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 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 the Abbey during services. Please ensure that mobile telephones and other electronic devices are silent.

The service is sung by the Westminster Abbey Special Service Choir.

During the final hymn, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between Christian Aid and the work of the Abbey. Christian Aid exists to create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty.

Order of Service

The choir sings the Introit

Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake, lay not our sins to our charge, but forgive that is past; and give us grace to amend our sinful lives, to decline from sin, and incline to virtue, that we may walk in a perfect heart, before thee now and evermore. Amen.

Words: from Henry Bull's 'Christian Prayers and Holy Meditations' 1566
Music: attributed to Richard Farrant (c 1525–80)

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

The officiant welcomes the congregation

All remain standing as the officiant introduces a general Confession

Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the face of almighty God our heavenly Father; but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart; to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy. And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before God; yet ought we most chiefly so to do, when we assemble and meet together to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy Word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul. Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice, unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying after me;

All kneel or sit

Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.
We have offended against thy holy laws.
We have left undone those things which we ought to have done;
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done;
and there is no health in us.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.
Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults.
Restore thou them that are penitent;
according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord.
And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
to the glory of thy holy name.
Amen.

The officiant gives the Absolution

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness, and live; and hath given power and commandment to his ministers, to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins: he pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel. Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance, and his Holy Spirit, that those things may please him, which we do at this present; and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure, and holy; so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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: Humphrey Clucas (b 1941)

All sit. The choir sings Psalm 149

O sing unto the Lord a new song : let the congregation of saints praise him.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him : and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise his name in the dance : let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.
For the Lord hath pleasure in his people : and helpeth the meek-hearted.
Let the saints be joyful with glory : let them rejoice in their beds.
Let the praises of God be in their mouth : and a two-edged sword in their hands;
to be avenged of the heathen : and to rebuke the people;
to bind their kings in chains : and their nobles with links of iron.
That they may be avenged of them, as it is written : Such honour have all his saints.

All stand

Chant: Percy Whitlock (1903–46)

All sit for the first Lesson, Jeremiah 11: 1–14

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed be anyone who does not heed the words of this covenant, which I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron-smelter, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. So shall you be my people, and I will be your God, that I may perform the oath that I swore to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then I answered, 'So be it, Lord.'

And the Lord said to me: Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: Hear the words of this covenant and do them. For I solemnly warned your ancestors when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, Obey my voice. Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of an evil will. So I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.

And the Lord said to me: Conspiracy exists among the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their ancestors of old, who refused to heed my words; they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant that I made with their ancestors. Therefore, thus says the Lord, assuredly I am going to bring disaster upon them that they cannot escape; though they cry out to me, I will not listen to them. Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they will never save them in the time of their trouble. For your gods have become as many as your towns, O Judah; and as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars to shame that you have set up, altars to make offerings to Baal.

As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their trouble.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

Evening Service in F, George Dyson (1883–1964)

All sit for the second Lesson, Romans 13: 1–10

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; for it is God's servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, busy with this very thing. Pay to all what is due to them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honour to whom honour is due.

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet'; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

Evening Service in F, George Dyson

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. 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, and for aid against all perils

Grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; 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.

Music: Humphrey Clucas

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

'Lord, let me know mine end,
   and the number of my days;
   that I may be certified how long I have to live.
Thou hast made my days as it were a span long,
   and mine age is as nothing in respect of thee;
and verily every man living is altogether vanity.
   For man walketh in a vain shadow,
and disquieteth himself in vain;
   he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them.

'And now, Lord, what is my hope?
   Truly my hope is even in thee.
Deliver me from all mine offences,
   and make me not a rebuke to the foolish.
I became dumb, and opened not my mouth,
   for it was thy doing.
Take thy plague away from me;
   I am even consumed by means of thy heavy hand.

'When thou with rebukes
   dost chasten man for sin,
thou makest his beauty to consume away, like as it were a moth, fretting a garment;
   every man therefore is but vanity.

'Hear my prayer, O Lord,
    and with thine ears consider my calling;
   hold not thy peace at my tears.
For I am a stranger with thee,
   and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.
O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength,
   before I go hence, and be no more seen.'

Words: Psalm 39: 4–end
Music: Hubert Parry (1848–1918) from 'Songs of Farewell'

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

Rejoice, the Lord is King,
   your Lord and King adore;
mortals, give thanks and sing,
   and triumph evermore:
lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice.

Jesus, the Saviour, reigns,
   the God of truth and love;
when he had purged our stains,
   he took his seat above:
lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice.

His kingdom cannot fail;
   he rules o'er earth and heaven;
the keys of death and hell
   are to our Jesus given:
lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice.

He sits at God's right hand
   till all his foes submit,
and bow to his command,
   and fall beneath his feet:
lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
rejoice, again I say, rejoice.

Words: Charles Wesley (1707–88)
Tune: 'Gopsal' 443 NEH, George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)

The Sermon by The Reverend Dr James Hawkey, Canon in Residence

All stand to sing the Hymn during which a collection will be taken. Alternatively, cash and contactless donations may be given as you leave via the Great West Door

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)

The Blessing. All respond Amen.

All remain standing as the clergy depart

Music after the service

Chorale Fantasia on 'O God, our help in ages past', Hubert Parry

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

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