Raise your voice at St. Albert Community Carol Sing

Raise your voice, clap your hands and sing your heart out as the St. Albert Community Carol Sing returns to the Arden Theatre on Monday, Dec. 12.

A project of the St. Albert Ministerial Association, this year’s carol sing is a non-denominational gathering of five churches: St. Albert Parish, Sturgeon Valley Baptist, St. Albert United, Christian Reformed Church and Christ Community Church.

This family friendly festivity is structured as a storyline with the most loved classic and contemporary Christmas carols threaded throughout.

The six-piece house band, June Mann and the Roasted Chestnuts, will provide support in addition to singing the contemporary solo, Learning to Be the Light.

Janice Manderson, music teacher at Neil M. Ross, once again has penned a holiday story that touches the heart.

“It’s about a grandmother with memory loss. She’s trying to remember the meaning of Christmas and a group of children help her remember,” says Mark Guevarra, St. Albert Parish pastoral assistant and one of the Carol Sing organizers.

The Carol Sing presents an assortment of songs that range from the lively A Calypso Christmas Carol to the more spiritual Jesus the Light of the World.

Typically in past years, the Arden fills to 75 per cent capacity notes Guevarra.

“I find the ambience light. Often the storyline is humorous and jovial. It’s familiar and comfortable.”

As a community unifying organization, the St. Albert Ministerial Association takes its role seriously, and its participation during this spiritual season is one of the most important.

“There’s lots of ways of celebrating Christmas. One of the greatest ways is by sharing and recognizing the light within us. And the Carol Sing does that where we celebrate the triumph of light over dark, hope over despair. Carol Sing is about togetherness, unity and sharing.”

The St. Albert Ministerial Association is composed of 10 churches: the Salvation Army, Next Christian Community, Sturgeon Valley Baptist, St. Albert Catholic Parish, St. Albert United, Christ Community Church, Throne of God Church, Alliance Church, Victory Life Church and the Sturgeon Hospital Chapel.