Every winter, Bethlehem transforms into the epicenter of winter holidays. Twinkling lights, wreaths with holly, Clydesdale horse-drawn carriage rides, and of course, the Vespers candlelight service.
Vespers is an annual Moravian tradition that dates back to 1747. According to Moravian’s website, the Vespers service combines two forms of worship commonly seen in the Moravian Church: the Singstunde and the Candlelight Service. The Moravian Singstunde, otherwise known as the Singing Hour, is exactly what it sounds like, a service that consists mostly of singing.
There is no preaching during this service, however, Chaplain Jennika Borger, who leads the Vespers service, does choose to select members of the Moravian community to speak short lines of scripture. Other than that, the ceremony is spent in song. Borger is also responsible for organizing who will be prayer leaders, liturgists, ushers, and candle servers.
The Vespers service would not be possible without the work of the amazingly gifted Dr. Paula Zerkle. Zerkle is an associate professor of music and the director of vocal music at Moravian University.
Each year, Zerkle puts in months of work, dedicating herself to fully preparing the choir for the services. At the beginning of each summer, Dr. Zerkle spends several weeks ordering music and putting together the repertoire. Normally, she starts out with a couple of pieces that she wants to conduct and then fills the rest of the catalog with songs that she feels will blend well with the other chosen pieces. Dr. Zerkle also incorporates student compositions upon request. This Vespers season, Dr. Zerkle chose music that was light-hearted and fun because, in her words, “We need more of that these days.”
Once the music is selected and choir auditions are completed, the real work begins. Beginning in September, the University Choir, Blue Stars (women’s choir), and Greyhounds (men’s choir) meet twice a week to rehearse the songs that will be performed at Vespers.
These rehearsals allow Dr. Zerkle to teach each vocal group their part. Additionally, Dr. Zerkle holds auditions for a child soloist in the song “Morning Star.” At the beginning of the fall semester, Dr. Zerkle and the Development Office emailed audition information to alumni and the campus community. Auditions for the solo are open to any children of Moravian faculty, staff, students, or alumni. The selection of soloists varies each year, but normally, Zerkle, along with other choral officers, listens to anywhere from four to eight children.
Vespers is a celebration of music, so when the choir is not singing, there are instrumental ensembles that fill the silence. The instrumental ensembles that perform the prelude are directed by various music instructors/professors. Dr. Zerkle is in charge of organizing the order and location of their performances and working with music facilities to make sure the ensembles have the appropriate setups. Each director sends Dr. Zerkle the length of time their repertoire will take, so she knows when the prelude should begin to have it end exactly at the hour.
Vespers reflects how Moravian values its close-knit community. The services are a chance for people to experience peaceful reflection. On Dec. 6, the first Vespers service of the season will mark Dr. Zerkle’s 175th Vespers performance. Over the years, Dr. Zerkle has created memories that will last her a lifetime. One of her favorite memories is looking over the church’s balcony after the first hymn, “O Come Emmanuel,” her favorite hymn. She is especially proud when she sees the faces of the audience members as they experience the service. Give yourself the gift of peace and joy by attending a Vespers service. She would love to see you there and celebrate with you this holiday season.
After the choir and ensembles have rehearsed for months, their hard work can finally be showcased. The Vespers services are held in the beautiful Central Moravian Church located at 73 W Church St, Bethlehem, PA. The first service will take place at 8 p.m. on Dec. 6. The other showtimes are Dec. 7, 13, and 14 at 8 p.m., and Dec. 8 and 15 at 5 p.m.. There is no charge, but tickets are required for entrance. Tickets are free; please contact Lisa Brand for more information.
