Please join in saying the words and singing the hymns printed in bold type.

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The service is sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey.

Setting: Mass for Double Choir, Frank Martin (1890-1974)

Order of Service

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

   Now thank we all our God,
with heart and hands and voices,
   who wondrous things hath done,
in whom his world rejoices;
   who from our mother's arms
      hath blessed us on our way
   with countless gifts of love,
      and still is ours to-day.

   O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
   with ever joyful hearts
and blessèd peace to cheer us;
   and keep us in his grace,
      and guide us when perplexed,
   and free us from all ills
      in this world and the next.

   All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
   the Son, and him who reigns
with them in highest heaven,
   the One eternal God,
      whom earth and heaven adore;
   for thus it was, is now,
      and shall be evermore. Amen.

Words: Nun danket alle Gott Martin Rinkart (1586–1649), translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827–78)
Tune: Nun danket 413 NEH, in Johann Crüger's Praxis pietatis melica 1647

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

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

All remain standing. The president introduces the Prayers of Penitence

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins, to be our advocate in heaven, and to bring us to eternal life. Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith, firmly resolved to keep God's commandments and to live in love and peace with all.

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.

All sit after the opening phrase, Gloria in excelsis Deo, sung by the choir

Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.

Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te, gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens.

Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe; Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram; qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.

Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

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.

All stand for the Collect

Let us pray.

Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you: pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself, and so bring us at last to your heavenly city where we shall see you face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

All sit for the Reading from the Old Testament, Numbers 11: 4–6, 10–16, 24–29

The rabble among the people had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, 'If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.'

Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the Lord became very angry, and Moses was displeased. So Moses said to the Lord, 'Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favour in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, "Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child", to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors? Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, "Give us meat to eat!" I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favour in your sight—and do not let me see my misery.'

So the Lord said to Moses, 'Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you.

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.

Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, 'Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.' And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, 'My lord Moses, stop them!' But Moses said to him, 'Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit on them!'

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

The choir sings Psalm 19: 7–end

Antiphon The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, dripping from the honeycomb.
By them also is your servant taught and in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can tell how often they offend? O cleanse me from my secret faults!
Keep your servant also from presumptuous sins lest they get dominion over me; so shall I be undefiled, and innocent of great offence.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

The Epistle, James 5: 13–end

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

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

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

and all repeat

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The reader announces the Gospel, Mark 9: 38–end

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

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

John said to Jesus, 'Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.' But Jesus said, 'Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

'If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell., And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

'For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.'

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

The Sermon by The Reverend David Stanton, Sub-Dean and Canon Treasurer

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

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.

The intercession ends

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

The president introduces the Peace

God is love and those who live in love live in God and God lives in them.

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. Please be sensitive to those who might not wish to shake hands

All remain standing to sing the Hymn

Love Divine, all loves excelling,
   joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
   all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesu, thou art all compassion,
   pure unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
   enter every trembling heart.

Come, almighty to deliver,
   let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
   never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
   serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,
   glory in thy perfect love.

Finish then thy new creation,
   pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation,
   perfectly restored in thee,
changed from glory into glory
   till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
   lost in wonder, love, and praise!

Words: Charles Wesley (1707–88)
Tune: Blaenwern 408i NEH, William Rowlands (1860–1937)

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.

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

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth, pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.

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.

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

Let us pray, with confidence, in the words our Saviour 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

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.

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Blessed are those who are called to his supper.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

The clergy and congregation receive Holy Communion in one kind (bread only). Gluten-free wafers are available. The wearing of face-coverings is recommended and hand-sanitiser is provided for those who wish to use it. The minister says to each communicant

The body of Christ. Amen.

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

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

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.

Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum, ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.

As the deer longs for the water brooks, so longs my soul for you, O God.

Words: Psalm 42: 1
Music: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c 1525–94)

All stand to sing the Hymn

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 Baker (1821–77)
Tune: St Columba 457i NEH, in The Petrie Collection of the Ancient Music of Ireland

All remain standing. The president says the Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you
and also with you.

The president pronounces the Blessing

The peace of God, which 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.

Go in the peace of Christ.
Thanks be to God.

Music after the service

Prelude in E flat BWV 552i, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

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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.