Please join in saying the words and singing the hymns 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 St Margaret's Church 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

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

The choir sings the Introit

Magi veniunt ab oriente Jerosolimam quaerentes et dicentes, 'Ubi est qui natus est Rex Judaorum cuius stellam vidimus? Et venimus cum muneribus adorare Dominum.'

The wise men came from the east to Jerusalem inquiring and saying, 'Where is he that is born King of the Jews, whose star we have seen? We have come with gifts to offer the Lord.'

Words: Responsory for an office in Epiphanytide
Music: Jacob Clemens non Papa (c 1510–c 56)

The officiant says a Sentence of Scripture

The officiant and choir sing the Responses

William Smith (1603–45)

All sit. The choir sings Venite exultemus Domino

All remain seated. The choir sings Psalm 107: 1–8

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious : and his mercy endureth for ever.
Let them give thanks whom the Lord hath redeemed : and delivered from the hand of the enemy;
and gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west : from the north, and from the south.
They went astray in the wilderness out of the way : and found no city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty : their soul fainted in them.
So they cried unto the Lord in their trouble : and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them forth by the right way : that they might go to the city where they dwelt.
O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness : and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men.

All stand

Chant: Edward Bairstow (1874–1946)

All sit for the first Lesson, Romans 12: 16b–end

Do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' No, 'if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
   for he hath visited, and redeemed his people;
and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us
   in the house of his servant David;
as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began,
   that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us;
to perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
   and to remember his holy covenant;
to perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham,
   that he would give us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
   before him all the days of our life.
And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest;
   for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation unto his people
   for the remission of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God :
   whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us,
to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death,
   and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

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.

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

All sit for the second Lesson, Matthew 8: 1–13

When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, 'Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.' He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, 'I do choose. Be made clean!' Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.'

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, appealing to him and saying, 'Lord, my servant is lying at home paralysed, in terrible distress.' And he said to him, 'I will come and cure him.' The centurion answered, 'Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, "Go", and he goes, and to another, "Come", and he comes, and to my slave, "Do this", and the slave does it.' When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, 'Truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' And to the centurion Jesus said, 'Go; let it be done for you according to your faith.' And the servant was healed in that hour.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand 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 and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ 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.

William Smith

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, during which the choir departs

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
   Bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
with gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
   kneel and adore him, the Lord is his name!

Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness,
   high on his heart he will bear it for thee,
comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,
   guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.

Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderness
   of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine:
truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,
   these are the offerings to lay on his shrine.

These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,
   he will accept for the name that is dear;
mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,
   trust for our trembling and hope for our fear.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
   Bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
with gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
   kneel and adore him, the Lord is his name!

Words: John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1811–75)
Tune: Was lebet 52 NEH, from the manuscript of Johann Heinrich Rheinhardt, Uttingen 1754

The Homily, by The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle MBE, Dean of Westminster

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 donations may be given as you leave

Hail, thou Source of every blessing,
   sovereign Father of mankind!
gentiles now, thy grace possessing,
   in thy courts admission find.

Once far off, but now invited,
   we approach thy sacred throne;
in thy covenant united,
   reconciled, redeemed, made one.

Now revealed to eastern sages,
   see the Star of mercy shine,
mystery hid in former ages,
   mystery great of love divine.

Hail, thou universal Saviour!
   gentiles now their offerings bring,
in thy temple seek thy favour,
   Jesu Christ, our Lord and King.

Words: Basil Woodd (1760–1831)
Tune: Redhead No 46 51 NEH, Richard Redhead (1820–1901)

All remain standing for the Blessing

Music after the service

Prelude and Fugue in E minor BWV 555, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

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