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.

During the Abbey Choir's vacation we welcome visiting choirs from the United Kingdom and beyond to lead the music at our services. The service is sung by the St Margaret's Choristers and Consort.

Setting: Communion Service in C, John Ireland (1879–1962)

During the offertory hymn, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between Church Mission Society and the work of the Abbey. Church Mission Society is specifically called to mission at the margins and cultural fringes which are often overlooked or written off, where Jesus is not often followed.

This service will be live-streamed.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter, and to sing the Hymn

How shall I sing that majesty
   which angels do admire?
Let dust in dust and silence lie;
   sing, sing ye heavenly choir.
Thousands of thousands stand around
   thy throne, O God most high;
ten thousand times ten thousand sound
   thy praise; but who am I?

Thy brightness unto them appears,
   whilst I thy footsteps trace;
a sound of God comes to my ears,
   but they behold thy face.
They sing because thou art their Sun;
   Lord, send a beam on me;
for where heaven is but once begun
   there alleluias be.

Enlighten with faith's light my heart,
   inflame it with love's fire;
then shall I sing and bear a part
   with that celestial choir.
I shall, I fear, be dark and cold,
   with all my fire and light;
yet when thou dost accept their gold,
   Lord, treasure up my mite.

How great a being, Lord, is thine,
   which doth all beings keep!
Thy knowledge is the only line
   to sound so vast a deep.
Thou art a sea without a shore,
   a sun without a sphere;
thy time is now and evermore,
   thy place is everywhere.

Words: from 'A General Song of Praise to Almighty God' John Mason (c 1645–94)
Tune: 'Coe Fen' 466 CP, Ken Naylor (1931–91)

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

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

Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you
and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We are truly sorry
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name.
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.

The choir sings Gloria in excelsis Deo

Glory be to God on high,

All sit

and in earth peace, good will towards men.

We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.

For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

All stand for the Collect

Let us pray.

All sit for the Reading, Exodus 32: 7–14

The Lord said to Moses, 'Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!"' The Lord said to Moses, 'I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.'

But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, 'O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, "It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth"? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, "I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever."' And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.

All stand for the Procession of the Gospel. The choir sings

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

and all repeat

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord. I know them, and they follow me.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The reader announces the Gospel, Luke 15: 1–10

All the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, 'This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.'

So he told them this parable: 'Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost." Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

'Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost." Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.'

The Sermon by The Reverend Dr James Hawkey, Canon Theologian and Almoner

All stand to say the Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is,
seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

All remain standing for the Prayers of Intercession. At the end of each petition there is said

The intercession ends

Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

The president introduces the Peace

May the God of peace make you perfect and holy, that you may be kept safe and blameless in spirit, soul, and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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

All remain standing to sing the Hymn during the Preparation of the Altar. A collection will be taken. Alternatively, cash and contactless donations may be given as you leave

The King of love my Shepherd is,
   whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his
   and he is mine for ever.

Where streams of living water flow
   my ransomed soul he leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow
   with food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
   but yet in love he sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid,
   and home, rejoicing, brought me.

In death's dark vale I fear no ill
   with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
   thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spread'st a table in my sight;
   thy unction, grace bestoweth:
and O what transport of delight
   from thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days
   thy goodness faileth never;
good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
   within thy house for ever.

Words: Psalm 23, versified by Henry Williams Baker (1821–77)
Tune: 'St Columba' 457i NEH, in 'The Petrie Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland'

All remain standing for the Eucharistic Prayer. The president says

Father, we give you thanks and praise through your beloved Son Jesus Christ, your living Word, through whom you have created all things; who was sent by you in your great goodness to be our Saviour. By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh; as your Son, born of the blessed Virgin, he lived on earth and went about among us; he opened wide his arms for us on the cross; he put an end to death by dying for us; and revealed the resurrection by rising to new life; so he fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and saying:

The choir sings Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory: glory be to thee, O Lord most high. Amen.

Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

The president continues the Eucharistic Prayer

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.

The president concludes the Eucharistic Prayer

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.

All remain standing. The president introduces the Lord's Prayer

As we join our prayers with those of the Church Universal, 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.

All remain standing for the Breaking of the Bread

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 the wafer 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.

During the giving of communion, the choir sings Agnus Dei and the Motet

Even such is time, which takes in trust
Our youth, our joys, and all we have,
And pays us but with age and dust;
Who, in the dark and silent grave,
When we have wandered all our ways,
Shuts up the story of our days,
And from which earth and grave and dust,
The Lord shall raise me up, I trust.

Words: Walter Raleigh (c 1552–1618)
Music: Bob Chilcott (b 1955)

All stand to sing the Hymn

Come, let us join our cheerful songs
   with angels round the throne;
ten thousand thousand are their tongues,
   but all their joys are one.

'Worthy the Lamb that died,' they cry,
   'to be exalted thus;'
'Worthy the Lamb,' our lips reply,
   'for he was slain for us.'

Jesus is worthy to receive
   honour and power divine;
and blessings more than we can give
   be, Lord, for ever thine.

Let all creation join in one
   to bless the sacred name
of him that sits upon the throne,
   and to adore the Lamb.

Words: Isaac Watts (1674–1748) after Revelation 5: 11–13
Tune: 'Nativity' 349 NEH, Henry Lahee (1826–1912)

Let us pray.

All remain standing. The president says the Prayer after Communion

God our creator, you feed your children with the true manna, the living bread from heaven: let this holy food sustain us through our earthly pilgrimage until we come to that place where hunger and thirst are no more; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The president pronounces the Blessing

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Music after the service

Recessional, William Mathias (1934–92)

Choristerships at Westminster Abbey

St Margaret's Choristers

If you have a daughter aged 10 or 11 who would like to sing with the St Margaret's Choristers, please contact Mr Greg Morris, Director of Music, St Margaret's Church, [email protected]. Find out more about Music at St Margaret's Church.

The Choir of Westminster Abbey

If you have a son who enjoys singing, you can find out more information about our world-renowned Abbey Choir and its unique Choir School. Alternatively, please contact Dr Emma Margrett, Headteacher, Westminster Abbey Choir School, and Mr Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers, by emailing [email protected].

If you attend worship at the Abbey regularly, you may like to add this page to your home screen for easy access to our orders of service.

Hymns 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.