Lessons and Carols
West Virginia Wesleyan has long been a school proud of its traditions. Traditions linked with the past, as well as traditions of more recent vintage. As the holiday season nears, one tradition that is a delight for the Wesleyan campus, local community, and friends of the college is the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols.
Read below to learn how this tradition has been celebrated for decades, and what it means to all involved. The original blog was written in 2018, and the update for 2020 shows how the spirit of the college rises to meet all types of unexpected and unwelcome situations – only to be even more inspirational.
Sing We Now of Christmas (December 3, 2018)
Now It Can Be Christmas – Even in 2020
| Year | Date | Choir(s) | Director (s) | Accompanist(s) | Soloists | Liturgist | Ushers | Worship Coordinator | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | December 6 | A Service of Lessons and Carols | Janice Ulangca Bobby Loftis John Taylor | Dr. Sidney Davis, Chaplain of the College | ||||||
| 1971 | December 9 | Festival of Carols | Women's Glee Club and Ensemble | Caroline Dees | Dianne Strong Patty Moffett; Nora Lyons, Flute; Debbie Tanner, Flute; H.G. Young, Percussion; Darmae Brown, Organ | 10:00 AM | ||||
| 1977 | December 4 | A Service of Lessons and Carols | Larry R. Parsons | Rachel Swanson, Organist Robert E. Shafer, Shannon Bells | Arthur Holmes; Harry Light; Lon Vickers; Karen Williams; John Kaisa; Ken Krimmel | 8:30 PM | ||||
| 1979 | December 9 | A Service of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Chapel Choir; Orchestra | Larry R. Parsons | Caroline Dees, Soprano; Donald Gardner, Tenor; James Arnett, Baritone; LuEllen Cobb, Narrator | |||||
| 1980 | December 7 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Chapel Choir | Larry R. Parsons | J. Peter Bercovitz, Organist | Lorraine V. Slaughter | InterVarsity Christian Fellowship | 7:30 PM | ||
| 1981 | A Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Chapel Choir | Larry R. Parsons | J. Peter Bercovitz, Organist; Robert E. Shafer, Shannon Bells; Carla Fredlock; Karen Rotenberry | ||||||
| 1982 | December 5 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Chapel Choir | Larry R. Parsons | J. Peter Bercovitz, Organist; Philip Conrad; Carla Fredlock; Lucille Jennings, Harpist | Mary Grace Pollock; Fern Annette Lane; Karen Kenaston; Brenda Vereen; Jamie Cole | L. Craig Michel | 7:30 PM | ||
| 1983 | December 4 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Larry R. Parsons | J. Peter Bercovitz, Organist; Kevin Bruny, Pianist | James Cole; Jeffery Ingold; Karen Kenaston; Mary Grace Pollock | Gerald E.Wood | Members of LoveShine | 7:30 PM | ||
| 1984 | n.d. | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Larry R. Parsons | J. Peter Bercovitz, Organist; Marklin Green, Organist | James Cole; Annette Lane; Ruth Wygal | Members of LoveShine | ||||
| 1985 | n.d. | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Marklin Green, Organist; Marie Hatfield, Pianist; Kari Parsons, Flute; Kenny Rittenhouse, Trumpet; Shelly Bonnell, Trumpet; John Clark, Trumpet; Darrell Cook, Trombone; Mitch Jones, Tuba | Gerald E. Wood | Members of Community Council | Lisa Berne Messenger | ||
| 1986 | ||||||||||
| 1987 | December 6 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | David Miller, Organist; Marie Hatfield, Pianist | Margaret Rowe; Kim Hall | Kenneth Welliver | Members of Loveshine | Sharon Startzell | 7:30 PM |
