The Berkeley community celebrated the beginning of the Advent season at a service of Lessons and Carols on December 1. Marquand Chapel was lit with candles as students from the week’s worship team read lessons and the Berkeley choir sang Advent hymns. Associate Dean and Director of Formation Yejide Peters Pietersen delivered the sermon.

The service concluded with a procession outdoors to the Quad, each person lighting and carrying a candle on their way. Once outdoors, the entire congregation was able to join in the singing of O Come O Come Emmanuel.

Lessons and Carols marked Berkeley’s final Wednesday Community Eucharist of the semester, as students and faculty prepare for the approaching exam period and the end of the fall term. As this challenging and joyful initial season of regathering draws to a close, we give thanks for the Berkeley community’s presence and commitment to worship together, pray for one another, and reorient ourselves towards the coming of Christ.