Annual Christmas lovefeast to be held at Wake Forest

The event is free and open to the public.

Rev. James Newsome, pastor of Rural Hall Moravian Church and a Wake Forest graduate, will assist Wake Forest Chaplain Ed Christman in conducting the service. The Wake Forest Concert Choir, conducted by Brian Gorelick, director of choral ensembles, will provide choral music as well as lead the congregation in the singing of carols and the traditional Moravian song, “Morning Star.” Don Armitage, university organist, will play for the service as well as the Handbell Choir and the Flute Choir. The Messiah Moravian Church Band and carilloneur Matthew Phillips will provide music as a prelude to the service.

Luminaries will encircle the University Plaza. Inside the chapel, each person will receive a beeswax candle to be lit at the end of the service. Fifty-six students and faculty will serve coffee and Moravian buns.

The Christmas lovefeast and candlelight service is a custom that originated in Europe in 1747. The first lovefeast in North Carolina was held on the evening of the arrival of the Moravians in November 1753.

Wake Forest University started the tradition of holding an annual Christmas lovefeast on campus in 1965.

Those attending the service can make monetary contributions to Prodigals Community and the N.C. Flood Relief Fund. For more information, call 758-5210.