Please join in saying the words and singing the hymn 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 St Margaret's Consort.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

The choir sings the Introit

We wait for thy loving kindness, O God :
   in the midst of thy temple. Alleluia!
O God, according to thy name, so is thy praise unto the world's end :
   thy right hand is full of righteousness. Alleluia!
We wait for thy loving kindness, O God :
   in the midst of thy temple.

   O Lord, send us now prosperity.
       Amen.

Words: Psalm 48: 8–9; 118: 25b
Music: William McKie (1901–83) Organist of Westminster Abbey 1941–63

The officiant says a Sentence of Scripture

The officiant and choir sing the Responses

Composer: Thomas Ebdon (1738–1811)

All sit. The choir sings Venite exultemus Domino

All remain seated. The choir sings Psalm 27: 1–7

The Lord is my light, and my salvation; whom then shall I fear : the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even mine enemies, and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh : they stumbled and fell.
Though an host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid : and though there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.
One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will require : even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his temple.
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle : yea, in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me, and set me up upon a rock of stone.
And now shall he lift up mine head : above mine enemies round about me.
Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladness : I will sing, and speak praises unto the Lord.

All stand

Chant: John Pratt (1772–1855)

All sit for the first Lesson, Haggai 2: 6–9

Thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendour, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendour of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Te Deum laudamus

Short Service, Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625) Organist of Westminster Abbey 1623–25

All sit for the second Lesson, Hebrews 10: 19–25

My friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Jubilate Deo

O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands : serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song.
Be ye sure that the Lord he is God : it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise : be thankful unto him, and speak good of his name.
For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting : and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

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.

Morning Service in F, John Ireland (1879–1962)

All remain standing 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.

Let us pray.

All kneel or sit. The officiant and choir sing the Lesser Litany, the Lord's Prayer, and the Responses

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.

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

Almighty God, to whose glory we celebrate the dedication of this house of prayer; we praise thee for the many blessings thou hast given to those who worship thee here: and we pray that all who seek thee in this place may find thee, and, being filled with the Holy Spirit, may become a living temple acceptable unto thee; through Jesus Christ thy Son 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.

Thomas Ebdon

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 Lord King Charles, Camilla the Queen Consort, William Prince of Wales, the Princess 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

Let our choirs new anthems raise,
   bright the morn with gladness,
when God turned to joy and praise
   all his servants' sadness:
this the day that won their crown,
   opened heaven's wide portal;
they mortality laid down,
   entered life immortal.

Now they stand before the throne
   clothed in robes of splendour,
death and torment overthrown,
   praise to God they render;
praise alike to Christ their King
   from their lips is sounding,
as they adoration bring
   for his grace abounding.

Let us then due honour pay,
   as we raise our voices,
for the saints in whom today
   all the Church rejoices;
let God's people here below
   still recount their story,
how they fought against the foe
   for the Saviour's glory.

Words: after John Mason Neale (1818–66)
Tune: St John Damascene 219 NEH, Arthur Brown (1830–1926)

The Homily, by The Reverend Mark Birch, Precentor

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

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 remain standing for the Blessing

Music after the service

Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr BWV 676, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

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