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 St Margaret's Church during services. Please ensure that mobile telephones and other electronic devices are silent.

The service is sung by the Lay Vicars.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

The choir sings the Introit

O Lord, I lift my heart to thee,
My soul in thee doth ever trust;
O let me not confounded be,
But make me righteous with the just.

Words: William Leighton (c 1560–c 1617) The Teares or Lamentacions of a Sorrowfull Soule
Music: Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625) Organist of Westminster Abbey 1623–25

The officiant says a Sentence of Scripture

The officiant and choir sing the Responses

Thomas Tallis (c 1505–85)

All sit. The choir sings Venite exultemus Domino

All remain seated. The choir sings Psalms 123 and 125

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes : O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress : even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us : for we are utterly despised.
Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy : and with the despitefulness of the proud.

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.

All stand

Chant: James O'Donnell (b 1961)

All sit for the first Lesson, Ephesians 4: 17–end

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But ye have not so learned Christ;
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Neither give place to the devil.
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Te Deum laudamus

Short Service, Wiliam Byrd (c 1540–1623)

All sit for the second Lesson, Matthew 9: 1–8

Jesus entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.
And he arose, and departed to his house.
But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand 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. The officiant and choir sing 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 sings the Collects; of the day, for Peace, for Grace:

O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee; mercifully grant, that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thomas Tallis

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, Camilla the Queen Consort, 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

New every morning is the love
   our wakening and uprising prove;
through sleep and darkness safely brought,
   restored to life and power and thought.

New mercies, each returning day,
   hover around us while we pray;
new perils past, new sins forgiven,
   new thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.

If on our daily course our mind
   be set to hallow all we find,
new treasures still, of countless price,
   God will provide for sacrifice.

The trivial round, the common task,
   would furnish all we ought to ask,
room to deny ourselves, a road
   to bring us daily nearer God.

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
   fit us for perfect rest above;
and help us, this and every day,
   to live more nearly as we pray.

Words: John Keble (1792–1866)
Tune: Melcombe Samuel Webbe (1740–1816)

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

All stand to sing the Hymn, during which a collection will be taken. The money from today's services will be divided equally between the work of the Abbey and the charities it supports. Alternatively, cash and contactless donations may be given as you leave

Through all the changing scenes of life,
   in trouble and in joy,
the praises of my God shall still
   my heart and tongue employ.

O magnify the Lord with me,
   with me exalt his name;
when in distress to him I called,
   he to my rescue came.

The hosts of God encamp around
   the dwellings of the just;
deliverance he affords to all
   who on his succour trust.

O make but trial of his love,
   experience will decide
how blest are they, and only they,
   who in his truth confide.

Fear him, ye saints, and you will then
   have nothing else to fear;
make you his service your delight,
   your wants shall be his care.

To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
   the God whom we adore,
be glory, as it was, is now,
   and shall be evermore.
      Amen.

Words: Psalm 34 in Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady's New Version of the Psalms of David 1696
Tune: Wiltshire George Thomas Smart (1776–1867)

All remain standing for the Blessing

Music after the service

Voluntary in D, Thomas Tomkins (1572–1656)

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