The 46th Annual Carols by Candlelight
We are delighted to announce the 46th Annual Carols by Candlelight on Sunday, December 8th and Monday, December 9th with special guest international musician, storyteller, and podcast host of “The Apple Seed” Sam Payne, and the Utah Valley Interfaith Choir.
Tickets will be available beginning November 15th for $5 per person. Visit our online ticket site to purchase your tickets.
Carols by Candlelight began in 1978 and has become a tradition now in its forty-sixth year. Long-time Provo residents, Shirley and Monroe Paxman, started this beloved event humbly within their home. The evening included scripture, carol singing, and of course, candle lighting, celebrating the anticipation and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Word spread. As its popularity grew, Carols by Candlelight became too large to be held within their home. The Provo Community Church now serves as the home of this tradition, as hundreds come to experience the spirit and magic these special nights bring.
Sam Payne is a national and international musician and storyteller. He hosts The Apple Seed, the long-running podcast featuring stories for families and was part of the Peabody-nominated team that created Treasure Island 2020, the serial podcast based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel. As a live performer, Sam has brought his stories and songs to halls in Canada, Bulgaria, Tokyo, and from coast to coast in the United States, including performances at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the nation’s capital, the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in Lehi, Utah. Sam serves as the Weber State University Storytelling Fellow and has written books and stage pieces including Sanctuary: The Story of Zion for the centennial of the National Parks Service, Echoes of Hammers and Spikes (with Suzanne Christensen) for the sesquicentennial of the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, and One of a Million Stars, commemorating the 14-year mission of the Mars rover Opportunity.
Utah Valley Interfaith Choir, formed in 2014, seeks to strengthen the Christian interfaith community in Utah Valley by celebrating what we have in common and sharing faith through music. Choir members work a variety of jobs, hold varying perspectives on religion, politics, social issues, and have their own personal tastes. Though, the all-volunteer choir has a mutual love of singing and music, and that is what allows everyone to come together in harmony. The choir is under the direction of Dave Lewis, and David Kime.
The Provo Community Church, as it is known locally, was founded over 130 years ago in 1891 by members from varying religious backgrounds coming together for a stronger presence in a growing Utah Valley community. The church has grown from a humble Sunday school class to a well-known, historic church and community center in downtown Provo. The church is currently raising funds to repair, restore, renovate, and expand this beautiful community cornerstone to help the church remain an open and affirming faith organization, to continue and grow as one of the only places for inspirational secular community gatherings in downtown Provo, and to increase community offerings such as these services. Donations and more information about the church and campaign can be found at www.keepingthefaithprovo.org and provocommunityucc.org.