With a number of holiday celebrations taking place in the area through December, those looking to get in the Christmas spirit with song can anticipate the return of a Grand Christmas Concert.

The annual event put on by St. Paul United Church of Christ in Waterloo will take place this year on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m.

The concert is open to the community free of charge with offerings accepted.

St. Paul UCC Director of Music Ministries Gary Humphrey said those in attendance can expect a variety of performances akin to last year’s concert.

Particular features for this year include the church’s choirs, contemporary band and solo performances, with each group performing various carols and other Christmas songs.

Humphrey said the church’s Christmas concerts from past years differed a bit from what he hopes to do with them following a break in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The concert previously focused much more on piano and keyboard performances, with the church renting several grand pianos. This is where the event originally got its name.

St. Paul UCC Administration Coordinator Linda Mueller spoke to the success of the concert and its reception in the community.

“This is just one that I think everyone enjoys,” Mueller said. “It’s been an annual thing – minus COVID – for years that we do and we get great attendance from and great feedback on, and it’s just one of a few in our community.”

Humphrey similarly described the overall goal of this concert as it comes just a week before Christmas.

“Basically what this concert does is kind of brings everything together for the Christmas season for both our congregation as well as anyone from the community or outside of the community that would like to enjoy Christmas music when we get that close to Christmas,” Humphrey said.

Humphrey said the Grand Christmas Concert is part of a series of fine arts concerts the church hosts and organizes throughout the year.

According to Humphrey, the main push for these events is to provide an opportunity for the community to experience fine arts free of charge.

“It’s kinda the thing that people don’t often get a chance to see acts of that quality for free,” Humphrey said. “All our concerts are, generally speaking, we’ve had one paid concert but generally all are free which means that people can come and experience that, come in and enjoy our church.

For more information, visit stpaulonline.org or call 618-939-7123.