Please join in saying the words and singing the hymns printed in bold type.

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Order of Service

The officiant says a Sentence of Scripture

All remain standing to say the Responses

O Lord, open thou our lips
and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord's name be praised.

All sing the Hymn

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
   Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
   triumph o'er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear.

Dark and cheerless is the morn
   unaccompanied by thee;
joyless is the day's return,
   till thy mercy's beams I see;
till they inward light impart,
glad my eyes, and warm my heart.

Visit then this soul of mine,
   pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
fill me, radiancy divine,
   scatter all my unbelief;
more and more thyself display,
shining to the perfect day.

Words: Morning Hymn Charles Wesley (1707–88)
Music: Ratisbon 234ii NEH, in Johann Werner's Choralbuch Leipzig, 1815

All sit to say Venite exultemus Domino

O come, let us sing unto the Lord :
let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving :
and shew ourselves glad in him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God :
and a great King above all gods.
In his hands are all the corners of the earth :
and the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it :
and his hands prepared the dry land.
O come, let us worship and fall down :
and kneel before the Lord our maker.
For he is the Lord our God :
and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


All remain seated to say Psalms 140 and 141

Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man :
and preserve me from the wicked man.
Who imagine mischief in their hearts :
and stir up strife all the day long.
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent :
adders' poison is under their lips.
Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the ungodly :
preserve me from the wicked men, who are purposed to overthrow my goings.
The proud have laid a snare for me, and spread a net abroad with cords :
yea, and set traps in my way.
I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God :
hear the voice of my prayers, O Lord.
O Lord God, thou strength of my health :
thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
Let not the ungodly have his desire, O Lord :
let not his mischievous imagination prosper, lest they be too proud.
Let the mischief of their own lips fall upon the head of them :
that compass me about.
Let hot burning coals fall upon them :
let them be cast into the fire and into the pit, that they never rise up again.
A man full of words shall not prosper upon the earth :
evil shall hunt the wicked person to overthrow him.
Sure I am that the Lord will avenge the poor :
and maintain the cause of the helpless.
The righteous also shall give thanks unto thy name :
and the just shall continue in thy sight.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Lord, I call upon thee, haste thee unto me :
and consider my voice when I cry unto thee.
Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense :
and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth :
and keep the door of my lips.
O let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing :
Let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness, lest I eat of such things as please them.
Let the righteous rather smite me friendly :
and reprove me.
But let not their precious balms break my head :
yea, I will pray yet against their wickedness.
Let their judges be overthrown in stony places :
that they may hear my words, for they are sweet.
Our bones lie scattered before the pit :
like as when one breaketh and heweth wood upon the earth.
But mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord God :
in thee is my trust, O cast not out my soul.
Keep me from the snare that they have laid for me :
and from the traps of the wicked doers.
Let the ungodly fall into their own nets together :
and let me ever escape them.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

All remain seated for the first Lesson, Deuteronomy 15: 1–11

Every seventh year you shall grant a remission of debts. And this is the manner of the remission: every creditor shall remit the claim that is held against a neighbour, not exacting it from a neighbour who is a member of the community, because the Lord's remission has been proclaimed. From a foreigner you may exact it, but you must remit your claim on whatever any member of your community owes you. There will, however, be no one in need among you, because the Lord is sure to bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession to occupy, if only you will obey the Lord your God by diligently observing this entire commandment that I command you today. When the Lord your God has blessed you, as he promised you, you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.

If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, 'The seventh year, the year of remission, is near', and therefore view your needy neighbour with hostility and give nothing; your neighbour might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt. Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, 'Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.'

All stand to say Te Deum laudamus

We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
To thee all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the powers therein.
To thee Cherubin and Seraphin continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.
The noble army of martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee,
the Father, of an infinite majesty;
thine honourable, true, and only Son,
also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.

Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ;
thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy saints, in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage.
Govern them and lift them up for ever.
Day by day we magnify thee, and we worship thy Name ever world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us, as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted; let me never be confounded.

All sit for the second Lesson, Acts 27: 13–end

When a moderate south wind began to blow, the soldiers thought they could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past Crete, close to the shore. But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from Crete. Since the ship was caught and could not be turned with its head to the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda we were scarcely able to get the ship's boat under control. After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea-anchor and so were driven. We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship's tackle overboard. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.

Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, 'Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss. I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, "Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor; and indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you." So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we will have to run aground on some island.'

When the fourteenth night had come, as we were drifting across the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. So they took soundings and found twenty fathoms; a little farther on they took soundings again and found fifteen fathoms. Fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. But when the sailors tried to escape from the ship and had lowered the boat into the sea, on the pretext of putting out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, 'Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.' Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat and set it adrift.

Just before daybreak, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, 'Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and remaining without food, having eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food, for it will help you survive; for none of you will lose a hair from your heads.' After he had said this, he took bread; and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat. Then all of them were encouraged and took food for themselves. (We were in all two hundred and seventy-six persons in the ship.) After they had satisfied their hunger, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat into the sea.

In the morning they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned to run the ship ashore, if they could. So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. At the same time they loosened the ropes that tied the steering-oars; then hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. But striking a reef, they ran the ship aground; the bow stuck and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the force of the waves. The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none might swim away and escape; but the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest to follow, some on planks and others on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.

All stand to say Benedictus

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel :
for he hath visited, and redeemed his people;
and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us :
in the house of his servant David;
as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets :
which have been since the world began;
that we should be saved from our enemies :
and from the hands of all that hate us;
to perform the mercy promised to our forefathers :
and to remember his holy covenant;
to perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham :
that he would give us;
that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies :
might serve him without fear;
in holiness and righteousness before him :
all the days of our life.
And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the highest :
for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
to give knowledge of salvation unto his people :
for the remission of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God :
whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;
to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death :
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

All face east to say together the Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth: and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

All kneel or sit to say the Lesser Litany, the Lord's Prayer, and the Responses

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
And grant us thy salvation.

O Lord, save The Queen.
And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.

Endue thy ministers with righteousness.
And make thy chosen people joyful.

O Lord, save thy people.
And bless thine inheritance.

Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.

O God, make clean our hearts within us.
And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

The officiant says the Collects; of the day, for Peace, for Grace:

O Lord, who never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The officiant says the Prayers; for the Royal Family, and for the Members of the Order of the Bath

Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness, we humbly beseech thee to bless our most gracious Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth, Charles Prince of Wales, and all the Royal Family: endue them with thy Holy Spirit; enrich them with thy heavenly grace; prosper them with all happiness; and bring them to thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God save our Gracious Sovereign, and all the Members of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath living and departed. Amen.

All say

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.

All stand to sing the Hymn, during which a collection will be taken. The money from today's services will be divided equally between the work of the Abbey and the charities it supports. Alternatively, cash and contactless donations may be given as you leave via the Great West Door. UK residents may also donate £5 or £10 to the work of the Abbey by texting respectively ABBEY5 or ABBEY10 to 70025

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
   Sion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
   formed thee for his own abode:
on the Rock of Ages founded,
   what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
   thou may'st smile at all thy foes.

See, the streams of living waters,
   springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters,
   and all fear of want remove:
who can faint, while such a river
   ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord the giver,
   never fails from age to age.

Saviour, if of Sion's city
   I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
   I will glory in thy name:
fading is the worldling's pleasure,
   all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
   none but Sion's children know.

Words: Zion, or the city of God John Newton (1725–1807)
Tune: Austria 362 NEH, Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809)

All remain standing for the Blessing

Those who wish to may sit for the remainder of the organ voluntary