By Jacquelyn Letizia Staff writer
Susquehanna will put on its annual Christmas Candlelight Service on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Weber Chapel Auditorium. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the service.
The service will include music by the university choir, the brass ensemble, the chamber singers, men’s and women’s chorale and other singing and instrumental groups.
Candles will be handed out to audience members, and during the song “Silent Night,” the chapel lights will fade as students will light their candles and illuminate the darkness in the auditorium.
Sophomore Sarah Sandberg participated in the service with chorale and the hand bell choir last year.
“My favorite part of the service is the singing of ‘Silent Night,’” she said. “Everyone in the chapel holds a lit candle and sings the song, and it was honestly one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed. Viewing the whole audience with their candles from onstage honestly got me choked up.”
“I love the fact that it makes people contemplate the true meaning of Christmas, and I know I leave feeling thankful and content and even more excited for the holidays than I was going in,” she added.
Senior Alyssa Oxner has participated with Zeta Tau Alpha in ushering the service for the last two years.
“The service plays an important role in the embracing of community on campus” Oxner said. “It brings campus together right before the crunch of finals and the rush to head home for the holidays.”
“I enjoy the service because it reminds me of my church’s Christmas Eve service back home,” Oxner said. “It is great to see the campus come together and see the many talents that participate in the service as well.”
Sandberg emphasized the great timing and campus-wide participation in the service.
She said: “I love the fact that most of the people on campus attend this event. It brings everyone together in a place of worship and celebration, and I think that’s really important, especially with the impending finals and the heavy workload everyone has at the end of the semester. Having been in it, I can attest to the fact that it brings the different music ensembles together as well. You get the chance to work with people that you wouldn’t get to under normal circumstances. We’re all working toward a common goal on the same particular project, and I think that’s really awesome.”
Because it is the 50th anniversary service, there will be a special choir broadcast on local television station WVIA. The taping for the broadcast will take place on Saturday, Dec. 3 with the student musical groups performing in the service.
Along with the service itself, the Johnson Center for Civic Engagement is hosting a “Meals for Seals” program at the candlelight service. The office is collecting “kid-friendly” items that do not require a can opener. These items include instant oatmeal, pudding cups, juice boxes, microwave meals, small boxes of cereal, applesauce/fruit cups and microwaveable ravioli.
