Music, ritual and poetry come to the forefront on Sunday morning, December 18 at 10:30 AM, as the First Parish Sanctuary Choir, under the direction of Rip Jackson, presents a special music Sunday celebrating the Winter Solstice. Through beautiful music, poetry and readings from books of ancient wisdom, the powerful transformation from darkness to light will be uplifted. Soprano sax player Katie Runde and bassist Ben Green will be the guest instrumentalists for this service. Together with Rip Jackson on piano and organ, they will play some of the music from the Paul Winter Consort that can be heard at St. John the Divine during the Winter Solstice Concerts there each December, including the rousing piece “Dancing Day.” The Sanctuary choir and soloists will sing deeply beautiful solstice-themed anthems by Eric Whitacre, Morten Johannes Lauridsen, Mark Hayes, John Purifoy and Rip Jackson. Tegan Waite will share liturgical dance during the ritual. Poetry by Diann L. Neu, Edward Hayes and John Philip Newell will be shared during the Solstice ritual. For more information call the church at 781-862-8200 or visit www.fplex.org.

Listen to Rev. Anne Mason’s sermon, “Scattering the Proud,” December 11, 2016