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Duke Chapel’s Christmas Eve Service to Be Broadcast Live

Duke Chapel will hold four worship services on Christmas Eve

Duke Chapel will hold four Christmas Eve worship services, including a live, statewide telecast of the final service.The first service begins at 2 p.m. Dec. 24 and is suited for families with young children. A worship service with carols and Holy Communion starts at 4 p.m. with preaching by Duke Chapel Dean Luke Powery and singing by the Durham Children’s Choir. Another service starts at 6 p.m. featuring Christmas carols, the Amalgam brass ensemble and a sermon from the dean. The traditional service of Lessons and Carols begins at 11 p.m., with an instrumental prelude at 10:30 p.m.All the events are free and open to the public. Attendees of the last service should plan to arrive at least 30 minutes in advance, as seats often fill up."Christmas is about comforting traditions -- crèches, hymns, gifts, family meals. But it is also about surprises -- a virgin gives birth, a baby threatens a king, God descends to humankind," Powery said. "My hope is that God’s presence be as near to us this season as it was in the manger of a baby boy thousands of years ago."The final service will be broadcast live in most parts of the state on Time Warner Cable (TWC) News, channels 14 or 200, beginning at 11 p.m.“Time Warner Cable News North Carolina is proud to continue its tradition of providing viewers across North Carolina with a live telecast of Duke Chapel’s Christmas Eve church service,” said Bernie Han, TWC’s vice president of news. “It’s important to us that everyone have access to the service as they celebrate the holiday season.” Members of the public are invited to sing in the choir during the 11 p.m. service. There are two open rehearsals: one from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 22, and a required one at 9 p.m. Christmas Eve.All four services will be webcast on the chapel website and the Duke Chapel YouTube Channel. They will also be broadcast on the Duke Campus IPTV Channel 1-3 and Duke Hospital Cable TV Channel 12.