Durham CU doubles carol services due to demand

Durham University’s Christian Union doubled their carol service capacity this year. For several years the CU needed to close the doors to Durham Cathedral early as their carol services were full. This year, the Cathedral gave them double the time to use the building, so the CU doubled the capacity with two back-to-back carol services.

The Cathedral venue adds a draw for students, particularly at Christmas time, with an almost magical atmosphere. Across the two services, 2,500 students crammed in to sing carols and hear from God’s word. Director of Christians in Sport, Graham Daniels, captured the audience as he spoke from the beginning of Luke’s Gospel, unpacking the passage verse-by-verse with great dynamic enthusiasm.

Throughout both services there was a great display of unity, as well as a wonderful diversity of students leading intercessional prayers and readings. With CU students from a wide variety of church backgrounds and ethnicities leading each part of the service, each student attending felt included.

For Staff Worker Naomi Brehm, the highlight of the evening was when the Cathedral Dean, Philip Plyming, interviewed the CU’s prayer secretary, Olivia. Olivia gave her testimony. She clearly shared her experience of starting to read the Bible for herself, feeling convicted of guilt, and the freedom of forgiveness. She articulated her experience in a really accessible and relatable way. Having attended a boarding school with a Christian ethos and regular chapel services, Olivia had been surrounded by Christianity but had not taken the gospel message to heart until she was older.

That evening, Olivia found herself speaking to a number of Durham students who had a similar background, who related to her experiences of going to chapel at boarding school. There was plenty of time for conversations like these as the CU hosted three mulled wine and mince pie receptions between and after the services. These additional reception venues not only had refreshments, but also performances from the students’ gospel choir; the music just kept coming. Students had a wonderful time. ‘The CU students did such an amazing job’, Naomi said.

A third-year student who had been to services in previous years said: ‘It was the best CU carol service I’ve been to’. Join us in giving thanks that so many students, many of whom are not Christians, heard the gospel message preached, and for Olivia’s testimony of faith. The CU are preparing for their events week in the Spring, at which Graham Daniels will be returning to speak. Pray that many would begin seeking Christ through what they have heard this Christmas, return in the Spring to hear more, and ultimately come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

For more stories of carol services, Christmas events, and other CU outreach, sign up to UCCF’s CU News email: uccf.at/cunews25