| 1988 | ||||||||||
| 1989 | December 3 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Kevin Jones, Organist; Marie Hatfield, Pianist; Belinda Reuning, Violist | Edward Moore; Julie Birt; Kim Hall | Gerald E. Wood | International Student Organization | Marie Hatfield | 7:30 PM |
| 1990 | December 9 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Larry R. Parsons, Organist; Jane Zopff, Harp; Renee Wyatt, Percussion | Jon Green, Boy Soprano; Joseph Sandoval, Tenor; Belinda Smith, Contralto; Thomas Baldridge, Baritone; Sarah L. Carr, Soprano; Valerie Wilson, Soprano; Eric Waggoner, Tenor | Gerald E. Wood | Mortar Board / International Student Organization | Jason Willey | 7:30 PM |
| 1991 | December 8 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Larry R, Parsons, Organist; Jane Zopff, Harpist | Polly Edmonds, Soprano; Arlana Smith, Mezzo-soprano; Valerie Wilson, Soprano; Joelle Machia, Soprano; James Barnes, Tenor | Gerald E. Wood | Members of Christian Life Council | Jason Willey | 19:30 |
| 1992 | December 6 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Freshman Choir; Mid-High Choir First United Methodist Church (Jane Weimer-Godwin, Director) | Larry R. Parsons | Kevin Jones, Organist; Julie Brannon, Trumpet; Lori Bass, Trumpet; J.B. Thornton, Piccolo; Blair Willis, Percussion | Polly Edmonds, Soprano; Diana Killingsworth, Soprano; James Barnes, Tenor; Thomas Baldridge, Baritone | Gerald E. Wood | Members of Christian Life Council | Edward Wilcher | 7:30 PM |
| 1993 | December 5 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Wesleyan Singers; Mid-High Choir First United Methodist Church (Jane Weimer-Godwin, Directing) | Larry R. Parsons | Melodie Meadows, Organist; Marie Hatfield, Piano; J.B. Thornton, Flute; Jennifer Barker, Flute; Blair Willis, Percussion | Tommy Schoffler, Tenor; Julie Brannon, Soprano; Chris Landis, Baritone; Tracy Alexander, Mezzo-Soprano; Kris Tranter, Tenor; James Barnes, Tenor; Pauline Edmonds, Soprano; Arlana Smith, Soprano; JonathanLoudin, Boy Soprano | Gerald E. Wood | Members of Mortar Board and ODK | Mike Farnsworth | 7:30 PM |
| 1994 | December 4 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Concentus Vocum; Wesleyan Singers; Chapel Choir, Myra Era Director | Larry R. Parsons | Melodie Meadows, Organist; Lori Frush, Flute | Laura Holoski; Tracy Alexander | Gerald E. Wood | Members of Mortar Board and ODK | Amanda Myers | 7:30 PM |
| 1995 | ||||||||||
| 1996 | December 8 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Wesleyan Singers | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Vasily Shalashov, Organ; Appalachian Brass Qintet: Harry Rich and Robin D. Card, Trumpets; Andrew H. Scott, French HOrn; Elaine B. Chapman, Trombone; and John H Schooley, Tuba | Laura HOloski, Rebekah Gulnac, and Suzy Lenox, Sopranos; Edward DiStasio, Tenor; Stephen Benson, Baritone | Mary Jo Sims-Baden | Members of Christian Life Council | Amanda Myers | 7:00 PM |
| 1997 | December 7 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Wesleyan Singers | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Lara Nunley, Piano; Elizabeth Combs, Flute; Stacey Turner, Clarinet; Adina Gravit, Bassoon; Courtney Gibbons, Percussion | Rebekah Gulnac and Sherizade Panthaki, Sopranos | Mary Jo Sims-Baden | John Riffle; Sarah Calhoun; Paul Daugherty; Anthony Poku; Sherill Baierl; Jessica Pond; Nambiri Bostos; Mark Fair; Scott Babcock; Jeff Jones; Protima Advani; Jennifer Cole; Kendra Ray; Heather Davis; Marta Fiorti | 7:00 PM | |
