The Christmas season at Hastings College is in full swing as the campus dons its lights and spreads holiday cheer among the student body and Hastings community at large. One such way the holiday spirit was facilitated is this year’s Lessons and Carols event, which took place on Dec. 8 at First Presbyterian Church. 

A lessons and carols service is a church service that tells the Christmas story through alternating scripture passages and hymns or Christmas carols that the congregation can sing. The tradition originated more than 100 years ago in England. 

The Reverend Greg Allen-Pickett, Pastor at First Presbyterian, said that bringing people together to spread Christmas cheer during the holiday season is important. “I think the story of Jesus’ birth is the story of God coming to earth in the flesh. As followers of Jesus, we take up that idea and become the hands and feet of God in the world. Christmas time is the perfect time to remind ourselves of that call.” 

The service featured multiple music ensembles from the Hastings area, including the Hastings College Band and Choir, Hastings College Choral Union, and the South Central Nebraska Children’s Chorale. Faculty members, alumni, and students read scripture readings, as well as secular readings such as a poem by Maya Angelou. 

 “We are delighted to partner with Hastings College in helping to share this service with the community. December is a wonderful month of community collaboration and celebration of Christmas at our church,” Allen-Pickett said. 

One such student who has found a warm and welcoming church community in First Presbyterian is Molly Kammerer, a junior biology student. Her hometown of Sutherland, Nebraska, created a lot of joyful memories surrounding the Christmas season, and inspired a high standard for Christmas spirit when she left for college. 

“I know how hard it is to experience Christmas differently from the way you grew up. Coming here, my biggest fear was that I wasn’t going to experience the same love of Christmas as I did back home, but Hastings met every benchmark. Hastings College does a good job of finding the balance so everyone gets to experience Christmas the way they want,” Kammerer said.