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 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 80

Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep : shew thyself also, thou that sittest upon the cherubims.
Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses : stir up thy strength, and come, and help us.
Turn us again, O God : shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
O Lord God of hosts : how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth?
Thou feedest them with the bread of tears : and givest them plenteousness of tears to drink.
Thou hast made us a very strife unto our neighbours : and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Turn us again, thou God of hosts : shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.
Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt : thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
Thou madest room for it : and when it had taken root it filled the land.
The hills were covered with the shadow of it : and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedar-trees.
She stretched out her branches unto the sea : and her boughs unto the river.
Why hast thou then broken down her hedge : that all they that go by pluck off her grapes?
The wild boar out of the wood doth root it up : and the wild beasts of the field devour it.
Turn thee again, thou God of hosts, look down from heaven : behold, and visit this vine;
and the place of the vineyard that thy right hand hath planted : and the branch that thou madest so strong for thyself.
It is burnt with fire, and cut down : and they shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand : and upon the son of man, whom thou madest so strong for thine own self.
And so will not we go back from thee : O let us live, and we shall call upon thy name.
Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts : shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

All stand

Chant: Joseph Barnby (1838–96)

All sit for the first Lesson, Micah 7: 8–15

Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy;
   when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
   the Lord will be a light to me.
I must bear the indignation of the Lord,
   because I have sinned against him,
until he takes my side
   and executes judgement for me.
He will bring me out to the light;
   I shall see his vindication.
Then my enemy will see,
   and shame will cover her who said to me,
   'Where is the Lord your God?'
My eyes will see her downfall;
   now she will be trodden down
   like the mire of the streets.

A day for the building of your walls!
   In that day the boundary shall be far extended.
In that day they will come to you
   from Assyria to Egypt,
and from Egypt to the River,
   from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.
But the earth will be desolate
   because of its inhabitants,
   for the fruit of their doings.

Shepherd your people with your staff,
   the flock that belongs to you,
which lives alone in a forest
   in the midst of a garden land;
let them feed in Bashan and Gilead
   as in the days of old.
As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt,
   show us marvellous things.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

Evening Service in D minor, Thomas Attwood Walmisley (1814–56)

All sit for the second Lesson, Romans 15: 30—16: 7, 25–end

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf, that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. The God of peace be with all of you. Amen.

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well.

Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus, and who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ. Greet Mary, who has worked very hard among you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever! Amen.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

Evening Service in D minor, Thomas Attwood Walmisley

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, of Advent, for peace, and for aid against all perils

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of thy holy word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

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

I waited for the Lord;
   he inclined unto me, he heard my complaint.
O blessed are they
   that hope and trust in the Lord, that hope and trust in him.

Words: Psalm 40: 1, 4a
Music: Felix Mendelssohn (1809–47) Lobgesang Op 52

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 to sing the Hymn

The Lord will come and not be slow,
   his footsteps cannot err;
before him righteousness shall go,
   his royal harbinger.

Truth from the earth, like to a flower,
   shall bud and blossom then;
and justice, from her heavenly bower,
   look down on mortal men.

Rise, God, judge thou the earth in might,
   this wicked earth redress;
for thou art he who shalt by right
   the nations all possess.

The nations all whom thou hast made
   shall come, and all shall frame
to bow them low before thee, Lord,
   and glorify thy name.

For great thou art, and wonders great
   by thy strong hand are done:
thou in thy everlasting seat
   remainest God alone.

Words: John Milton (1608–74), paraphrases on verses from Psalms 85, 82, 86
Tune: St Stephen 15 NEH, William Jones (1726–1800)

All remain standing as the choir and clergy depart

Music after the service

Vivace (Sonata II in C minor BWV 526), Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

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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