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 led by The Reverend Helena Bickley-Percival, Chaplain

During the final hymn, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between The Prince's Trust and the work of the Abbey. The Prince's Trust helps young people from disadvantaged communities and those facing the greatest adversity by supporting them to build the confidence and skills to live, learn, and earn.

Order of Service

All stand as the clergy enter

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The president greets the congregation, to which all respond

and also with you.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

All remain standing. The president introduces the Prayers of Penitence, after which all say

Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word, and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.

The president gives the Absolution

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gloria in excelsis Deo is said

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

Let us pray.

All remain standing. The president says the Collect

All sit for the Reading, Acts 10: 44–end

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, 'Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?' So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

All stand for the Gospel, John 15: 9–17

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, O Lord.

Jesus said, 'As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

'This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.'

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

The Homily

All kneel or remain seated for the Prayers of Intercession, during which the following response is used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

All stand. The president introduces the Peace

The risen Christ came and stood among his disciples and said, 'Peace be with you.' Then were they glad when they saw the Lord. Alleluia!

The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.

All may greet one another with the words Peace be with you.

All sing the Offertory Hymn

Come down, O Love divine,
seek thou this soul of mine,
   and visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear,
   and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn,
till earthly passions turn
   to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
and let thy glorious light
shine ever on my sight,
   and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity
mine outward vesture be,
   and lowliness become mine inner clothing;
true lowliness of heart,
which takes the humbler part,
   and o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong,
with which the soul will long,
   shall far outpass the power of human telling;
for none can guess its grace,
till he become the place
   wherein the Holy Spirit makes his dwelling.

Words: 'Discendi amor santo' Bianco da Siena (c 1350–1434) translated by Richard Littledale (1833–90)
Tune: 'Down Ampney' 137 NEH, Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)

All remain standing for the Eucharistic Prayer. The president says

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give you thanks, almighty and eternal Father, and in these days of Easter to celebrate with joyful hearts the memory of your wonderful works. For by the mystery of his passion Jesus Christ, your risen Son, has conquered the powers of death and hell and restored in men and women the image of your glory. He has placed them once more in paradise and opened to them the gate of life eternal. And so, in the joy of this Passover, earth and heaven resound with gladness, while angels and archangels and the powers of all creation sing for ever the hymn of your glory:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;

who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died:
Christ is risen:
Christ will come again.

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption. As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of [N and] all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

The president introduces the Lord's Prayer

In union with the risen Christ, so we say, each in our own language, the prayer that Jesus Christ has taught us,

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.

The president breaks the consecrated bread

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many, we are one body,
because we all share in one bread.

Agnus Dei may be said

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us.

Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace.

The president says the Invitation to Communion

Alleluia! Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!

The congregation is invited to sit as the president and other ministers begin the distribution of Holy Communion. Those wishing to receive come forward as directed by the Stewards. If you receive communion in your own church you are welcome to do so here. Gluten-free wafers are available. Please refrain from dipping bread in the chalice. Those who do not wish to receive communion are invited to come for a blessing; please bow your head as you approach. The minister says to each communicant

The body of Christ. Amen.

The blood of Christ. Amen.

When it is announced, all stand to sing the Hymn

Lord, enthroned in heav'nly splendour,
   first-begotten from the dead,
thou alone, our strong defender,
   liftest up thy people's head.
Alleluia!
   Jesu, true and living Bread.

Here our humblest homage pay we;
   here in loving rev'rence bow;
here for Faith's discernment pray we,
   lest we fail to know thee now.
Alleluia!
   Thou art here, we ask not how.

Though the lowliest form doth veil thee
   as of old in Bethlehem,
here as there thine angels hail thee,
   Branch and Flow'r of Jesse's stem.
Alleluia!
   We in worship join with them.

Paschal Lamb, thine Off'ring, finished
   once for all when thou wast slain,
in its fullness undiminished
   shall for evermore remain,
Alleluia!
   Cleansing souls from every stain.

Life-imparting heav'nly Manna,
   stricken Rock with streaming side,
heav'n and earth with loud hosanna
   worship thee, the Lamb who died,
Alleluia!
   Ris'n, ascended, glorified!

Words: George Hugh Bourne (1840–1925)
Tune: 'St Helen' 296i NEH, probably by George Martin (1844–1916)

The president says the Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

All remain standing

God our Father, whose Son Jesus Christ gives the water of eternal life: may we thirst for you, the spring of life and source of goodness, through him who is alive and reigns, now and for ever. Amen.

The following prayer may be said

Almighty God,
we thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through him we offer you our souls and bodies
to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out
in the power of your Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory.
Amen.

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

The president pronounces the Blessing

The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

The Dismissal

Go in the peace of Christ. Alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia!