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 King's Trust and the work of the Abbey. The King'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.

The Chorister Experience

This afternoon we are delighted to welcome a number of boys who join the Abbey Choir at Evensong today as part of our Chorister Experience. This is a regular event, offering a taste of choristership to boys who are curious about what it is like to sing in a church choir and would like to try it for a day. In addition to participating in Evensong, the boys have spent the afternoon in various activities including singing with the Choristers, trying on choir robes, and exploring the Abbey. For further information please visit the Abbey Choir School or contact [email protected]. We warmly welcome enquiries at any time.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

The choir sings the Introit

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life:
Such a Way, as gives us breath;
Such a Truth, as ends all strife;
Such a Life, as killeth death.

Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength:
Such a Light, as shows a feast;
Such a Feast, as mends in length;
Such a Strength, as makes his guest.

Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart:
Such a Joy, as none can move;
Such a Love, as none can part;
Such a Heart, as joys in love.

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

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: Philip Radcliffe (1905–86)

All sit. The choir sings Psalms 53 and 54

The foolish body hath said in his heart : There is no God.
Corrupt are they, and become abominable in their wickedness : there is none that doeth good.
God looked down from heaven upon the children of men : to see if there were any, that would understand, and seek after God.
But they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become abominable : there is also none that doeth good, no not one.
Are not they without understanding that work wickedness : eating up my people as if they would eat bread? They have not called upon God.
They were afraid where no fear was : for God hath broken the bones of him that besieged thee; thou hast put them to confusion, because God hath despised them.
O that the salvation were given unto Israel out of Sion : O that the Lord would deliver his people out of captivity!
Then should Jacob rejoice : and Israel should be right glad.

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.

Chant: John Goss (1800–80)

Save me, O God, for thy name's sake : and avenge me in thy strength.
Hear my prayer, O God : and hearken unto the words of my mouth.
For strangers are risen up against me : and tyrants, which have not God before their eyes, seek after my soul.
Behold, God is my helper : the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
He shall reward evil unto mine enemies : destroy thou them in thy truth.
An offering of a free heart will I give thee, and praise thy name, O Lord : because it is so comfortable.
For he hath delivered me out of all my trouble : and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

All stand for

Chant: Joseph Barnby (1838–96)

All sit for the first Lesson, Isaiah 61: 10—62: 5

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
   my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
   he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
   and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
   and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
   to spring up before all the nations.

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
   and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
   and her salvation like a burning torch.
The nations shall see your vindication,
   and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
   that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
   and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
   and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
   and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
   and your land shall be married.
For as a young man marries a young woman,
   so shall your builder marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
   so shall your God rejoice over you.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

The Second Service, Kenneth Leighton (1929–88)

All sit for the second Lesson, Luke 24: 1–12

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.' Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

The Second Service, Kenneth Leighton

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.

The officiant and choir sing the Lesser Litany; the Lord's Prayer and the Responses

Let us pray.

All kneel or sit

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, who shewest to them that be in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness; grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's religion, that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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: Philip Radcliffe

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.

Love one another with a pure heart fervently, see that ye love one another: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God. For
'all flesh is as grass,
   and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.
The grass withereth,
   and the flower thereof falleth away:
but the word of the Lord endureth for evermore.'
   Amen.

Words: 1 Peter 1: 3–5, 15, 17b, 22b–25a
Music: Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–76)

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

Alleluia! Alleluia!
   Hearts to heaven and voices raise;
sing to God a hymn of gladness,
   sing to God a hymn of praise;
he who on the cross a victim
   for the world's salvation bled,
Jesus Christ, the King of glory,
   now is risen from the dead.

Christ is risen, Christ the first-fruits
   of the holy harvest field,
which will all its full abundance
   at his second coming yield;
then the golden ears of harvest
   will their heads before him wave,
ripened by his glorious sunshine
   from the furrows of the grave.

Christ is risen, we are risen;
   shed upon us heavenly grace,
rain, and dew, and gleams of glory
   from the brightness of thy face;
that we, Lord, with hearts in heaven
   here on earth may fruitful be,
and by angel-hands be gathered,
   and be ever safe with thee.

Alleluia! Alleluia!
   Glory be to God on high;
to the Father, and the Saviour,
   who has gained the victory;
glory to the Holy Spirit,
   fount of love and sanctity;
Alleluia! Alleluia!
   to the Triune Majesty.
      Amen.

Words: Christopher Wordsworth (1807–85) Canon of Westminster 1844–69
Tune: 'Lux eoi' 103 NEH, Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900)

All remain standing as the choir and clergy depart

Music after the service

Prelude in C BWV 547i, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

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

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Hymn covered by Christian Copyright Licensing (International) Ltd are reproduced under CCL no 1040271 and MRL no 1040288. Common Worship (Church House Publishing, 2000), material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council. Scripture Readings are from the New Revised Standard Version.