Duke Chapel to Celebrate the Joy of Christmas

Watch the livestream of all of the services on the Duke Chapel YouTube channel.

Duke University Chapel will celebrate Christmas with four services on Christmas Eve, December 24, at 2:00, 5:00, 8:00, and 11:00 p.m. 
 
All are welcome to attend these free, public worship services; Christmas Eve services often fill up, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early. Free parking is available in the Bryan Center Parking Garage at 125 Science Drive; with ADA parking available in the surface lot at the same address. People with limited mobility have the option of being dropped off at the loop in front of the Chapel at 401 Chapel Drive; note that no parking is available in front of the Chapel.
 
All of the services will be streamed live on the Duke Chapel YouTube channel; the 11:00 p.m. service will also be broadcast statewide by Spectrum News 1 on its channel 1 and via its Spectrum News App, accessible on mobile, Xumo Stream Box, and Roku and Apple devices.
 
“Even when the days grow dark, joy goes before us this Christmas,” said the Rev. Dr. Luke A. Powery, dean of Duke Chapel. “At Christmas, we read about the joy of the ancient people of Israel delivered from walking in darkness, of the shepherds working the night shift who are visited by a heavenly choir, and of the wise men guided by a star to thwart a tyrant.” 
 
“If you follow that joy to its source, you will find on the outskirts of an empire a baby bundled in a feeding trough,” Dean Powery said. “It is about this unlikely king that we sing, ‘Joyful, all you nations rise; join the triumph of the skies; with angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem!’”  
 
The Christmas Eve services on Tuesday, December 24, are: 

• 2:00 p.m., Children’s service with Christmas carols, a pageant, and scripture readings that tell the story of the birth of Jesus; the service lasts about thirty-five minutes. 
• 5:00 p.m., The Durham Children’s Choir sings and Dean Powery preaches the sermon; the Amalgam Brass ensemble and Chapel organists lead the congregation in singing Christmas carols. 
• 8:00 p.m., A service with Holy Communion and Dean Powery preaching; the Bell Durham handbell ensemble plays, and the Amalgam Brass ensemble and Chapel organists lead the congregation in singing Christmas carols. 
• 11:00 p.m., The traditional Service of Nine Lessons and Carols by candlelight with scripture readings, Christmas carols, and choral anthems; singers from the Duke Chapel Choir and Schola Cantorum, harpist Anita Burroughs-Price, and Chapel organists lead the music. An ASL signer will be present at this service.

In addition to being televised by Spectrum News 1, the 11:00 p.m. service will be broadcast on the radio on WDNC-AM 620. All four services will be broadcast live on the Duke Hospital TV channel 12 and Campus Vision channel 110. 
 
The Duke Chapel Choir continues the longstanding tradition of performing G. F. Handel’s Messiah with concerts on December 6, 7, and 8. The performances are sold out but an online version will be available on the Duke Chapel website from December 23 through January 12. 
 
The annual Duke Chapel by Candlelight Christmas Open House will be Wednesday, December 18, from 12-noon to 2:00 p.m. The Chapel will be decorated for the season with lights, candles, wreathes, and greenery.  
 
Other events at the Chapel during the Advent and Christmas seasons include (free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated): 

• Sunday morning worship services, Sundays at 11:00 a.m. 
• Duke Chorale Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 3, at 7:00 p.m. 
• Employee Holiday Concert, Tuesday, December 10, at 11:00 a.m. 
• Advent Lessons and Carols, Thursday, December 12, at 7:00 p.m. 
• Advent Choral Evensong, Sunday, December 15, at 4:00 p.m. 
• Choral Society of Durham’s Holiday Concert (tickets required), Sunday, December 22, at 4:00 p.m.  

The Chapel is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. except for Christmas Day when it is closed all day, as well as December 31 and January 1 when it closes at 5:00 p.m. The Chapel also closes to the public for weddings and other private ceremonies, so before planning a visit, please check the website calendar.