25. 08-12-20 Carols For The City Service

Today I attended a very beautiful virtual carol service “Carols For The City” organised by The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists (WCIT) and the City of London vocal group, VOCES8.

The prior to the service Mark Halford, Master of Worshipful Company of Information Technologists and Paul Smith CEO of the VOCES8 Foundation introduced a session explaining the work of the 4 charities sharing the proceeds of donations for the event, which had reached a total of £44,000 on the night. Both the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and the WCIT Charity provide financial and volunteering support to charities throughout the UK. The VOCES8 Foundation last year worked with 40,000 students, including many schools in and around the City of London, while the Friends of City Churches supports all the churches in the City of London.

The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, DBE then talked about the important work of the City Churches supporting the homeless during lockdown, which was followed by a brief presentation on the history of the Livery Companies.

The service itself consisted of 7 carols and 7 lessons with a welcome from The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman William Russell and a message by HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, KG, GCVO. The carols were beautifully sung by pitch perfect VOCES8 and included well known favourites “Once in Royal David’s City”, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “We Three Kings”. There was also the Coventry Carol sung by group Apollo5, and a lovely rendition of “Away in a Manger” by the Elizabeth Selby Primary School in Tower Hamlets.

The lessons were read by a number of very distinguished guests including the Lord Mayor, HRH Prince Edward, Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Kenneth Olisa, Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, and Mary Berry, TV personality. The evening concluded with closing prayers by The Reverend Marcus Walker, and a Blessing by The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, DBE, followed by an organ voluntary by Alderman Sir Andrew Parmley. It was a very joyful and splendid event, a really great way to start the Christmas festivities.