Beloved
holiday tradition returns to Greene Chapel Dec. 3-6, with additional
performances in Hot Springs and Little Rock
November 13, 2026—The glow of candlelight and the
sounds of the season will soon return to central Arkansas as the Hendrix
College Choir prepares for its annual Candlelight Carol Service, a holiday
tradition more than 60 years in the making.
A favorite for generations of Hendrix students, alumni,
and Arkansas families, the 2026 Candlelight Carol Service will take place Dec.
3-5 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. in Greene Chapel on the Hendrix campus.
The Choir will also take the tradition on the road with performances Dec. 16 at
First United Methodist Church in Hot Springs and Dec. 17 at Trinity United
Methodist Church in Little Rock, both at 7:30 p.m.
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Admission is free, but reservations are required for all
on-campus performances due to limited seating in Greene Chapel. Reservations
open Monday, Nov. 23, at 9 a.m. at hendrix.edu/candlelight. Reservations are
not required for the Dec. 16 and 17 off-campus performances.
The service features familiar Christmas carols alongside
choral works spanning centuries, giving audiences an opportunity to enjoy the
music of the season in the setting of Greene Chapel.
“There's something special about seeing Greene Chapel
filled with people who have made the Candlelight Carol Service part of their
Christmas tradition year after year,” said Hendrix Choir Conductor Dr. Andrew
Morgan. “Whether it's someone's first Candlelight service or their 40th, we
hope they leave with a little more Christmas spirit. We've got some wonderful
music planned this year, and we're looking forward to sharing it.”
This year's program includes the world premiere of “Wartime
Christmas” by Wisconsin-based composer Scott Gendel. The new work will be
performed alongside traditional carols, beloved hymns, and selections by
composers both past and present.
The Candlelight Carol Service follows a format similar to
the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, celebrated each Christmas Eve at
King's College in Cambridge, England, since 1918. Scripture readings from the
Old and New Testaments tell the Christmas story, beginning with Adam's fall and
continuing through the prophecies of Christ's coming and his birth. Between the
readings, the Choir performs a selection of carols and choral works that
changes each year.
Now in its seventh decade, Candlelight Carol remains a
favorite way for the Hendrix community and visitors from across Arkansas to
celebrate the Christmas season.
About
Hendrix College
Founded in 1876, Hendrix College is
featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 45 Schools That Will Change the Way
You Think About Colleges and celebrated among the country’s leading liberal
arts colleges for academic quality, engaged learning opportunities and career
preparation, vibrant campus life, and value. The College’s signature
career-readiness initiative, Via Hendrix, connects a transformative liberal
arts education with a four-year plan for life after college. Via Hendrix, every
student completes a full-time, semester-long professional co-op experience
before graduation.
The Hendrix experience extends
beyond the classroom, with students participating in 21 NCAA Division III
sports and a campus community shaped in part by the College’s longstanding
affiliation with the United Methodist Church, dating to 1884. As Hendrix
celebrates its Sesquicentennial in 2026–2027, the College is marking 150 years
of educating students while looking ahead to its next chapter. Learn more at via.hendrix.edu.
“… Through engagement that links the
classroom with the world, and a commitment to diversity, inclusion, justice,
and sustainable living, the Hendrix community inspires students to lead lives
of accomplishment, integrity, service, and joy.” –Hendrix College Statement of
Purpose