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.

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 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.

Following the service, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between USPG and the work of the Abbey. USPG is the Anglican mission agency that partners with churches and communities worldwide in God's mission to enliven faith, strengthen relationships, unlock potential, and champion justice.

This service will be live-streamed.

Order of Service

All stand as the clergy enter

The officiant says a sentence of Scripture

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 stand to say the Responses

All sit to say Psalm 71

In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion :
but rid me, and deliver me, in thy righteousness; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Be thou my strong hold, whereunto I may alway resort :
thou hast promised to help me, for thou art my house of defence, and my castle.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the ungodly :
out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
For thou, O Lord God, art the thing that I long for :
thou art my hope, even from my youth.
Through thee have I been holden up ever since I was born :
thou art he that took me out of my mother's womb; my praise shall be always of thee.
I am become as it were a monster unto many :
but my sure trust is in thee.
O let my mouth be filled with thy praise :
that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long.
Cast me not away in the time of age :
forsake me not when my strength faileth me.
For mine enemies speak against me, and they that lay wait for my soul take their counsel together, saying :
God hath forsaken him; persecute him, and take him, for there is none to deliver him.
Go not far from me, O God :
my God, haste thee to help me.
Let them be confounded and perish that are against my soul :
let them be covered with shame and dishonour that seek to do me evil.
As for me, I will patiently abide alway :
and will praise thee more and more.
My mouth shall daily speak of thy righteousness and salvation :
for I know no end thereof.
I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God :
and will make mention of thy righteousness only.
Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth up until now :
therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works.
Forsake me not, O God, in mine old age, when I am gray-headed :
until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to all them that are yet for to come.
Thy righteousness, O God, is very high :
and great things are they that thou hast done; O God, who is like unto thee?
O what great troubles and adversities hast thou shewed me! And yet didst thou turn and refresh me :
yea, and broughtest me from the deep of the earth again.
Thou hast brought me to great honour :
and comforted me on every side.
Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulness, O God, playing upon an instrument of musick :
unto thee will I sing upon the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
My lips will be fain when I sing unto thee :
and so will my soul whom thou hast delivered.
My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long :
for they are confounded and brought unto shame that seek to do me evil.

All remain seated for the first Lesson, Proverbs 12: 13–end

The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,
   but the righteous escape from trouble.
From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,
   and manual labour has its reward.
Fools think their own way is right,
   but the wise listen to advice.
Fools show their anger at once,
   but the prudent ignore an insult.
Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,
   but a false witness speaks deceitfully.
Rash words are like sword thrusts,
   but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Truthful lips endure for ever,
   but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.
Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil,
   but those who counsel peace have joy.
No harm happens to the righteous,
   but the wicked are filled with trouble.
Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
   but those who act faithfully are his delight.
One who is clever conceals knowledge,
   but the mind of a fool broadcasts folly.
The hand of the diligent will rule,
   while the lazy will be put to forced labour.
Anxiety weighs down the human heart,
   but a good word cheers it up.
The righteous gives good advice to friends,
   but the way of the wicked leads astray.
The lazy do not roast their game,
   but the diligent obtain precious wealth.
In the path of righteousness there is life,
   in walking its path there is no death.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand to say Magnificat

All sit for the second Lesson, John 1: 43–51

Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, 'Follow me.' Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.' Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.' When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, 'Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!' Nathanael asked him, 'Where did you come to know me?' Jesus answered, 'I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.' Nathanael replied, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!' Jesus answered, 'Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.' And he said to him, 'Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.'

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand to say Nunc dimittis

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 for 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 says the Collects; of the day, for peace, and for aid against all perils

O God, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; we humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us; through Jesus Christ 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.

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 remain kneeling or seated for the Intercessions, at the end of which 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 as the clergy depart

Music after the service

Méditation (from Trois Improvisations), Louis Vierne (1870–1937) reconstructed by Maurice Duruflé (1902–86)

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

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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.