Perkins to present annual Advent/Christmas worship services

Dallas, Texas – Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University presents this year’s Advent/Christmas worship services at 4 and 8 p.m. Thursday, December 1, in Perkins Chapel.

Musicians for the service include the Seminary Singers, directed by C. Michael Hawn, University Distinguished Professor of Church Music and director of the Sacred Music Program at Perkins School of Theology, and SMU’s Meadows Chorale, directed by Pamela Elrod, director of Choral Activities, Meadows School of the Arts. Christopher S. Anderson, Associate Professor of Sacred Music, will serve as organist for these services.

These popular annual services have been prepared by Professor Hawn in collaboration with Meadows School of the Arts since 1992. This year’s services center around Luke 2:10: “And the angel said, ‘Fear not...’”

According to Hawn, “The service draws upon the three appearances of the angels in Luke 1 and 2 and in Matthew 2 to address in story and song the nature of fear in our society and how the message of hope offered in these passages speaks to our circumstances today.”

The worship services are free and open to the public. Perkins Chapel is located on the campus of Southern Methodist University at 6001 Bishop Boulevard, with free parking on Bishop Boulevard. For a map of the SMU campus, visit smu.edu/maps.

For more information, visit the Perkins website, /www.smu.edu/Perkins/News/UpcomingEvents/Advent-Christmas_Worship, or contact Professor Michael Hawn at mhawn@smu.edu, 214-768-2348.

Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911 at Southern Methodist University, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of The United Methodist Church. Degree programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Church Ministries, and Doctor of Ministry, as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with The Graduate Program in Religious Studies at SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

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