Advent and Christmas
Christmas Eve Services
On Christmas Eve we gather for four candlelight services.
Tuesday, December 24
4:00 p.m. Children’s Pageant
in the Sanctuary
6:00 p.m. Family Service
in the Sanctuary
8:00 p.m. Service of Lessons and Carols
in the Sanctuary and livestreamed (also available for viewing later)
Tom Are Jr., Interim Pastor, preaching
10:00 p.m. Service of Lessons and Carols
Identical to the 8:00 service (but in person only)
Tom Are Jr., Interim Pastor, preaching
Christmas Day Service
On Christmas morning we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with a festive in-person service.
Wednesday, December 25
10:00 a.m.
in the Sanctuary (in person only)
New Year’s Eve Taizé Service
At the turning of the year we come together for a quiet evening service, when we gather with our friends from Holy Name Cathedral and other neighbors.
This Taizé service offers moving music, space for prayer, and meditative pause for reflecting on the year past and looking ahead to the year to come.
Tuesday, December 31
6:30 p.m.
in the Sanctuary (in person only)
Other Advent and Christmas Information
Caroling on Michigan Avenue
Daily Advent Devotions
Weekly Advent “Rhythm and Word” Videos
Memorial Gifts for Christmas Flowers
Christmas Wishes for Tutoring Students
Holiday Concerts
Festival of Advent Lessons and Music
“Longest Night” Service
Christmas Cantata
Daily Advent Devotions
The season of Advent is not simply about readying ourselves for the observances of Christmas but about setting aside time to prepare our hearts and lives to receive the gift that comes to us in the stable.
Thus on this Advent journey, we invite you to join with us in using our Advent and Christmas devotions, which are written by members and staff of Fourth Church.
Daily Advent devotions are available in a variety of ways beginning Sunday, December 1:
Via email: Sign up by clicking here (or send addresses to devotions@fourthchurch.org)
Facebook | Instagram | On our website
Weekly “Rhythm and Word” Videos
Also available for your reflection will be our Advent “Rhythm and Word” video series. These 10-minute worship experiences, which weave together scripture, prayer, and music, are released on our YouTube channel on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.
To receive notification when new videos are released, subscribe to our YouTube channel, or sign up at www.bit.ly/rhythmandwordemail to receive the videos by email.
Memorial Gifts for Christmas Flowers
We invite you to remember loved ones and recognize those who are special in your life by making contributions in their name toward the purchase of Christmas flowers to decorate Fourth Church during the season.
A list of those remembered will be printed in the Christmas bulletin.
Contributions can be made online.
Sunday, December 8 is the deadline for receiving contributions in order for names to be included in the bulletin.
For more information, contact Gloria Vicente.
Christmas Wishes
Women at Fourth is again coordinating our annual Christmas Wishes project, which provides gifts of books and gift cards for Chicago Lights Tutoring students.
This year we will be giving each student $25 worth of gift cards and a book.
Gift cards: We are collecting gift cards to Target, Amazon, Walmart, Starbucks, and McDonald’s. Cards can be dropped off at the church reception desk to the attention of Simon Crow. Please designate on each card the card amount.
Monetary contributions: We are also receiving monetary gifts toward the purchase of books. Those gifts can be made to Fourth Church, noting “Christmas Wishes” in the designation of an online gift or on the memo line of a check made payable to Fourth Presbyterian Church.
Wednesday, December 4 is the day by which we will need the gift cards and monetary contributions so that we can prepare the gifts for distribution.
For more information, contact Simon Crow.
Caroling on Michigan Avenue
Sing in the season with us on Saturday, November 23!
At 5:00 p.m. that day we will gather on the Sanctuary steps to carol prior to the 5:30 p.m. Tree-Lighting Parade, part of the annual Magnificent Mile Lights Festival.
Plan to come spread holiday cheer to those gathered for the Michigan Avenue festivities!
Saturday, November 23
5:00 p.m.
on the Sanctuary steps
Holiday Concerts
The sounds of music fill Fourth Church each December, from “A Festival of Advent Lessons and Music” to “Christmas with Tower Brass.” If you are looking for a musical treat to add to your holiday celebrations, you will find a variety of in-person opportunities on our concert calendar!
Festival of Advent Lessons and Music
Each Advent we gather on a Sunday evening to hear the music and readings of the season that recall the promises of God throughout the ages and lead us on our journey to the manger.
This year we will gather on the First Sunday of Advent, December 1.
Sunday, December 1
6:30 p.m.
in the Sanctuary (and livestreamed)
“Longest Night” Service
Held on a weeknight the week prior to Christmas — typically on a night close to the winter solistice, the longest night of the year — this worship opportunity is also known as a “Blue Christmas” service.
Sponsored by Stephen Ministry, this worship opportunity acknowledges that grief, loss, struggles, and darkness can make it difficult to share in the traditional joyous celebrations of Christmas.
Friday, December 20
6:00 p.m.
in Buchanan Chapel
Christmas Cantata
As we begin to look toward Christmas, the Morning Choir sings a Christmas cantata during morning worship on the Fourth Sunday of Advent.
This year we look forward to the choir joining with an orchestra to present the glorious music of Bach’s Magnificat.
Sunday, December 22
9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
in the Sanctuary (and livestreamed at 9:30)
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