ALPHARETTA—On Christmas Eve, eight students at St. Thomas Aquinas Church formed a brass ensemble and played Christmas carols for those gathering for the children’s vigil.

Greer Blackmon, Ismar Miniel, Aileen Nicolas and Blake Hyman play in the University of Georgia’s Redcoat Band. Cole Barkelew, Chase Buckley and Drew Lang are musicians at nearby Milton High School.

The youngest of the lead trumpets was Parker Vidmar, an eighth-grader at Northwestern Middle School.

Blackmon and Hyman contacted the church’s pastor, Msgr. Dan Stack, to see if there was interest in a musical performance. He indicated that this was the answer to his prayers. They called some of their friends, Msgr. Stack contacted a few, and the music all came together.

Msgr. Stack said that these young men and women offered a gift that was graciously received—the parish was grateful to them and their families.