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 Lay Vicars of Westminster Abbey.

Setting: Missa Aeterna Christi munera, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c 1525–94)

During the offertory hymn, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between Blesma and the work of the Abbey. Blesma helps limbless veterans to keep living fulfilling and independent lives.

Order of Service

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

Crown him with many crowns,
   the Lamb upon his throne;
hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
   all music but its own:
awake, my soul, and sing
   of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
   through all eternity.

Crown him the Virgin's Son,
   the God incarnate born,
whose arm those crimson trophies won
   which now his brow adorn:
Fruit of the mystic Rose,
   as of that Rose the Stem;
the Root whence mercy ever flows,
   the Babe of Bethlehem.

Crown him the Lord of love!
   Behold his hands and side,
rich wounds yet visible above
   in beauty glorified:
no angel in the sky
   can fully bear that sight,
but downward bends his burning eye
   at mysteries so bright.

Crown him the Lord of peace,
   whose power a sceptre sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease,
   absorbed in prayer and praise:
his reign shall know no end,
   and round his piercèd feet
fair flowers of paradise extend
   their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown him the Lord of years,
   the Potentate of time,
creator of the rolling spheres,
   ineffably sublime.
Glassed in a sea of light,
   where everlasting waves
reflect his throne—the Infinite!
   who lives—and loves—and saves.

Words: Matthew Bridges (1800–94)
Tune: 'Diademata' 352 NEH, George Elvey (1816–93)

All remain standing. The president introduces the Prayers of Penitence, after which all say

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.

The choir sings Gloria in excelsis Deo

Gloria in excelsis Deo,

All sit

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 on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

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.

All sit for the Reading from the Old Testament, Daniel 7: 9–10, 13–14

As I watched,
thrones were set in place,
   and an Ancient One took his throne;
his clothing was white as snow,
   and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames,
   and its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued
   and flowed out from his presence.
A thousand thousand served him,
   and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.
The court sat in judgement,
   and the books were opened. As I watched in the night visions,
I saw one like a human being
   coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One
   and was presented before him.
To him was given dominion
   and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
   should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
   that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
   that shall never be destroyed.

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

The choir sings Psalm 93

Antiphon Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your dominion endures throughout all ages.

The Lord is king and has put on glorious apparel;
   the Lord has put on his glory and girded himself with strength.
He has made the whole world so sure that it cannot be moved;
   your throne has been established from of old;
   you are from everlasting.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
   the floods have lifted up their voice;
   the floods lift up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of many waters,
   mightier than the breakers of the sea,
   the Lord on high is mightier!

Your testimonies are very sure;
   holiness adorns your house,
   O Lord, for ever.

The Reading from the New Testament, Revelation 1: 4b–8

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Look! He is coming with the clouds;
   every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
   and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.

'I am the Alpha and the Omega', says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

and all repeat

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The reader announces the Gospel, John 18: 33–37

Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' Jesus answered, 'Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?' Pilate replied, 'I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?' Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.' Pilate asked him, 'So you are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.'

The Sermon by The Reverend Mark Birch MVO, Canon Rector

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

The intercession ends

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

The president introduces the Peace

To crown all things there must be love, to bind all together and complete the whole. Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts.

All may greet one another with the words Peace be with you.

All remain standing to sing the Hymn during the Preparation of the Altar. A collection will be taken. Alternatively, cash and contactless donations may be given as you leave via the Great West Door

Alleluia, sing to Jesus,
   his the sceptre, his the throne;
alleluia, his the triumph,
   his the victory alone:
hark the songs of peaceful Sion
   thunder like a mighty flood;
Jesus, out of every nation,
   hath redeemed us by his blood.

Alleluia, not as orphans
   are we left in sorrow now;
alleluia, he is near us,
   faith believes, nor questions how;
though the cloud from sight received him
   when the forty days were o'er,
shall our hearts forget his promise,
   'I am with you evermore'?

