BLANCA — The Calvary Blanca Church, 607 Broadway, Blanca, will host a unique and free Candlelight Service at 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 15. 

The Christmas music will be bathed in the enchanting glow of candlelight, creating a serene and reflective atmosphere, as church and band member Cindy Brick describes, "It will be a time to rest and reflect.” 

The music will include traditional Christmas carols, with a few modern pieces from the Calvary Blanca Worship Band mixed in. Bert Bertram will be the special guest. 

“O Holy Night,” “The Friendly Beasts,” “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear,” “The First Noel,” “Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming,” “Silent Night,” and others will be performed. 

The work “Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming” dates from 15th-century Germany. In about 1609, German composer Michael Praetorius arranged it in the harmonized version that remains today. 

The German Priest Joseph Mohr, who wrote the lyrics and played guitar with Franz Gruber, a choir director who wrote the melody, first performed the well-known “Silent Night” on Christmas Eve in 1818. The carol has been translated into over 300 languages. 

According to Brick, the Calvary Blanca Church extends a warm invitation to all community members to join in this candlelight service, “It's a chance for everyone to listen and meditate on the Christmas season, surrounded by the warm glow of candlelight.”