Solemn Evensong
five o’clock in the afternoon
The Rev. Canon Bradley Varnell
The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral
Robert L. Simpson, Canon for Music
Grant Smith, Organist
Joel Goodloe, Cantor
The Liturgy is found in The Book of Common Prayer (BCP).
The People stand as the procession enters the Cathedral.
Evening Sentences BCP, page 61
Confession Officiant and People, all kneeling page 62 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. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, spare thou those who confess their faults, restore thou those who are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus 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.
The Absolution page 63
Preces and Responses All stand Bernard Rose (1916–1996)
Hymn 279 St. George
Sung by Choir, People seated.
The earth is the L ORD ’ s and all that is in it, * the world and all who dwell therein.
For it is he who founded it upon the seas * and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep.
“Who can ascend the hill of the L ORD? * and who can stand in his holy place?”
“Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, * who have not pledged themselves to falsehood, nor sworn by what is a fraud.
They shall receive a blessing from the L ORD * and a just reward from the God of their salvation.”
Such is the generation of those who seek him, * of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O gates; lift them high, O everlasting doors; * and the King of glory shall come in.
“Who is this King of glory?” *
“The L ORD, strong and mighty, the L ORD, mighty in battle.”
Lift up your heads, O gates; lift them high, O everlasting doors; * and the King of glory shall come in.
“Who is he, this King of glory?” *
“The L ORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.”
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 Lesson Wisdom
5:1–5, 14–16
Reader A Reading from the Book of Wisdom
Then the righteous will stand with great confidence in the presence of those who have oppressed them and those who make light of their labors. When the unrighteous see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear, and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous. They will speak to one another in repentance, and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say, “These are persons whom we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach — fools that we were! We thought that their lives were madness and that their end was without honor. Why have they been numbered among the children of God? And why is their lot among the saints?” Because the hope of the ungodly is like thistledown carried by the wind, and like a light frost driven away by a
storm; it is dispersed like smoke before the wind, and it passes like the remembrance of a guest who stays but a day. But the righteous live for ever, and their reward is with the Lord; the Most High takes care of them. Therefore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord, because with his right hand he will cover them, and with his arm he will shield them.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Magnificat in C Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)
Sung by Choir, People seated.
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. 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 showed 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.
All stand
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.
All sit
Second Lesson Revelation 21:1–4; 22:1–5
Reader A Reading from the Book of Revelation
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are
for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.
Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God.
Nunc Dimittis in C
Sung by Choir, People seated.
Charles Villiers Stanford
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. All stand
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.
Apostles’ Creed People and Choir monotone, all standing.
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 Suffrages Bernard Rose
Sung by Choir. People kneeling as able.
The Lord’s Prayer
Sung by Choir.
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. Amen.
Collects and Prayers
Greeting
At the Offertory
Requiem in D minor, Op. 48
Introït et Kyrie
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem. Exaudi orationem meam: ad te omnis caro veniet.
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924)
Give them eternal rest, Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon them. A hymn becomes you, God, in Zion, and a vow shall be paid to you in Jerusalem. Hear my prayer: to you all flesh shall come.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Offertoire
O Domine Jesu Christe, rex gloriae, libera animas defunctorum de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu. O Domine Jesu Christe, rex gloriae, libera animas defunctorum de ore leonis, ne absorbeat Tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum.
Hostias et preces tibi, Domine, laudis offerimus: tu suscipe pro animabus illis quarum hodie memoriam facimus. Fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini eius. Amen.
O Lord Jesus Christ, king of glory, deliver the souls of the departed from the punishments of hell and from the deep lake. O Lord Jesus Christ, king of glory, deliver the souls of the departed from the mouth of the lion, lest Tartarus swallow them up, lest they fall into darkness.
We offer prayers and sacrifices of praise to you, Lord: you receive them on behalf of those souls whose memory we recall today. Cause them, Lord, to pass from death to the life which you once promised to Abraham and his seed. Amen.
John Gallagher, baritone
Sanctus
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus
Deus Sabaoth, Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Pie Jesu
Pie Jesu, Domine, dona eis requiem. Pie Jesu, Domine, dona eis sempiternam requiem.
Blessed Jesus, Lord, give them rest. Blessed Jesus, Lord, give them eternal rest.
Michelle Girardot, soprano
Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis sempiternam requiem. Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, give them rest. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, give them eternal rest. May eternal light shine on them, Lord, with your saints forever, for you are good.
Give them eternal rest, Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon them.
Libera me
Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna, in die illa tremenda: quando caeli movendi sunt et terra; dum veneris iudicare saeculum per ignem. Tremens factus sum ego, et timeo, dum discussio venerit, atque ventura ira.
Dies illa, dies irae, calamitatis et miseriae, Dies illa, dies magna et amara valde. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Deliver me, Lord, from eternal death, on that terrible day: when the heavens and earth will be shaken; when you will come to judge the age with fire. I am made to tremble, and I am afraid, since trial and anger are coming.
That day, a day of anger, disaster and sorrow, That day, a mighty day, and one exceedingly bitter. Give them eternal rest, Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon them.
John Gallagher, baritone
In Paradisum
In paradisum deducant te Angeli; in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem. Chorus Angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem.
Renee Salazar, viola Rachel Halvorson, viola
May the angels lead thee into Paradise; may the martyrs receive thee at thy coming and lead thee into the holy city of Jerusalem. May the choir of angels receive thee, and with Lazarus, who once was poor, mayest thou have eternal rest.
Chris Ellis, cello Annamarie Reader, cello
David Connor, bass
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
The people stand.
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee, and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen.
The
Blessing
May God, who has given us, in the lives of his saints, patterns of holy living and victorious dying, strengthen your faith and devotion, and enable you to bear witness to the truth against all adversity. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.
Hymn 625 Darwall’s 148th
The Procession
You are cordially invited to a reception in Reynolds Hall following the service.
After Evensong, the Eucharist will be celebrated in the chancel of the Cathedral. Those who wish to remain for the Eucharist are to come forward into the choir stalls. After the preparation of the altar, the Eucharist will be celebrated continuing on page 361 of the Book of Common Prayer.
The Book of Remembrance
This week we remember Joan “Jill” Lynch.
The Beauty of Flowers
The flowers on the Cathedral Altar are given to the glory of God in loving memory of her brothers, JD Head and Joe Head, his sister, Mary Lou Cothran, and their parents, Jane and Jack Head and Mary Louise and Robert Thurmond, by Julie and Bob Thurmond.
The flowers on the organ console are given to the glory of God in memory of their parents, Bill and Nell Murdaugh and Arthur and Hazel Smith, by Jim Murdaugh and Gary Smith.
Please be advised that our services are Livesteamed to Vimeo and Facebook. Your participation in the service serves as your consent to the broadcast of your image and voice and to the broadcast of the image and voice of your participating minor children. Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with a concealed handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a concealed handgun. Pursuant to Section 30.07, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with an openly carried handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a handgun that is carried openly.
