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THIS WEEK AT CHRIST CHURCH, GEORGETOWN
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
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Christmas Worship Schedule: We invite you, your family, friends, and neighbors to worship with us this Christmas. The schedule of services is as follows:
Wednesday, December 24
+ The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Christmas Eve +
Family Eucharist with Blessing of Christingles, at 1:00 p.m.
This year, the 1:00 p.m. Eucharist will once again include a Blessing of Christingles. What is Christingle? A Moravian tradition that developed in mid-18th century Germany, Christingle (a word of German origin meaning Christ Child) was originally a special service, held just before Christmas, at which children were given a lighted candle with a red ribbon tied around it. This represented Christ, the Light of the World. The liturgy’s final prayer read: Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these children’s hearts, that theirs like thine become. The custom took hold in various parts of Europe and, as it did, evolved over the years. The current iteration of the Christingle, which became increasingly popular in the United Kingdom during the 20th century, is composed of an orange that is decorated with red tape, sweets, and a candle. We think the children and youth of Christ Church (and maybe some adults too!) will find this addition to our Christmas Eve worship both interesting and meaningful.
Festal Holy Eucharist, at 4:00 p.m.
The 4:00 p.m. Eucharist will include choral works by Adolphe Adam, John Rutter, and David Willcocks, as well as congregational carols accompanied by organ and brass. Historically, this has been the most well-attended Christmas Eve liturgy at Christ Church. Arrive early to ensure seating.
Choral Prelude with Congregational Carols, at 10:00 p.m.
Join us for an extended prelude to the 10:30 p.m. Eucharist. Music will include seasonal organ repertoire, choral works by Bob Chilcott, Reginald Jacques, and Robert Pearsall, and beloved congregational carols accompanied by organ and brass.
Festal Choral Eucharist, at 10:30 p.m.
The 10:30 p.m. Eucharist, the most formal liturgy of Christmas Eve, will include choral works by Adolphe Adam, John Rutter, Tomás Luis de Victoria, and David Willcocks, as well as congregational carols accompanied by organ and brass. The ordinary of the Eucharist will be the Missa ad præsepe, or Mass at the Crib, by British organist, choir trainer, and composer George Malcolm.
Thursday, December 25
+ The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Christmas Day +
Festal Choral Eucharist, at 10:00 a.m.
The only liturgy of Christmas Day, the 10:00 a.m. Eucharist will include choral works by Johann Sebastian Bach, John Goss, and Tomás Luis de Victoria, as well as congregational carols accompanied by organ and brass. The ordinary of the Eucharist will be Malcolm’s Missa ad præsepe.
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Parish Office Closure: The Parish Office will close at 12:00 noon on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24 and remain closed until Monday, December 29. Similarly, the Parish Office will close at 12:00 noon on New Year’s Eve, Wednesday, December 31 and remain closed until Monday, January 5. Weekday recitation of Morning Prayer in the Chapel of Saint Jude will resume on Monday, January 5. In case of a pastoral emergency this holiday season, call the Parish Office (202-333-6677) and press 6.
Parish “Feast”: Join us on Sunday, December 28 for Feast, a monthly brunch intended to foster connection within the Christ Church community. The gathering is held on fourth Sundays, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., in the C. Boyden Gray Auditorium. For more information or to make a reservation, click here.
Christmas Ornament: We invite you to commemorate the installation of Christ Church's new Colby/Walker organ by purchasing the 2025 Christmas ornament, a cast brass piece featuring a rendering of the magnificent organ case that now hangs at the rear of the nave, as well as an excerpt from the traditional English carol The Holly and the Ivy: "The rising of the sun, and the running of the deer, the playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir." The ornament may be purchased at the Parish Office during normal hours of operation and after each service on Sunday, December 28.
Open House at the Rectory: On Wednesday, December 31, New Year’s Eve, or Hogmanay, from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., all parishioners are warmly invited to drop by the Rectory for hors d’oeuvres, wine, and mince pies. For those with the stamina, we will greet the Year of Our Lord 2026 by ringing the Tower Bell 26 times and saying a prayer at Midnight. There is no need to bring anything, although traditional tokens of warmth, shelter, and sustenance will be received with gratitude: a log for the fire, a dram to share, or some nibbles for the table.
Faith and Foreign Policy Forum: On Monday, January 12, at 6:30 p.m., parishioners and members of the wider community are invited to the C. Boyden Gray Auditorium for a presentation by parishioner Shireen Hunter, noted scholar, former faculty member at Georgetown University, and recipient of Carnegie Corporation’s Great Immigrants Award. Ms. Hunter will speak on religion and foreign Policy in the Middle East. Light refreshments will be served. Suggested donation is $10 per person. To register, click here.
