CHORAL EVENSONG FOR the Feast of the Ascension
Service will be livestreamed and available on our YouTube channel from 6.25pm Sunday 5th May at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgGkB3oZEM8
CONFESSION (please sit or kneel)
(this or another introduction may be used)
Dearly beloved brethren, 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:
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.
ABSOLUTION
May Almighty God pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to life everlasting Amen.
Preces and responses (Ayleward)
O Lord, open thou our lips.
And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
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.
Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord's Name be praised.
OFFICE HYMN
Eternal Monarch, King most high,
Whose blood hath brought redemption nigh,
By whom the death of Death was wrought
And conquering grace’s battle fought:
Ascending to the throne of might,
And seated at the Father’s right,
All power in heaven is Jesu’s own,
That here his manhood had not known.
Yea, angels tremble when they see
How changed is our humanity;
That flesh hath purged what flesh had stained,
And God, the flesh of God, hath reigned.
Be thou our joy and strong defence,
Who art our future recompense:
So shall the light that springs from thee
Be ours through all eternity.
O risen Christ, ascended Lord,
All praise to thee let earth accord,
Who art, while endless ages run,
With Father and with Spirit One. Amen.
Psalm: 47 (Goss in A)
O CLAP your hands together, all ye people : O Sing unto God with
the voice of melody.
2 For the Lord is high, and to be feared : he is the great King upon all
the earth.
3 He shall subdue the people under us : and the nations under our
feet.
4 He shall choose out an heritage for us : even the worship of Jacob,
whom he loved.
5 God is gone up with a merry noise : and the Lord with the sound of
the trump.
6 O sing praises, sing praises unto our God : O sing praises, sing
praises unto our King.
7 For God is the King of all the earth : sing ye praises with under-
standing.
8 God reigneth over the heathen : God sitteth upon his holy seat.
9 The princes of the people are joined unto the people of the God
of Abraham : for God, which is very high exalted, doth defend
the earth, as it were with a shield.
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.
FIRST READING
MAGNIFICAT: Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis: Stanford in Bb
My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his hand-maiden.
For behold, from henceforth :
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me :
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him :
throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm :
he hath scattered the proud
in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat :
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things :
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel :
as he promised to our forefathers,
Abraham and his seed for ever.
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
ANTHEM: Holy is the True Light (Harris)
Holy is the True Light, and passing wonderful,
lending radiance to them that endured in the heat of the conflict,
from Christ they inherit a home of unfading splendour,
wherein they rejoice with gladness evermore. Alleluia!
SECOND READING:
NUNC DIMITTIS: Stanford in Bb
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace :
according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation;
Which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles:
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
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.
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.
VERSICLES AND RESPONSES (please sit or kneel)
Let us pray:
O Lord, show thy mercy upon us.
And grant us thy salvation.
O Lord, save the State.
And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
And make thy chosen people joyful.
O Lord, save thy people.
And bless thine inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord.
For it is thou, Lord, only, that makest us dwell in safety.
O God, make clean our hearts within us.
And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
COLLECT OF THE DAY
COLLECT FOR PEACE
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:
COLLECT AGAINST ALL PERILS
Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of the night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Anthem: Holy is the True Light (Harris)
Holy is the True Light, and passing wonderful,
lending radiance to them that endured in the heat of the conflict,
from Christ they inherit a home of unfading splendour,
wherein they rejoice with gladness evermore.
Alleluia!
THE PRAYERS (Please sit/kneel)
including:
A PRAYER FOR THE KING'S MAJESTY
O Lord of our fathers, who rulest the nations of the earth; Most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to bless our Sovereign Lord, King Charles, his ministers and parliaments, and all who are set in authority throughout his dominions and the world; that they may order all things in wisdom and righteousness, to the honour of thy Holy Name and the good of all thy people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
A PRAYER OF ST JOHN CHYSOSTOM
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
HYMN
Hail the day that sees him rise Alleluya!
Glorious to his native skies; Alleluya!
Christ, awhile to mortals given, Alleluya!
Enters now the highest heaven! Alleluya!
There the glorious triumph waits; Alleluya!,
Lift your heads, eternal gates! Alleluya!
Christ hath vanquished death and sin; Alleluya!
Take the King of glory in. Alleluya!
Lord, though parted from our sight, Alleluya!
Far above yon azure height, Alleluya!
Grant our hearts may thither rise, Alleluya!
Seeking thee beyond the skies. Alleluya!
There we shall with thee remain, Alleluya!
Partners of thine endless reign; Alleluya!
There thy face unclouded see, Alleluya!
Find our heaven of heavens in thee. Alleluya!
BLESSING
Voluntary: Postlude in D minor (Stanford)