With music, Scripture, storytelling, and a 240-voice choir, the Catholic performers invite audiences to begin Advent a little differently.
For many of us, Advent begins at full speed. Calendars fill up, shopping lists grow longer, and before we know it, we've reached Christmas wondering where the season went. This November, however, Jonathan Roumie and Matt Maher are hoping to offer something rather different.
On November 29, the first Sunday of Advent, the actor best known for portraying Jesus in The Chosen and the Grammy-nominated Catholic singer-songwriter will join forces for a one-night-only event at New York City's iconic Carnegie Hall, inviting audiences to begin the season with music, Scripture, and reflection.
Billed as "An Advent Evening with Matt Maher and Jonathan Roumie," the event promises far more than a traditional Christmas concert. Accompanied by the acclaimed True North Orchestra, a 240-voice choir, and Broadway performers, the evening is designed to help audiences slow down and rediscover the hope at the heart of Advent.
Throughout the performance, Roumie will narrate the Christmas story through Scripture and personal reflections, while Maher — whose songs such as Lord, I Need You, Your Grace Is Enough, and Because He Lives (Amen) have become staples in churches around the world — leads an evening of worship and music.
The concert will conclude with the return of One Day, composer John Bolin's large-scale Christmas musical tracing the story of salvation from Creation to the birth of Christ. Broadway performer Amanda Jane Cooper -- famous for her role in Wicked -- will portray Mary, while Carlos Santiago, who you may have seen on The Voice, takes on the role of Joseph, with Roumie serving as narrator.
For Bolin, the timing is central to the evening's purpose.
"Advent has always been about anticipation — the quiet expectation that God is doing something new," he said in the press release. "Bringing together Matt's music, Jonathan's storytelling and the grandeur of Carnegie Hall creates a unique opportunity for people to encounter the beauty, hope, and joy of Christmas in a deeply meaningful way."
The collaboration also brings together two figures whose work has helped introduce countless people to the Christian faith in different ways. Roumie's portrayal of Jesus in The Chosen has reached audiences in more than 175 countries, while Maher's music has become part of the prayer life of churches across denominations and around the world.
And this is is what seems to make this event feel particularly perfect for Advent. Before Christmas becomes a celebration, it first invites us to wait, to listen, and to make room for Christ's coming. In a season that can so easily become crowded with noise, an evening devoted to Scripture, music, and quiet expectation feels like an invitation many people could use.
If you're able to get to Carnegie Hall for November 29, tickets are available here.
