Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lehighton will host its annual Advent service of lessons and carols on Saturday at 3 p.m. and encourages members of the community to attend and begin preparing for the upcoming Christmas season.

This year’s program will be “A Celebration of Carols” by Joseph Martin.

The service’s carols will be performed by 25 singers from Trinity Sanctuary Choir and guest performers and led by Susan Lovejoy, Trinity’s choir director. The choir will be accompanied by a full 19-piece orchestra including strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion and harp.

A freewill offering will be taken to benefit the Trinity Food Pantry, which provides food to those in need in the Lehighton Area School District.

The need for food assistance in our area continues to grow, and the pantry relies heavily on community support to meet its needs.

“A Celebration of Carols” is based on the traditional lessons and carols service and tells the story of Christ’s birth through songs and scripture. The program will include songs such as the beloved “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” O Come, All Ye Faithful,” and “Angels we Have Heard on High,” in addition to Martin’s original compositions such as “A Christmas Trilogy” and “Carols for Seekers.”

The audience will also have a chance to participate in the program during the songs “Joy to the World” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

Everyone is invited to attend this program, which is a good opportunity for children and music lovers of all ages to experience a full orchestra without leaving Carbon County.

Members of the orchestra come from the surrounding area and as far away as Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey.

Trinity has offered an Advent program of lessons and carols for more than a decade, performing each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at 175 S. Third St. in Lehighton.