Alleluia, Bread of angels,
   thou on earth our food, our stay;
alleluia, here the sinful
   flee to thee from day to day;
Intercessor, Friend of sinners,
   earth's Redeemer, plead for me,
where the songs of all the sinless
   sweep across the crystal sea.

Alleluia, King eternal,
   thee the Lord of lords we own;
alleluia, born of Mary,
   earth thy footstool, heaven thy throne:
thou within the veil hast entered,
   robed in flesh, our great High Priest;
thou on earth both Priest and Victim
   in the eucharistic feast.

Words: 'Redemption by the Precious Blood' William Dix (1837–98)
Tune: 'Hyfrydol' 271 NEH, Rowland Prichard (1811–87)

All remain standing for the Eucharistic Prayer. The president says

It is indeed right, our duty, and our joy, always and everywhere to give you thanks, holy Father, almighty and eternal God. For with the oil of gladness you have anointed Christ the Lord, your only Son, to be our great high priest and king of all creation. As priest, he offered himself once for all upon the altar of the cross and redeemed the human race by this perfect sacrifice of peace. As king, he claims dominion over all your creatures, that he may bring before your infinite majesty a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love, and peace. And so with angels and archangels and all the heavenly host, we proclaim your glory and join their unending hymn of praise:

The choir sings Sanctus and Benedictus

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.

The president continues the Eucharistic Prayer

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

Looking for the coming of his kingdom, so we say, each in our own language, the prayer that Jesus Christ has 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

The congregation is invited to sit as the president and other ministers begin the distribution of Holy Communion. Those wishing to receive come forward as directed by the Stewards. If you receive communion in your own church you are welcome to do so here. Gluten-free wafers are available. Please refrain from dipping the wafer in the chalice. Those who do not wish to receive communion are invited to come for a blessing; please bow your head as you approach. The minister says to each communicant

The body of Christ. Amen.

The blood 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.

O Rex gloriae, Domine virtutum, qui triumphator hodie super omnes caelos ascendisti, ne derelinquas nos orphanos. Alleluia!

O King of glory, Lord of hosts, who today ascended in triumph above all heavens, do not leave us as orphans. Alleluia!

Words: after Ephesians 4: 10; John 14: 18
Music: Sebastián de Vivanco (c 1551–1622)

All stand to sing the Hymn

The head that once was crowned with thorns
   is crowned with glory now:
a royal diadem adorns
   the mighty victor's brow.

The highest place that heaven affords
   is his, is his by right,
the King of kings and Lord of lords,
   and heaven's eternal light;

the joy of all who dwell above,
   the joy of all below,
to whom he manifests his love,
   and grants his name to know.

To them the cross, with all its shame,
   with all its grace, is given:
their name an everlasting name,
   their joy the joy of heaven.

They suffer with their Lord below,
   they reign with him above,
their profit and their joy to know
   the mystery of his love.

The cross he bore is life and health,
   though shame and death to him;
his people's hope, his people's wealth,
   their everlasting theme.

Words: Thomas Kelly (1769–1854) after Hebrews 2: 10
Tune: 'St Magnus' 134 NEH, Jeremiah Clarke (c 1674–1707)

Let us pray.

All remain standing. The president says the Prayer after Communion

The president pronounces the Blessing

God the Father, who has given to his Son the name above every name, strengthen you to proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord. Amen.

God the Son, who is our great high priest passed into the heavens, plead for you at the right hand of the Father. Amen.

God the Holy Spirit, who pours out his abundant gifts upon the Church, make you faithful servants of Christ our King. Amen.

And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Organ voluntary

Sunday Lunch

Come and enjoy Sunday lunch at the Cellarium

The Cellarium Café and Terrace serves a traditional roast lunch, with a selection of starters and desserts. From £20.00 per person. Open from noon.

If you attend worship at the Abbey regularly, you may like to add this page to your home screen for easy access to our orders of service.

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.