For the legions of musicians, artists and choir music experts who packed the pews Sunday for the 8th Annual Christmas at St. Paul's concerts, the two standing-room-only free music offerings were old hat.

But newcomers to the festive experience at the landmark Cascade Height's/Peyton Forest area Episcopal church—now recognized as the nation's largest African-American and Caribbean-American Anglican church—found themselves on the edge of the seats—and, at times, out of them.

The concert, led by personable St. Paul's music director Trey Clegg, included outstanding delivery of every genre imaginable: traditional English and French carols, Negro spirituals, handbell tunes, men's carols, women's carols, brass and drum solos, chamber music and contemporary Christian music by composers such as Marvin Sapp and the church's own renowned jazz musician, Chanda McKnight.

For more information about the St. Paul's Choir and the growth of the church under the leadership of Father Robert Wright over the last decade, visit the Cascade Patch listing of the church, which includes pictures and a link to the church website.

To celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with St. Paul's this year and hear some of the music from Sunday's concert, services begin 5 and 10:30 pm. Christmas Eve (arrive early for preferred seating), 10 a.m. Christmas Day and 10 a.m. New Year's Day.

Though limited information was available at press-time, Sunday's second concert was recorded by the church as well as National Public Radio. Stay tuned to Cascade Patch for more details about the NPR broadcast.