Please join in saying the words printed in bold type.

The church is served by a hearing loop. Users should turn their hearing aid to the setting marked T.

Photography, filming, and sound recording are not allowed in the Abbey during services. Please ensure that mobile telephones and other electronic devices are silent.

The service is sung by the Lay Vicars.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

The choir sings the Introit

Gloria tibi, Domine, qui natus es de Virgine, cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu, in sempiterna saecula. Amen.

Glory to you, O Lord, who were born of the Virgin, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.

Music: William Byrd (c 1540–1623)

All remain standing as the officiant introduces a general Confession

Beloved, we are come together in the presence of Almighty God and of the whole company of heaven to offer unto him through our Lord Jesus Christ our worship and praise and thanksgiving; to make confession of our sins; to pray, as well for others as for ourselves, that we may know more truly the greatness of God's love and show forth in our lives the fruits of his grace; and to ask on behalf of all people such things as their well-being doth require. Wherefore let us kneel and keep silence, and remember God's presence with us now.

All kneel or sit to say together

O God, our Father, we have sinned against thee in thought, word, and deed; we have not loved thee with all our heart; we have not loved our neighbour as ourselves. Have mercy upon us, we beseech thee; cleanse us from our sins; and help us to overcome our faults; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The officiant gives the Absolution

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant unto you pardon and remission of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

All say together the Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

All stand. The officiant and choir sing 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.

plainsong

All sit. The choir sings Psalm 44

We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us : what thou hast done in their time of old;
how thou hast driven out the heathen with thy hand, and planted them in : how thou hast destroyed the nations, and cast them out.
For they gat not the land in possession through their own sword : neither was it their own arm that helped them;
but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance : because thou hadst a favour unto them.
Thou art my King, O God : send help unto Jacob.
Through thee will we overthrow our enemies : and in thy name will we tread them under, that rise up against us.
For I will not trust in my bow : it is not my sword that shall help me;
but it is thou that savest us from our enemies : and puttest them to confusion that hate us.
We make our boast of God all day long : and will praise thy name for ever.
But now thou art far off, and puttest us to confusion : and goest not forth with our armies.
Thou makest us to turn our backs upon our enemies : so that they which hate us spoil our goods.
Thou lettest us be eaten up like sheep : and hast scattered us among the heathen.
Thou sellest thy people for nought : and takest no money for them.
Thou makest us to be rebuked of our neighbours : to be laughed to scorn,
and had in derision of them that are round about us.
Thou makest us to be a by-word among the heathen : and that the people shake their heads at us.
My confusion is daily before me : and the shame of my face hath covered me;
For the voice of the slanderer and blasphemer : for the enemy and avenger.
And though all this be come upon us, yet do we not forget thee :
nor behave ourselves frowardly in thy covenant.
Our heart is not turned back : neither our steps gone out of thy way;
No, not when thou hast smitten us into the place of dragons : and covered us with the shadow of death.
If we have forgotten the name of our God, and holden up our hands to any strange god : shall not God search it out?
For he knoweth the very secrets of the heart.
For thy sake also are we killed all the day long : and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain.
Up, Lord, why sleepest thou : awake, and be not absent from us for ever.
Wherefore hidest thou thy face : and forgettest our misery and trouble?
For our soul is brought low, even unto the dust : our belly cleaveth unto the ground.
Arise, and help us : and deliver us for thy mercy's sake.

All stand

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.

plainsong

All sit for the first Lesson, Leviticus 11: 1–8, 13–19, 41–45

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them: Speak to the people of Israel, saying:

From among all the land animals, these are the creatures that you may eat. Any animal that has divided hoofs and is cloven-footed and chews the cud—such you may eat. But among those that chew the cud or have divided hoofs, you shall not eat the following: the camel, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. The rock-badger, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. The hare, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. The pig, for even though it has divided hoofs and is cloven-footed, it does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean for you.

These you shall regard as detestable among the birds. They shall not be eaten; they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, the buzzard, the kite of any kind; every raven of any kind; the ostrich, the nighthawk, the seagull, the hawk of any kind; the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, the water-hen, the desert-owl, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.

All creatures that swarm upon the earth are detestable; they shall not be eaten. Whatever moves on its belly, and whatever moves on all fours, or whatever has many feet, all the creatures that swarm upon the earth, you shall not eat; for they are detestable. You shall not make yourselves detestable with any creature that swarms; you shall not defile yourselves with them, and so become unclean. For I am the Lord your God; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming creature that moves on the earth. For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; you shall be holy, for I am holy.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

Magnificat anima mea Dominum, et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo Salutari meo;
quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae. Ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes;
quia fecit mihi Magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius.
Et misericordia eius, a progenie in progenies timentibus eum.
Fecit potentiam in brachio suo, dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.
Deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles.
Esurientes implevit bonis et divites dimisit inanes.
Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae.
Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in saecula.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto;
sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

Magnificat primi toni, Francisco Guerrero (1528–99)

All sit for the second Lesson, Acts 10: 9–16

About noon, as Peter and his companions were on their journey and approaching Joppa, he went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. Then he heard a voice saying, 'Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' But Peter said, 'By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.' The voice said to him again, a second time, 'What God has made clean, you must not call profane.' This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace;
quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum, quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum,
lumen ad revelationem Gentium et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto;
sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

Nunc dimittis tertii toni, Robert Quinney (b 1976)

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. The officiant and choir sing 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 sings the Collects; of the day, for peace, and for aid against all perils

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth; mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels and all just works do proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Lighten our darkness we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

plainsong

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 Brotherhood of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath living and departed. Amen.

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus
   et regnum in manu eius, et potestas, et imperium.

Deus, judicium tuum regi da,
   et justitiam tuam filio regis.

Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto;
sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Behold, the Lord and Master has come
   with his rule, his power, and his authority in his hand.

O God, give the king your judgments,
   and your righteousness to the son of a king.

Glory to the Father and the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

Words: Introit, Mass of the Epiphany, after Malachi 3: 1; 1 Chronicles 29: 12; Psalm 72: 1
William Byrd (c 1540–1623) Gradualia 1607

All kneel or remain seated for the Intercessions, at the end of which 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 as the choir and clergy depart

Those who wish to may sit for the remainder of the organ voluntary. As you leave the church, please maintain social-distancing.

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