Like Richard Dawkins I am a non- (well, perhaps make that slight) believer who enjoys singing Christmas carols. My best opportunity this festive season came at the service in support of the charity Family Links, held at the full-to-bursting University Church on December 16.

The evening followed the traditional pattern, with favourite carols interspersed between nine readings, with splendid contributions from the church choir and, midway through proceedings, from pupils of the Pegasus School, Blackbird Leys.

The service began with a single treble voice singing the first verse of Once in Royal David's City. As ever, this opening brought tears to my eyes as I recalled how, aged 11, it had fallen to me to perform this solo role, as well as read the first lesson that immediately followed concerning Adam and Eve's momentous encounter with the serpent.

In this connection, I was interested to read an interview with Stephen Cleobury, the director of music at King's College, Cambridge, in which he explained how he only notified the appointed chorister at the last moment in order that the lad should not be worrying about his important task for days on end. Of course - let every member of the choir worry instead.

The service offered one slight surprise when we came to sing Unto Us a Boy is Born. At the end of the first verse, I was halfway through "the Lord of every na-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ation" when I realised the rest of the congregation were not with me. Instead of repeating the penultimate syllable, they were singing the whole of the line again. When, I wondered, did this become common practice?

This carol, incidentally, has always amused me for the opportunity it suggests for a mispronunciation of one or other of the words involved in the eye rhyme 'asses' and 'surpasses'. One has long wondered, too, about the curious expression 'stabled in a stall' - for where, after all, can an animal be stabled save in . . . a stable?