Duke Chapel Christmas Services and Events

Duke University Chapel will hold Christmas Eve worship services at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 24.

All the services are free and open to the public. Free parking is available in the Bryan Center Parking Garage with overflow parking in the Chemistry Lot; accessible parking and drop off will be available in the Bryan Center Parking Lot. 

Attendees are asked to enter the chapel from the main front doors or else the handicapped entrance facing the Divinity School. They should plan to arrive early as seats often fill up and no overflow seating will be available.

“This year as I prepare for Christmas, I sense an influx of fear across the world -- fear of war, fear of natural disasters, fear of the other, and fear of the future,” said the Rev. Luke A. Powery, dean of Duke Chapel. “But the message of Christmas can be found on the lips of the angel announcing the coming birth of Jesus in Bethlehem: ‘Do not be afraid.’

“In the light of God’s presence, fear has no future, thus we can sing and rejoice in the good news that Immanuel has come,” Powery said.

The chapel services on Christmas Eve are:

-- 11 a.m., A worship service for the Fourth Sunday of Advent with a sermon from the Rev. Debra Brazzel, a former associate dean of Duke Chapel;

-- 2 p.m., A family-friendly Christmas Eve Service for Children with hymns and storytelling;

-- 4 p.m., A worship service that includes the Durham Children’s Choir and a sermon from Powery;

-- 6 p.m., A worship service with Holy Communion that includes the Amalgam Brass Ensemble and a sermon from Powery;

-- 11 p.m., The chapel’s Service of Lessons and Carols that includes a community choir, Scripture readings and Christmas carols.

Duke will show all of these services live on the Duke Chapel website and YouTube channel, as well as on channel 12 of the Duke Hospital TV system. The 11 p.m. service will also be broadcast on WDNC Radio 620 AM.

For those who wish to participate in the community choir there is an optional rehearsal at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, and a required rehearsal at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 24.

Another Duke Chapel tradition is its Christmas Open House. From noon to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 20, the chapel’s main sanctuary will be decorated for Christmas and have music for the season. The event is free and open to the public.

During the open house at 12:15 p.m., Powery will share reflections about preparing for Christmas from his new book, “Rise Up, Shepherd!” (Listen to a series of Advent audio reflections from Powery.)

On display in the chapel through Dec. 21 is an exhibit “Mary: The Paper Doll Project” by artist Carole Baker, a doctoral student at Duke. The interactive exhibit comprises four life-sized “paper dolls” representing different cultural depictions of the Virgin Mary. It aims to explore the universality and particularity of Marian manifestations. Baker will give a talk about the exhibit in the chapel at 2 p.m. on Dec. 20, immediately following the Christmas Open House. Watch a video about the exhibit.

Duke Chapel will be closed on Christmas Day but otherwise open to visitors daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Before planning a visit to the chapel, please confirm event details at chapel.duke.edu or by calling (919) 681-9488.

Learn more at https://chapel.duke.edu/christmas.