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 Choir of Westminster Abbey.

Order of Service

The choir sings the Introit

Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
   make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

All flesh is grass,
   and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.

Words: Isaiah 40: 3b, 6b
Music: Humphrey Clucas (b 1941)

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

All remain standing as the officiant introduces the 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: Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625) Organist of Westminster Abbey 1623–25

All sit. The choir sings Psalm 74

O God, wherefore art thou absent from us so long : why is thy wrath so hot against the sheep of thy pasture?
O think upon thy congregation : whom thou hast purchased, and redeemed of old.
Think upon the tribe of thine inheritance : and mount Sion, wherein thou hast dwelt.
Lift up thy feet, that thou mayest utterly destroy every enemy : which hath done evil in thy sanctuary.
Thine adversaries roar in the midst of thy congregations : and set up their banners for tokens.
He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees : was known to bring it to an excellent work.
But now they break down all the carved work thereof : with axes and hammers.
They have set fire upon thy holy places : and have defiled the dwelling-place of thy name, even unto the ground.
Yea, they said in their hearts, Let us make havock of them altogether : thus have they burnt up all the houses of God in the land.
We see not our tokens, there is not one prophet more : no, not one is there among us, that understandeth any more.
O God, how long shall the adversary do this dishonour : how long shall the enemy blaspheme thy name, for ever?
Why withdrawest thou thy hand : why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosom to consume the enemy?
For God is my King of old : the help that is done upon earth he doeth it himself.
Thou didst divide the sea through thy power : thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
Thou smotest the heads of Leviathan in pieces : and gavest him to be meat for the people in the wilderness.
Thou broughtest out fountains and waters out of the hard rocks : thou driedst up mighty waters:
The day is thine, and the night is thine : thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
Thou hast set all the borders of the earth : thou hast made summer and winter.
Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy hath rebuked : and how the foolish people hath blasphemed thy name.
O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the enemies : and forget not the congregation of the poor for ever.
Look upon the covenant : for all the earth is full of darkness, and cruel habitations.
O let not the simple go away ashamed : but let the poor and needy give praise unto thy name.
Arise, O God, maintain thine own cause : remember how the foolish man blasphemeth thee daily.
Forget not the voice of thine enemies : the presumption of them that hate thee increaseth ever more and more.

All stand

Chant: George Arnold (1832–1902)

All sit for the first Lesson, Zephaniah 3: 14–end

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;
   shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
   O daughter Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgements against you,
   he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
   you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
   do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
   a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
   he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing
   as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
   so that you will not bear reproach for it.
I will deal with all your oppressors
   at that time.
And I will save the lame
   and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
   and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you home,
   at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
   among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
   before your eyes, says the Lord.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

Fifth Service, Thomas Tomkins (1572–1656)

All sit for the second Lesson, 1 Thessalonians 4: 13–end

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

Fifth Service, Thomas Tomkins

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

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. 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.

John Barnard (fl 1648)

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 sit. The choir sings the Anthem

Vigilate, nescitis enim quando dominus domus veniat, sero, an media nocte, an galli cantu, an mane. Vigilate ergo, ne cum venerit repente inveniat vos dormientes. Quod autem dico vobis, omnibus dico: Vigilate.

Watch, for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. Watch therefore, lest when he comes without warning he find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Watch.

Words: Mark 13: 35–37
Music: William Byrd (c 1540–1623) Sacrarum cantionum 1589

The congregation remains seated; members of College stand. The Receiver General presents the candidates to the Dean and says

Mr Dean, I present to you Amanda Glass to be admitted as Head of Information and Communications Technology and Nicola May to be admitted as Auditor of this Collegiate Church.

The Dean says

The distinguished offices which you, Mandy and Nicola hold, come with great privilege and responsibility. It is your duty to care for the good governance of this Abbey Church, so that with integrity we may serve almighty God. You are to advise the Dean and Chapter in matters pertaining to your roles, so that they may exercise their ministry honestly and reverently for the greater glory of God and his Church. And, as members of this College, you are to endeavour to strengthen our common life and ministry.

Are you willing to accept these duties?
I am, and will perform them by the help of God.

The Dean takes each candidate by the hand and leads them to their stall in Quire

I, David Michael Hoyle, Dean of this College, admit you, N, and place you in the stall assigned to you in Quire, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Cape hanc sedem in sacris ministratura
et laudes Dei celebratura
in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.
Amen.

May God, who has given you the desire to undertake these responsibilities, strengthen your resolve, and give you grace faithfully to fulfil the tasks that are required of you.

Let us pray.

All stand

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, you call us by your grace to offer our gifts for the good of your Church and to sustain our common life. Hear the prayers we offer for all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry each may serve you in holiness and truth; and give to your servants the needful gifts of grace, to the glory of your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All sing the Hymn

Now thank we all our God,
   with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
   in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mother's arms
   hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
   and still is ours to-day.

O may this bounteous God
   through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
   and blessèd peace to cheer us;
and keep us in his grace,
   and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
   in this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God
   the Father now be given,
the Son, and him who reigns
   with them in highest heaven,
the One eternal God,
   whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
   and shall be evermore.
      Amen.

Words: Nun danket alle Gott Martin Rinkart (1586–1649) translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827–78)
Tune: Nun danket 413 NEH, in Johann Crüger's Praxis pietatis melica 1647

The Dean pronounces the Blessing. All respond Amen.

All remain standing as the choir and clergy depart

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

CHORISTERSHIPS AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Enquiries are welcomed at any time. If you have a son who enjoys singing, and would like further details of the world-renowned Abbey Choir and its unique choir school, please visit www.abbeychoirschool.org

Mr Peter Roberts, Headmaster, Westminster Abbey Choir School, Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3NY, Tel 020 7222 6151 [email protected]
Mr James O'Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers, The Chapter Office, 20 Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3PA, Tel 020 7654 4854 [email protected]

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