Spiritual Parenting Short Course: How can you keep the promises you make at your child's baptism? Though we cannot determine what spiritual path our children will choose, we can model, communicate, and help them grow into an authentic Christian faith. Join seasoned parent of three high-octane children, Mother Tiffany Clark, for an interactive, honest look at what spiritual parenting does (and does not) look like. From attachment theory to training tips, this 5-part series will delve into the theological and practical realities involved in helping children come to know, love, and be like Christ. Sessions will take place on Sundays, January 11 and 18, February 8 and 15, and March 1, in Keith Hall, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. To register, click here.
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| An Update from the Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee is delighted to report that the following parishioners will stand for Vestry: Alexander G. Troup, IV (Senior Warden), Francis E. Hiigel (Gene), David A. Sigler (Andy), Deborah E. Jessiman, and R. Lincoln Foran, III. The election to fill impending vacancies on the Vestry will take place at the Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, February 1. All are for 3 Year terms.
Parish Forum: The 2025–2026 series, Living Liturgy, will resume on Sunday, January 4, at 10:15 a.m., in the C. Boyden Gray Auditorium, with a presentation by parishioner Dr. Ernest Clark: The Liturgy of Baptism (Part 1): Why renounce Satan and make a list of promises?Cutting covenants and setting resolutions for a new season of life.
Bite-sized Bible Study: Join fellow parents of nursery and Sunday School–aged children for a team-led, 30-minute exploration of the Book of Acts. The group gathers on Sundays, at 10:15 a.m., in the Memorial Room. Nursery care for infants and toddlers, as well as music formation classes for older children, is provided during this time. For more information, contact parishioners Julia Ainsley, Megan Murton, or Matthew Fredericks.
Thursday Morning Bible Study: Parishioners of all ages and stages of life are invited to a discursive, interactive study of the Book of Acts, the second in a two-volume history of Jesus and the early Jesus movement. The next gathering will take place on Thursday, December 18, at 8:00 a.m., in Keith Hall. A Zoom option is available. For more information, contact parishioners Ernest Clark or Virginia Mentz.
Mission Trip to Kenya: Sponsored by the Centre for Urban Mission, an educational outreach of the Anglican Church in Africa, this immersion experience is designed to open participants’ eyes to human experience in a context radically different than their own and to develop their capacity to respond strategically. A contingent from Christ Church will serve in a variety of local ministries currently operating in Nairobi's Kibera Slum. Participants will worship, serve, and eat alongside Kenyan Christian partners, sharing in the joyful communion of saints and learning from each other along the way. The mission trip will take place June 18–28, 2026. For more information, contact Mother Tiffany Clark. To register, click here.
Choral Evensong: The next service of Choral Evensong will take place on Sunday, January 4, at 5:00 p.m. The liturgy will include works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Martin Neary, Charles Villiers Stanford, and Peter Warlock. Evensong will continue on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of the month through May. A reception follows each service. Christ Church is one of a handful of parishes in the U.S. to offer this beautiful, quintessentially Anglican liturgy with such frequency. Do plan to join us… and bring a friend.
Altar Flowers: If you would like to make a contribution to help offset the cost of the flowers that will adorn the altar on a particular Sunday or feast day, contact the Parish Office. The Flower Guild accepts contributions in memory of the departed, in celebration of births, and in thanksgiving for the reception of Christian sacraments. Contributions marking private secular celebrations are welcome, but they will not be acknowledged in service leaflets or the Prayers of the People. In such cases, donors are encouraged to let loved ones know of their contribution with a greeting card. The suggested donation is $150.
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SUNDAY SERVICES
Holy Eucharist: Rite One
at 8:00 a.m.
in the Church
Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
at 9:00 a.m.
in the Church
Holy Eucharist: Rite One
(1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays)
at 11:15 a.m.
in the Church
Morning Prayer: Rite One
(2nd and 4th Sundays)
at 11:15 a.m.
in the Church
Choral Evensong and
Holy Communion
(1st, 3rd, and 5th Sundays October through May)
at 5:00 p.m.
in the Church
Holy Eucharist: Rite Two
(2nd and 4th Sundays)
at 5:00 p.m.
in the Chapel
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WEEKDAY SERVICES
Morning Prayer
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, at 8:00 a.m.
in the Church
Morning Prayer and
Holy Communion
Wednesday, at 8:00 a.m.
in the Church
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