Evensong at Christ Church

I think I am an old, traditional soul. Actually, I already knew that. It's pretty obvious through my love of old fashioned things like reading, real books, making tea, crocheting, writing letters and notes, writing long hand, older cars, taking long walks on lovely days, and having people over to actually talk, play piano, and never once turn on a television.

So, I knew that I would really enjoy Evensong, a service held each night at 6 PM in the chapel here at Christ Church College. The college choir sits where the candles are lit and the rest of us sit beyond that point. The aisle is in the middle, creating a congregation and choir that looks at each other.

The service has organ, choir, hymns, prayers, and a message from the reverend. More than any contemporary song, the sound of the choir singing perfect harmonies cascading off of one another is deeply moving and even mystical. It's poetry sung into the air, dancing about off the stone of the chapel. There is nothing like it.

I've been to Evensong twice so far and will definitely go again, and may try going to another college's Evensong service, too. Each college has their own chapel, their own choir, their own services. There is so much here in Oxford, that I could spend a few months here and always be trying new things.