| 1998 | December 6 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Wesleyan Singers | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Abigail Woods, Piano; Jane Zopff, Harp; Dr. Berkley Price & Stacey Turner, Clarinet; Melissa Barrow, Flute; Ian Helmick & Michael Osborn, Percussion | Sherizade Pahthaki, soprano; Teresa Fisher, Mezzo-Soprano | Mary Jo Sims-Baden | 6:00 PM | ||
| 1999 | December 5 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Abigal Woods & Matthew Smedal, Piano; Amy Thorpe, Flute | David Scoville, Baritone; Michael Sniffen, Tenor | Mary Jo Sims-Baden | 6:00 PM | ||
| 2000 | December 3 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Jeremy Fisher, Gitar; Amanda Eakle, Flute | Stacey Brett, Soprano; Brandon Moll, Tenor; Erica Scanlon, Sporano | Mary Jo Sims-Baden | 6:00 PM | ||
| 2001 | December 9 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Jane Zopff, Harp; Barbara Green, Oboe; Linda Wolfersheim, Flute; Mark Hamrick, Guitar | Kyle Hastings | Angela Gay Kinkead | 6:00 PM | ||
| 2002 | December 8 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ | Erica Scanlon, Sporano; Kyle Hastings, Baritone; Jeremiah Franks, Tenor; Shanna Babbidge, Soprano | Angela Gay Kinkead | 6:00 PM | ||
| 2003 | December 7 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; The Knorr Ringers, directed by Steve Benson; Leah Wagner, Flute | Shanna Babbidge; Leah Heater; Sarah Nale; Katie Oreskovich; Erica Scanlon | Angela Gay Kinkead | 6:00 PM | ||
| 2004 | December 12 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; LaRee Croy, Flute; George Costa, Dayna Kelley, and Kate Simmons, Percussionists | Jeremiah Smallridge, Tenor; Caitlin Rexrode, Soprano | Angela Gay Kinkead | 6:00 PM | ||
| 2005 | December 4 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Dr. Susan Radcliff and Adam Loudin, Trumpets; Jane Zopff, Harp | Sarah Nale; Katie Oreskovich; Joshua Stubbs | Angela Gay Kinkead | 6:00 PM | ||
| 2006 | December 3 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale and Concert Chorale Alumni | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Jessica Scott, Organ; Knorr Ringers, Steve Benson, Director | Katie Oreskovich | Angela Gay Kinkead | 4:00 PM | ||
| 2007 | December 9 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Jessica Scott, Organ; Pierson Keating Keating, Organ; Jacly Randolph, Flute; Spencer Arthur, Percussion | Leah Shrier; Abbie Brake; Christopher Knight | Angela Gay Kinkead | 4:00 PM | ||
| 2008 | December 7 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Jane Zopff, Harp | Rosie Scott; CJ Bray; Katie Moffatt; Abbie Brake | Angela Gay Kinkead | 4:00 PM | ||
| 2009 | December 6 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Abby Woods Hake, Organ | Rosie Scott | Angela Gay Kinkead | 4:00 PM | ||
| 2010 | December 5 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Kim Graham, Cello; Amber Pugh, Flute | Rosie Scott; Scott Wallace; Danielle Kelley | Angela Gay Kinkead | 4:00 PM | ||
| 2011 | December 4 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale | Larry R. Parsons | Melody Meadows, Organ; Jane opff, Harp; Kim Graham, Cello; Katie Loudin, Violin; Chase Kenned, Oboe; Linda Wolfersheim, Flute; Kyle Andrews, Kara Chenoweth, and Cody Rosencrance, Percussion; Alpha and Omega Ringers, Brenda Howard, Director | Rosie Scott; Danielle Kelley; Hannah Spencer; D'Andrew Parker; Scott Wallace | Angela Gay Kinkead | |||
