Order of Service
Today's services
Friday, 19th August 2022
17:00
Evensong
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 Ardingly Schola Cantorum.
Order of Service
All stand as the choir and clergy enter
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
Composer: Bernard Rose (1916-96)
All sit. The choir sings Psalm 119: 49–64
All stand
Chants: George Garrett (1834–97) and William Russell (1777–1813)
All sit for the first Lesson, Isaiah 59: 8–end
All stand. The choir sings Magnificat
Evening Service in B flat, Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)
All sit for the second Lesson, Mark 15: 6–20
At the festival Pilate used to release a prisoner for the people, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then he answered them, 'Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?' For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate spoke to them again, 'Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?' They shouted back, 'Crucify him!' Pilate asked them, 'Why, what evil has he done?' But they shouted all the more, 'Crucify him!' So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis
Evening Service in B flat, Charles Villiers Stanford
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.
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, and for aid against all perils
Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will; 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.
Bernard Rose
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 sit. The choir sings the Anthem
God is gone up with a triumphant shout:
The Lord with sounding trumpets' melodies:
Sing praise, sing praise, sing praise, sing praises out,
Unto our King sing praise seraphic-wise!
Lift up your heads, ye lasting doors, they sing,
And let the King of Glory enter in.
Methinks I see heaven's sparkling courtiers fly
In flakes of glory down him to attend;
And hear heart cramping notes of melody
Surround his chariot as it did ascend,
Mixing their music, making every string
More to enravish, as they this tune sing.
Words: Edward Taylor (c 1642–1729)
Music: Gerald Finzi (1901–56)
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
You can help us to improve our prototype order of service by completing a short online survey. Thank you for your support.
The Abbey is grateful for your support. Cash and contactless donations may be given as you leave via the Great West Door and will be divided equally between the work of the Abbey and the charities it supports.
DonationsSubscribe to our newsletter
Keep up to date with all of the Abbey's activities, get bonus content and enter exclusive competitions
Sign up nowToday's Services
Friday, 26th April 2024 | ||
---|---|---|
7.30am | Morning Prayer | Quire |
said | ||
8.00am | Holy Communion | Pyx Chamber |
said | ||
12.30pm | Holy Communion | Nave |
said | ||
5.00pm | Evensong | Quire |
attended by HE The High Commissioner for Tanzania, sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey | Byrd Terra tremuit et quievit |
|
View Order of Service | ||