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

Following the service, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between Cathedral Music Trust and the work of the Abbey. Cathedral Music Trust supports the valuable work of musicians who enrich so many lives through the power of cathedral music.

Visiting Choirs

When the Abbey Choirs are on holiday, the Abbey welcomes visiting choirs, upholding the Abbey's pattern of choral services. This is an important aspect of worship at Westminster Abbey, and choirs are received both at the invitation of the Minor Canons and Music Departments and via online applications. More information and details on how to apply can be found here. Today, the Abbey is pleased to welcome the Choir of All Saints East Sheen to sing Evensong.

The Choir of All Saints, East Sheen, has been enhancing the worship of its local church weekly for over ninety years, in repertoire from the sixteenth century to the present day. Several young choristers have in the past won choral scholarships to university, and some members have been in the choir for over fifty years. The choir has sung in major cathedrals and abbeys in the UK, as well as Notre-Dame in Paris and Thomaskirche in Leipzig. James Cryer, the choir's Director of Music, was organ scholar at Westminster Abbey under Simon Preston.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter

All remain standing as the officiant introduces the Confession

Beloved, we are come together in the presence of Almighty God and of the whole company of heaven to offer unto him through our Lord Jesus Christ our worship and praise and thanksgiving; to make confession of our sins; to pray, as well for others as for ourselves, that we may know more truly the greatness of God's love and show forth in our lives the fruits of his grace; and to ask on behalf of all people such things as their well-being doth require. Wherefore let us sit or kneel and keep silence, and remember God's presence with us now.

All kneel or sit to say together

O God, our Father,
we have sinned against thee
in thought, word, and deed;
we have not loved thee with all our heart;
we have not loved our neighbour as ourselves.
Have mercy upon us, we beseech thee;
cleanse us from our sins;
and help us to overcome our faults;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The officiant gives the Absolution

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant unto you pardon and remission of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. 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: James Cryer (b 1964)

All sit. The choir sings Psalm 135: 1–6, 15–end

O praise the Lord, laud ye the name of the Lord : praise it, O ye servants of the Lord;
ye that stand in the house of the Lord : in the courts of the house of our God.
O praise the Lord, for the Lord is gracious : O sing praises unto his name, for it is lovely.
For why? the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself : and Israel for his own possession.
For I know that the Lord is great : and that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth : and in the sea, and in all deep places.
As for the images of the heathen, they are but silver and gold : the work of men's hands.
They have mouths, and speak not : eyes have they, but they see not.
They have ears, and yet they hear not : neither is there any breath in their mouths.
They that make them are like unto them : and so are all they that put their trust in them.
Praise the Lord, ye house of Israel : praise the Lord, ye house of Aaron.
Praise the Lord, ye house of Levi : ye that fear the Lord, praise the Lord.
Praised be the Lord out of Sion : who dwelleth at Jerusalem.

All stand

Chant: Charles South (1850–1916)

All sit for the first Lesson, Isaiah 54: 1–14

Sing, O barren one who did not bear;
   burst into song and shout,
   you who have not been in labour!
For the children of the desolate woman will be more
   than the children of her that is married, says the Lord.
Enlarge the site of your tent,
   and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;
do not hold back; lengthen your cords
   and strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left,
   and your descendants will possess the nations
   and will settle the desolate towns.

Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
   do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
   and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.
For your Maker is your husband,
   the Lord of hosts is his name;
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
   the God of the whole earth he is called.
For the Lord has called you
   like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
like the wife of a man's youth when she is cast off,
   says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
   but with great compassion I will gather you.
In overflowing wrath for a moment
   I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,
   says the Lord, your Redeemer.

This is like the days of Noah to me:
   Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
   would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
   and will not rebuke you.
For the mountains may depart
   and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
   and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
   says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,
   I am about to set your stones in antimony,
   and lay your foundations with sapphires.
I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
   your gates of jewels,
   and all your wall of precious stones.
All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
   and great shall be the prosperity of your children.
In righteousness you shall be established;
   you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;
   and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

Here ends the first lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Magnificat

Evening Service in C, Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)

All sit for the second Lesson, Romans 1: 1–7

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here ends the second lesson.

All stand. The choir sings Nunc dimittis

Evening Service in C, Charles Villiers Stanford

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.

The officiant and choir sing the Lesser Litany; the Lord's Prayer and the Responses

Let us pray.

All kneel or sit

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

Almighty God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; we humbly beseech thee, that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. 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: James Cryer

All sit. The choir sings the Anthem

Light out of darkness thou hast brought!
Within the shadow of thy cross
Now burns a light, and we are taught
The truer truths of human loss.

Wast thou a sinner? Thou hast born
The sinner's sentence and his shame;
Thy side was pierced, thy forehead torn,
Thy sad heart broken by our blame.

But so a beacon light thou sent
To signal through our night of grief;
How love upon his mission went
Crowned with sorrow's sharp-set wreath.

Enough it was we needed thee,
Our misery alone did pray,
And mercy answered eagerly,
And trod for us steep Calvary's way.

So let us answer sorrow's cry!
The past is dead: search not its grave
For hidden faults! the remedy
Is ours to seek, to find and save.

Words: Edward Capel-Cure (1828–90)
Music: from 'The Light of Life' Op 29, Edward Elgar (1857–1934)

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

This joyful Eastertide,
   away with sin and sorrow.
My Love, the Crucified,
   hath sprung to life this morrow:
had Christ, that once was slain,
   ne'er burst his three-day prison,
our faith had been in vain:
   but now hath Christ arisen.

My flesh in hope shall rest,
   and for a season slumber:
till trump from east to west
   shall wake the dead in number:
had Christ, that once was slain,
   ne'er burst his three-day prison,
our faith had been in vain:
   but now hath Christ arisen.

Death's flood hath lost his chill,
   since Jesus crossed the river:
Lover of souls, from ill
   my passing soul deliver:
had Christ, that once was slain,
   ne'er burst his three-day prison,
our faith had been in vain:
   but now hath Christ arisen.

Words: George Woodward (1848–1934)
Tune: 'Vruechten' 121 NEH, in 'Davids Psalmen' Amsterdam, 1685

All remain standing as the choir and clergy depart

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

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Hymn 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.