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 Matins 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.

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.

The service is sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey.

Following the service, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between MCC Foundation and the Cardinal Hume Centre.

Music before the service:

Pièce d'orgue BWV 572, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

Sursum Corda Op 11, Edward Elgar (1857–1934) arranged by Edwin Lemare (1865–1934)

Westminster (Meditation) from 'London Suite', Eric Coates (1886–1957)

Order of Service

The Lord Mayor of Westminster is received at the Great West Door. All stand

All remain standing as the processions of the Lord Mayor and Councillors of the City of Westminster move to places in the Lantern and in Quire

The choir sings the Introit

Locus iste a Deo factus est, inaestimabile sacramentum: irreprehensibilis est.

This place was made by God: a priceless and unblemished sign of his presence.

Words: Gradual, Mass for the dedication of a church
Music: Anton Bruckner (1824–96)

All sing the Hymn, during which the choir and clergy process to places in Quire and the Sacrarium

All my hope on God is founded;
   he doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
   only good and only true.
     God unknown,
      he alone
   calls my heart to be his own.

Pride of man and earthly glory,
   sword and crown betray his trust;
what with care and toil he buildeth,
   tower and temple, fall to dust.
      But God's power,
      hour by hour,
   is my temple and my tower.

God's great goodness aye endureth,
   deep his wisdom, passing thought:
splendour, light, and life attend him,
   beauty springeth out of naught.
      Evermore
      from his store
   new-born worlds rise and adore.

Daily doth th'Almighty giver
   bounteous gifts on us bestow;
his desire our soul delighteth,
   pleasure leads us where we go.
      Love doth stand
      at his hand;
   joy doth wait on his command.

Still from man to God eternal
   sacrifice of praise be done,
high above all praises praising
   for the gift of Christ his Son.
      Christ doth call
      one and all:
   ye who follow shall not fall.

Words: 'Meine Hoffnung stehet feste' Joachim Neander (1650–80) translated by Robert Bridges (1844–1930)
Tune: 'Michael' 333 NEH, Herbert Howells (1892–1983) 

All remain standing. The Dean gives the Welcome

The officiant says a Sentence of Scripture

The officiant and choir sing the Responses

Music: Thomas Morley (c 1557–1602)

All sit. The choir sings 'Venite exultemus Domino'

Chant: George Elvey (1816–96)

All remain seated. 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, Deuteronomy 24: 10–end

When you make your neighbour a loan of any kind, you shall not go into the house to take the pledge. You shall wait outside, while the person to whom you are making the loan brings the pledge out to you. If the person is poor, you shall not sleep in the garment given you as the pledge. You shall give the pledge back by sunset, so that your neighbour may sleep in the cloak and bless you; and it will be to your credit before the Lord your God.

You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy labourers, whether other Israelites or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt.

You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow's garment in pledge. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.

When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings. When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.

When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings 'Te Deum laudamus'

Collegium Regale, Herbert Howells

All sit for the second Lesson, Romans 12: 3–18

By the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings 'Jubilate Deo'

O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands.
   Serve the Lord with gladness;
   and come before his presence with a song.

Be ye sure that the Lord he is God.
   It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
   we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving,
   and into his courts with praise.
   Be thankful unto him, and speak good of his name.

For the Lord is gracious;
   his mercy is everlasting,
   and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

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.

Collegium Regale, Herbert Howells

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, for Grace:

O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man's understanding; pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; 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.

Music: Thomas Morley

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

I was glad when they said unto me,
   'We will go into the house of the Lord.'
Our feet shall stand
   in thy gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is builded as a city
   that is at unity in itself.

O pray for the peace of Jerusalem,
   'They shall prosper that love thee.
Peace be within thy walls
   and plenteousness within thy palaces.'

Words: Psalm 122: 1–3, 6–7
Music: Hubert Parry (1848–1918)

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

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
whose trust, ever child-like, no cares could destroy,
be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

Words: 'All-Day Hymn' Jan Struther (1901–53)
Tune: 'Slane' 239 NEH, in Patrick Joyce's 'Old Irish Folk Music and Songs' 1909

The Sermon, by Father Christopher Colven, Chaplain to the Lord Mayor of Westminster

All stand to sing the Hymn

O praise ye the Lord!
   praise him in the height;
rejoice in his word,
   ye angels of light;
ye heavens adore him
   by whom ye were made,
and worship before him,
   in brightness arrayed.

O praise ye the Lord!
   praise him upon earth,
in tuneful accord,
   ye sons of new birth;
praise him who has brought you
   his grace from above,
praise him who has taught you
   to sing of his love.

O praise ye the Lord!
   all things that give sound;
each jubilant chord,
   re-echo around;
loud organs, his glory
   forth tell in deep tone,
and, sweet harp, the story
   of what he has done.

O praise ye the Lord!
   thanksgiving and song
to him be outpoured
   all ages along:
for love in creation,
   for heaven restored,
for grace of salvation,
   O praise ye the Lord!
      Amen, amen.

Words: Henry Williams Baker (1821–77), after Psalm 150
Tune: 'Laudate Dominum' 427 NEH, from the anthem 'Hear my words, ye people' Hubert Parry (1848–1918)

All remain standing. The Dean pronounces the Blessing, to which all respond, Amen.

All sing the National Anthem

God save our gracious King,
long live our noble King,
   God save The King.
Send him victorious,
happy and glorious,
long to reign over us:
   God save The King.

All remain standing as the processions move through Quire and the Nave

Music after the service

Toccata (Symphonie V in F Op 42 no 1), Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937)

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