| 2012 | December 2 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Concentus Vocum | R. Daniel Hughes | Melody Meadows, Organ; Brass Ensemble, Directed by James Moore: Zach Bryan, Mattew Gillich, Emily Hammond, Jesse Hartley, James Moore and Aaron Piot, Trumpets; Jeremy Ferry, Justin Kennedy, and Tanner McGrew, Trombones; Charles Hayes and Justin Seti, Tuba; HOldenAkers-Toler and Robin Samuels, Percussion | Angela Gay Kinkead | 4:00 PM | |||
| 2013 | December 8 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Wesleyan Singers; Concentus Vocum | R. Daniel Hughes | Melody Meadows, Organ; Kayoko Funada, Organ; Brass Endemble, Directed by James Moore: James Moora dna Aaron Piot, Trumpet; Tanner McGrew, Trombone; Kara Chenoweth, French Horn; Seth Blake, Tuba | Angela Gay Kinkead | 4:00 PM | |||
| 2014 | R. Daniel Hughes | |||||||||
| 2015 | December 6 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Wesleyan Singers; Concentus Vocum | R. Daniel Hughes | Melody Meadows, Organ; Shelby Williams and Hesse Hartley, Trumpet; Tyler Perske, Flugelhorn; Sarah Fizer and Isaac Viars, Trombone; Seth Blake, Tuba; Holden Akers-Toler, Percussion | Christopher Scott | 4:00 PM | |||
| 2016 | December 4 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | Concert Chorale; Wesleyan Singers; Concentus Vocum | R. Daniel Hughes | Melody Meadows and Shelby Williams, Organ; Shay Carter, Piano; Shelby Williams and Adam Bleil, Trumpet; Tyler Perske, Flugelhorn; Isaac Viars, Trombone; Seth Blake, Tuba | Christopher Scott | 4:00 | |||
| 2017 | December 3 | Lessons and Carols | Chanticleer Children's Chorus of West Virginia; ThirdWard Elementary School Fourth and Fifth Grade Chorus; Lewis County High School Chours; Buckhannon-Upshur High School Soundwaves; West Virginia Wesleyan College Wesleyan Singers; Concert Chorale; Concentus Vocum | R. Daniel Hughes | Lillian F. Long, Organ and Piano; Kennedy Cowart and Shelby Williams, Trumpet; Katelyn Wolfe, French Horn; Isaac Collins, Trombone; Braden Hoffman, Tuba; Eliza Taylor, Flute | 4:00 | ||||
| 2018 | December 2 | Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols | Buckhannon-Upshur High School Soundwaves, Jeremiah Smallridge, Director; Greenbrier Eash High School Concert Choir and Treble Choir, Barbara Wygall Lutz '78, Director; Wesleyan Singers; Concert Chorale | R. Daniel Hughes | Lillian F. Long, Organ; West Virginia Wesleyan College Brass Quintet and Brass Ensembles: Kennedy Cowart; Adam Bleil; Brycen Pearl and Jeremiah Parsons, Trumpet; Katelyn Wolfe, Horn; Thomas Keating, Isaac Collins, D.J. Stout, Chris Broadwater and Eliza Taylor, Trombone; Braden Hoffman, Tuba; Alexander Lee, Percussion | 4:00 | ||||
| 2019 | December 8 | The Festival of Lessons and Carols | WVWC Concert Chorale, WVWC Concentus Vocum, WVWC Wesleyan Singers, WVWC Brass Quintet | R. Daniel Hughes (choirs), Tim DeWitt (brass) | Lillian F. Long (Organ and Piano) | Pippa McGinley, Olivia Insani, Emily Estanich, | Lauren Weaver | 4:00 | ||
| 2023 | December 3 | Festival of Lessons and Carols | WVWC Concert Chorale, WVWC Concentus Vocum, Buckhannon Academy Elementary School singers fron grades 4-8, Fleminton Elementary School, West Taylor Elementary School, Shady Spring Middle School | R. Deniel Hughes (choirs) and Alumni directors Braden Hoffman (2020), Amanda bise (2010 and M.Ed. 2016), and Megan Gray (2014) | Jonathan Acord, Dean of the Chapel | 4:00 |