![Lighted Christmas trees, with a prominent star topper, illuminate the golden and red interior of Trinity Church. Poinsettias are visible. Some people wearing masks covering the nose and mouth are visible.](https://www.trinitychurchboston.org/sites/default/files/styles/image_thumbnail_229_x_168/public/COM_2021_11_07_chistmassy_feel.png?itok=LTWyy77B)
- Parish news
News about Candlelight Carols & Messiah
Dear Trinity Church and Friends,
With excitement – and not just the pallid pandemic sort, but real, live, “O, Little Town of Bethlehem” excitement! – I write to announce ticketing for our treasured Advent-Christmas traditions, including:
- REGISTER HERE for Candlelight Carols on Saturday, December 18 at 4 pm and 7 pm, and Sunday, December 19, at 2 pm; and
- REGISTER HERE for the Concert of Handel’s Messiah on Sunday, December 5, at 2 pm.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SEATING CHART.
What to Know Before Ticketing
- All four events will be ticketed to 60% capacity.
- Vaccination will be required for all those 12 and older.
- Aspiring the most equitable opportunity possible, all events will be half-paid and half-free.
- All attendees – whether paid or free – will be ticketed by section, rather than by seat.
- There will be an equal number of paid and free seats in every section.
- Once purchased or reserved, there will be no distinction between paid and free tickets.
- There will be two sales:
- The sale for paid seats will open at noon on Tuesday, November 9; and
- the sale for free seats will open at 1 pm on Sunday, November 14.
We believe these guidelines will best keep all participants safe and provide for the most equitable access. We encourage all who can afford to pay, to purchase their seats. Free seat reservations will be limited to four per registration. If not already sold out, free-seat reservations for the Concert of Handel’s Messiah will close on Thursday, December 2, and free-seat reservations for Candlelight Carols will close on Thursday, December 16. No walk-ups without a ticket will be allowed.
To prioritize access for members of our congregation, at this time we are sharing word of these sales only during Sunday worship and to those on our mailing lists. Local and social-media publicity will launch on Monday, November 15.
The Sunday Candlelight Carols program will be livestreamed. Details regarding this “Worship From Home” opportunity will be shared next month.
What to Know When You Arrive
- To process everyone into the church safely and orderly, please plan to arrive and queue at least 30 minutes before the program for which you are ticketed.
- Access will be allowed ONLY through the several doors of the West Porch.
- To facilitate a timely entrance, Ushers and staff will be working to keep the lines at each door an equal length before each event.
- All attendees will need to have their Eventbrite registration either printed and in-hand, or open on their mobile device and ready to show for scanning.
- All should be prepared to present proof of vaccination.
What to Know Once You’re Inside
- All should be prepared for an energizing spiritual rush of Christmas cheer!
- Masking will be required at all events, for all attendees.
- All sections will be first come, first seated.
- Every section will have an assigned color corresponding with the ticket purchased, and pews will be color-coded with ribbon of their section’s color.
- To ensure de-densification, every pew will indicate a maximum number of persons to be seated (unless a group will be seated as a household, family, or “pod”).
- Attendees will leave through the nearest available exit.
We look forward to sharing more details in the weeks ahead. An FAQ will be available on our website once the sales go more widely public on November 15. Should you have ticketing questions between now and then, please contact our Music & Worship Administrator, Marissa Hall, at mhall@trinitychurchboston.org.
These plans intend to express the consequential hope of the Advent-Christmas season, as well as our trust in the goodwill of the Trinity Church and greater Boston communities. Of course, this will be the first season we have ever ticketed, operated, and offered these beloved programs in this way. Therefore, your graciousness will inevitably be required. Do know that all of us privileged to serve you will be aiming to meet your grace with our very best efforts as, together, we make this new way to the manger crib of the Holy One born to us again.
With anticipation,
The Rev. Morgan S. Allen
Rector