The Promise of the First Noel

Bathed in the soft glow of advent light, the Saint Kentigern Girls’ School community gathered at Holy Trinity Cathedral for this year’s Carol Service, themed The First Noel. The evening opened with a powerful welcome from the Girls’ School Kapa Haka, their karanga and waiata settling the cathedral into a reflective hush before the congregation lifted its voice in the first carol.

Across the programme, students from every year level brought the Christmas story to life through readings, choral pieces, kapa haka, orchestral items, and carols. A powerful moment came midway through the service, when alumna Nora Caffery returned to collaborate with the Girls’ School Orchestra, to sing ‘Noel’. 

Chaplain Rev. Reuben Hardie delivered this year’s message, reflecting on the meaning of the word noel, “to be born.” He reminded the congregation that Christmas is, at its heart, “an invitation to a divine birthday.” In a joyful and unexpected moment, he presented a birthday cake to two students celebrating their actual birthdays that evening, delighting the community and reinforcing his message. Reuben spoke of the amazing love at the centre of Christmas, when God sent his Son, so that we might know the transforming power of his grace, joy, and hope. 

The service drew to a meaningful close as the Year 8 students stepped forward to receive their leavers’ candles, marking the final chapter of their Girls’ School journey. Surrounded by family, friends, and a cathedral filled with song, the evening offered a tender reminder of the promise at the centre of the First Noel and the light He continues to bring.