department.
With wintry winds swirling outside, boarding students and staff joined together in the chapel to hear the story of Christ, from the foretelling of his birth to the revelation of his incarnation and the visit of the wise men, guided by a star, to a stable in Bethlehem. Intertwined with the lessons, voices were raised in song and the bell ringers also added to the occasion. Even when the storm caused a power outage, the ceremony continued, with candles lighting the chapel.
We thank the following for their participation in this beloved annual tradition:
Readers: Mr. Kristopher Churchill (head of Senior School), Valeria Fonseca Ortega, Emma Aitchison-Madill, Michael Moreau, Ebube Onyeka, Eda Stange, Sean Kontak, Savanna Barker, Headmaster Stuart Grainger
Johnson Ringers: Emma Aitchison-Madill, Aoo Audsabumrungrat, Ebun Aziegbehmin, Mitchell Baboolal, Jaylyn Bao, Chloe Chan, Bruce Duanmu, Edward Feng, Kyra Fingas, Eric Jin, Veronika Kawnik, Chloe Kim, Emma Kim, Tae-Kyeong Kim, Jack Li, Charlotte Patterson, Allen Tang, Robin Xu
Chapel Choir: (sopranos) Chloe Chan, Kyra Fingas, Taley He, Judy Huang, Hannah Hwang, Nicole Liu, Isabelle Wu, Anna Yang; (altos) Jaylyn Bao, Bria Chalovich, Yuki Huang, Emma Kim, Iris Lu, Eda Stange, Summer Xia, Sara Yang; (tenors) Mr. Adam Bishop,* Mr. Kristopher Churchill,* Alexander Jia, Mr. Doug Mann; (basses) Fr Don Aitchison,* Mitchell Baboolal, Bruce Duanmu, Edward Feng, Oliver Gu, Eric Jin, Allen Tang, Robin Xu
*soloists
