Welcome to Westminster Abbey. Daily prayer has been offered in this place for over a thousand years, and your participation in today's service is warmly welcomed. At choral Evensong most of the service is sung by the choir on our behalf. We participate through our presence and our listening, that the words and the music might become a prayer within us and lift us to contemplate God's beauty and glory.

The service always includes one or more psalms. These ancient prayers, taken from the Old Testament, reflect the full range of human emotions and experiences; from the depths of anger, resentment, and abandonment to the heights of ecstatic joy and praise. They were used by Jesus, and have always been at the heart of the Church's daily prayer.

The canticles Magnificat (Luke 1: 46–55) and Nunc dimittis (Luke 2: 29–32) reflect two responses to the Incarnation (God becoming fully human in Jesus Christ). Both speak of the fulfilment of God's promises, not just to 'Abraham and his seed', but also 'to be a light to lighten the Gentiles' (all nations). With their themes of fulfilment and completion, these texts have been given central place for many centuries in the Church's prayers for the evening and at the end of the day.

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.

Following the service a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between The Honeypot Children's Charity and the work of the Abbey. Honeypot works to enhance the lives of young carers aged 5–12 years by providing respite breaks and ongoing outreach support.

Order of Service

The choir sings the Introit

Terra tremuit et quievit dum resurgeret in judicio Deus. Alleluia!

The earth trembled and was still when God arose to judgement. Alleluia!

Words: after Psalm 76: 8–9
Music: William Byrd (c 1540–1623) in 'Gradualia' 1607

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 sit or 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

Music: Bernard Rose (1916–96)

All sit. The choir sings Psalms 3 and 11

Lord, how are they increased that trouble me : many are they that rise against me.
Many one there be that say of my soul : There is no help for him in his God.
But thou, O Lord, art my defender : thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head.
I did call upon the Lord with my voice : and he heard me out of his holy hill.
I laid me down and slept, and rose up again : for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid for ten thousands of the people : that have set themselves against me round about.
Up, Lord, and help me, O my God : for thou smitest all mine enemies upon the cheek-bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
Salvation belongeth unto the Lord : and thy blessing is upon thy people.

All stand

Chant: Robert Cooke (1768–1814) Organist of Westminster Abbey 1803–14

The congregation sits; Members of College remain standing. The Precentor leads the Chaplain designate to stand before the Dean, and says

Mr Dean, I present to you Helena Jane Bickley-Percival, to be installed as Chaplain of this Collegiate Church.

The Dean says

Helena, as Chaplain you will share responsibility for ordering public worship in the Abbey, in St Margaret's Church, and in the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft. You will help to maintain excellence in our common worship; you will be diligent in study and in preaching the word of God; you will minister to the Abbey community, offering pastoral care, so that the love of God may be made visible; and you will share with your colleagues in ministering to the needs of those who come here. These are solemn responsibilities. Will you undertake them with diligence and enthusiasm?

I will, by the help of God.

The Dean installs The Reverend Helena Bickley-Percival as Chaplain, saying

I, David Michael Hoyle, Dean of this Collegiate Church of Saint Peter in Westminster, do install you, Helena Jane Bickley-Percival, as Chaplain of this Collegiate Church, to discharge the duties, and to receive the stipend attached to the said office. Amen.

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

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you;
that in all your work begun, continued, and ended in him, you may give him praise and proclaim his glory. Amen.

Let us pray.

All stand for the Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: hear the prayer which we offer for Helena, and for all thy faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry each may serve thee in holiness and truth, to the glory of thy name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

O everlasting God, with whom a thousand years are but as one day, and in whose name are treasured here the memorials of many generations: grant to those who labour in this place such measures of thy grace and wisdom, that they may neglect no part of their manifold inheritance, but so guard and use it to thy glory and the enlargement of thy Church, that the consecration of all human powers may set forward thy purpose of gathering up into one all things in Christ; through whom to thee be glory now and evermore. Amen.

All sit for the first Lesson, Isaiah 43: 1–7

Thus says the Lord,
   he who created you, O Jacob,
   he who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
   I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
   and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
   and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
   the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
   Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.
Because you are precious in my sight,
   and honoured, and I love you,
I give people in return for you,
   nations in exchange for your life.
Do not fear, for I am with you;
   I will bring your offspring from the east,
   and from the west I will gather you;
I will say to the north, 'Give them up',
   and to the south, 'Do not withhold;
bring my sons from far away
   and my daughters from the end of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
   whom I created for my glory,
   whom I formed and made.'

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

Evening Canticles in E flat No 2, Charles Wood (1866–1926)

All sit for the second Lesson, John 15: 1–8

Jesus said, 'I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.'

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

Evening Canticles in E flat No 2, Charles Wood

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

O God of hosts, who didst so kindle the flame of love in the heart of thy servant George that he bore witness to the risen Lord by his life and by his death; grant us the same faith and power of love that we, who rejoice in his triumphs, may come to share with him the fullness of the resurrection; through Jesus Christ thy Son 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.

Music: Bernard Rose

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

Rise heart; thy Lord is risen. Sing his praise
   Without delays,
Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise
   With him may'st rise:
That, as his death calcined thee to dust,
His life may make thee gold, and much more, just.

Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part
   With all thy art.
The cross taught all wood to resound his name
   Who bore the same.
His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key
Is best to celebrate this most high day.

Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song
   Pleasant and long:
Or since all music is but three parts vied,
   And multiplied;
O let thy blessed Spirit bear a part,
And make up our defects with his sweet art.

Words: from 'Easter' George Herbert (1593–1633) in 'The Temple'
Music: Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) from 'Five Mystical Songs'

All kneel or remain seated for the Intercessions

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, Queen Camilla, 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

Rejoice, O land, in God thy might,
his will obey, him serve aright;
for thee the saints uplift their voice:
fear not, O land, in God rejoice.

Glad shalt thou be, with blessing crowned,
with joy and peace thou shalt abound;
yea, love with thee shall make his home
until thou see God's kingdom come.

He shall forgive thy sins untold:
remember thou his love of old;
walk in his way, his word adore,
and keep his truth for evermore.

Words: Robert Bridges (1844–1930)
Tune: 'Wareham' 493 NEH, William Knapp (1698–1768)

All stand 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 daughter aged 10 or 11 who would like to sing with the St Margaret's Choristers, please contact the Director of Music at St Margaret's, Greg Morris (email). Further details can be found here.

If you have a son who enjoys singing and you would like further details of the world-renowned Abbey Choir and its unique choir school, please click here.

Dr Emma Margrett, Head, Westminster Abbey Choir School, Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3NY, 020 7222 6151 email

Mr Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers, The Chapter Office, 20 Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3PA, 020 7654 4854 email

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