Barton’s Christmas Season Opens With The Lighting of the Luminaries And More

Barton College welcomes residents of Wilson and the surrounding communities for this festive celebration.

WILSON, N.C. — The Lighting of the Luminaries, a long-standing tradition for the Barton College community, will usher in the Christmas season on Tuesday, Nov. 27. The College family invites the surrounding community to join them for this festive celebration of events on campus.

The celebration will begin with a festive candlelight dinner served in the Hamlin Student Center Dining Hall at 5 p.m.  Cost for the meal is $6 for adults and $3 for children and students not on the meal plan.

At 4 p.m., students will begin lighting over 1,800 luminaries across 32 acres of the main campus, and at 6 p.m., students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the College, and members of the greater Wilson community will gather on center campus for the blessing and lighting of the Christmas tree. The outdoor program will include brief remarks by Dr. Norval C. Kneten, president of Barton College, and the Reverend Hollie Woodruff, chaplain of the College as well as musical selections performed by the Sign Choir. There is no charge for the outdoor program.

Immediately following the blessing and lighting of the tree, participants will move to Howard Chapel for the annual Service of Christmas Lessons and Carols featuring the Barton College Choir.  There is no charge for the choir program.

An additional program has been added to the evening’s itinerary this year. At 9 p.m., in the Lauren Kennedy and Alan Campbell Theatre, there will be a holiday revue titled “Jared Ryan and the Rev: A Very Merry Christmas Special.” This entertaining holiday variety show, hosted by the Reverend Hollie Woodruff and Jared Ryan Tice, will feature a “cast of campus characters,” as well as musical guest Gabe Dixon. Admittance is $2 per person or two cans of food. The admittance fee will benefit the “Stop Hunger Now” project sponsored by SGA, and the canned goods will benefit local food pantries.

For additional information about the Lighting of the Luminaries program or the “Jared Ryan and the Rev: A Very Merry Christmas Special,” please contact the Reverend Hollie Woodruff, chaplain of the college, at 252-399-6368. For additional information about the choir program, please contact Mark Peterson, director of music, at 252-399-6535.

END