St. Mark’s Pipe Organ – Just Right, originally uploaded by Paul Swortz.

Capitol Hill is home to some of the oldest churches in Seattle, and Christmas is one of those occasions when they pull out all the stops and expect people off the street to walk in and take a look. It’s sort of like an open house being held at the neighbors’ place, the inside of which you always wanted to see, only with pews and singing. And since the best way to spread Christmas cheer is getting your Carol Brady on, we’ve got a roundup of church services happening on the Hill. (If you know of anything we missed, please leave it in the comments for us.)

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on 10th has services all day, starting with a special service for families with small children at 2 pm and ending with an 11 pm Eucharist.  The best bet for the music might be the 7 pm “Festive Gathering Music and Carols,” which looks like it’s repeated at 10:15 before the late-nite Eucharist.

All Pilgrims Christian Church on Broadway has a service of lessons and carols at 6 pm:

Friday, December 24 @ 6:00 pm A Service of Lessons & Carols

Join All Pilgrims on Christmas Eve as we welcome the new-born Christ Child. The service combines readings of Scripture and carols sung by the choir, congregation and soloists. This is a very special tradition at All Pilgrims you won’t want to miss!

Church of the Undignified has a candlelight service, also at 6 pm.  Since they meet at Central Cinema, the juxtaposition of the quiet holiness and the decidedly non-traditional setting might stir the senses (or help if you’ve got an issue with pews and the musty smell of hymnals).

Seattle First Baptist on Harvard and Seneca is planning a Christmas party, complete with potluck dinner, “holiday short film” and, uh, indoor snowball fight. (?!)  They’ve also got a service of lessons and carols for once the kiddies have gone to bed:

Beginning with an extended organ prelude at 10:15 p.m., the Sanctuary Choir sings anthems which set the texts to music including a selection from Handel’s beloved Messiah, a beautiful Gloria and carol arrangements.

Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church behind Seattle Central on Harvard has a family-friendly service of “un-traditional and traditional lessons and carols” at 6 pm.  (I have it on good authority because I’m one of the musicians who’ll be playing then.)

Saint James Catholic Cathedral has Christmas Vigil at 5:30 pm and the Midnight Mass at midnight, appropriately enough.  The real secret (or Christmas bonus, as my party discovered one year) is that  they have a service of lessons and carols at 11pm, before the mass, which is convenient for those who want to avoid communion but still enjoy some seriously gorgeous music in a magical Christmas setting from free