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.

Setting: Missa Puer natus est nobis, Thomas Tallis (c 1505–85)

During the offertory hymn, a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between Westminster House Youth Club and the work of the Abbey. Since 1888, Westminster House Youth Club has been supporting young people aged 8–18 to make positive life choices, by providing for them purposeful activities, both recreational and educational.

Order of Service

All stand. The choir sings the Introit

Ecce advenit Dominator Dominus et regnum in manu eius et potestas et imperium.

Deus, judicium tuum regi da: et justitiam tuam filio regis.

See, the Lord and Master has come: his rule, his power, and authority in his hand.

Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king's son.

Words: after Malachi 3: 1a; 1 Chronicles 29: 12b
Music: plainsong

At the Epiphany crib the president says

Dear friends,

As we meet to celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us pray that God will bless this crib, that all who worship his Son, born of the Virgin Mary, may come to share his life in glory.

God our Father, whose Son Jesus Christ was manifested to the gentiles by the visitation of the magi; bless this crib that all who see it may be strengthened in faith, and receive the fulness of life he came to bring; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen.

The crib is sprinkled with holy water and censed. The president says the Acclamations at the Presentation of the Gifts

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe: to you be praise and glory for ever. As gold in the furnace is tried and purified seven times in the fire, so purify our hearts and minds that we may be a royal priesthood acceptable in the service of your kingdom.
Blessed be God for ever.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe: to you be praise and glory for ever. As our prayer rises up before you as incense, so may we be presented before you with penitent hearts and uplifted hands to offer ourselves in your priestly service.
Blessed be God for ever.

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe: to you be praise and glory for ever. As you give medicine to heal our sickness and the leaves of the tree of life for the healing of the nations, so anoint us with your healing power that we may be the first-fruits of your new creation.
Blessed be God for ever.

All stand as the choir and clergy enter, and to sing the Hymn. The High Altar is censed

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
   Bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
with gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
   kneel and adore him, the Lord is his name!

Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness,
   high on his heart he will bear it for thee,
comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,
   guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.

Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderness
   of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine:
truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,
   these are the offerings to lay on his shrine.

These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,
   he will accept for the name that is dear;
mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,
   trust for our trembling and hope for our fear.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
   Bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
with gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
   kneel and adore him, the Lord is his name!

Words: 'Sanctissimus' John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1811–75)
Tune: 'Was lebet' 52 NEH, from the manuscript of Johann Heinrich Rheinhardt, Uttingen 1754

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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 peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

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

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, Isaiah 60: 1–6

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
   and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
   and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
   and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
   and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes and look around;
   they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
   and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
   your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
   the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
   the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
   all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
   and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.

The choir sings Psalm 72: 10–15

Antiphon The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute to the Lord their King;

   the kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring gifts.
All kings shall fall down before him;
   all nations shall do him service.
For he shall deliver the poor that cry out,
   the needy and those who have no helper.
He shall have pity on the weak and poor;
   he shall preserve the lives of the needy.
He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence,
   and dear shall their blood be in his sight.
Long may he live; unto him may be given gold from Sheba;
   may prayer be made for him continually and may they bless him all the day long.

The Epistle, Ephesians 3: 1–12

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given to me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow-heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given to me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

and all repeat

Christ was revealed in flesh, proclaimed among the nations, and believed in throughout the world.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The reader announces the Gospel, Matthew 2: 1–12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, 'Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.' When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
"And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
   are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
   who is to shepherd my people Israel."'

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, 'Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.' When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

The Sermon by The Reverend Dan Warnke, Priest Vicar and Chaplain, Westminster School

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

Our Saviour Christ is the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end.

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

As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold,
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright,
so, most gracious God, may we
evermore be led to thee.

As with joyful steps they sped,
to that lowly manger-bed,
there to bend the knee before
him whom heaven and earth adore,
so may we with willing feet
ever seek thy mercy-seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
at that manger rude and bare,
so may we with holy joy,
pure, and free from sin's alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to thee our heavenly King.

Holy Jesu, every day
keep us in the narrow way;
and, when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds thy glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright
need they no created light;
thou its Light, its Joy, its Crown,
thou its Sun which goes not down:
there for ever may we sing
alleluias to our King.

Words: William Chatterton Dix (1837–98)
Tune: 'Dix' 47 NEH, adapted from Conrad Kocher (1786–1872) by William Henry Monk (1823–89)

All remain standing for the Eucharistic Prayer. The president says

All honour and praise be yours always and everywhere, mighty creator, ever-living God, through Jesus Christ your only Son our Lord: for at this time we celebrate your glory made present in our midst. In the coming of the magi the King of all the world was revealed to the nations. In the waters of baptism Jesus was revealed as the Christ, the Saviour sent to redeem us. In the water made wine the new creation was revealed at the wedding feast. Poverty was turned to riches, sorrow into joy. Therefore with all the angels of heaven we lift our voices to proclaim the glory of your name and sing our joyful 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.

The president concludes the Eucharistic Prayer

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.

All remain standing. The president introduces the Lord's Prayer

Believing the promises of God, 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

   Omnes de Saba venient,
aurum et thus deferentes,
   et laudem Domino annunciantes.
      Alleluia!

All those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. Alleluia!

Words: Isaiah 60: 6b
Music: Jacob Handl (1550–91)

Let us pray.

All stand. The president says the Prayer after Communion

Lord God, the bright splendour whom the nations seek: may we who with the wise men have been drawn by your light discern the glory of your presence in your Son, the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The president pronounces the Blessing

May God the Father, who led the wise men by the shining of a star to find the Christ, the Light from light, lead you in your pilgrimage to find the Lord. Amen.

May God, who has delivered us from the dominion of darkness, give us a place with the saints in light in the kingdom of his beloved Son. Amen.

May the light of the glorious gospel of Christ shine in your hearts and fill your lives with his joy and peace. Amen.

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

Music after the service

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern BuxWV 223, Dieterich Buxtehude (c 1637–1707)

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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.