Final Evensong Virtual Order of Service 2020

St John’s College Chapel

Souvent me souvient

Virtual Chapel

Evening Service Sunday 5th July, 2020

HYMN Christ triumphant, ever reigning, Saviour, Master, King!

Lord of heaven, our lives sustaining, Hear us as we sing: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

Word incarnate, truth revealing, Son of Man on earth!

Power and majesty concealing By your humble birth: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

Suffering servant, scorned, ill-treated, Victim crucified!

Death is through the cross defeated, Sinners justified: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

Priestly king, enthroned forever High in heaven above!

Sin and death and hell shall never Stifle hymns of love: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

So, our hearts and voices raising Through the ages long, Ceaselessly upon you gazing, This shall be our song: Yours the glory and the crown, The high renown, the eternal name.

Words Michael Saward (1932–2015)

Tune GUITING POWER John Barnard (b. 1948)

The Dean offers a welcome to this last service of the academic year.

Cantor Response

O Lord, open thou our lips.

And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

Cantor Response

O God, make speed to save us.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

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.

Cantor Response

Praise ye the Lord.

The Lord’s Name be praised.

Music Bernard Rose (1916–1996)

The Choir sings Psalm 139 vv. 1–18, 23–24 O Lord, thou hast searched me out and known me : thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising, thou understandest my thoughts long before.

Thou art about my path, and about my bed : and spiest out all my ways.

For lo, there is not a word in my tongue : but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether.

Thou hast fashioned me behind and before : and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me : I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit : or whither shall I go then from thy presence?

If I climb up into heaven, thou art there : if I go down to hell, thou art there also.

If I take the wings of the morning : and remain in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there also shall thy hand lead me : and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover me : then shall my night be turned to day.

Yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day : the darkness and light to thee are both alike.

For my reins are thine : thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

I will give thanks unto thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made : marvellous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.

My bones are not hid from thee : though I be made secretly, and fashioned beneath in the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect : and in thy book were all my members written; Which day by day were fashioned : when as yet there was none of them.

How dear are thy counsels unto me, O God : O how great is the sum of them!

If I tell them, they are more in number than the sand : when I wake up I am present with thee.

Try me, O God, and seek the ground of my heart : prove me, and examine my thoughts.

Look well if there be any way of wickedness in me : and lead me in the way everlasting.

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.

Chant Highmore Skeats (1760–1831)

FIRST

LESSON

Numbers 6 vv. 22–27 Read by Thomas Watkin, leaving chorister The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

MAGNIFICAT 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.

St Paul’s Service Herbert Howells (1892–1983)

SECOND

LESSON

Philippians 4 vv. 1, 4–9 Read by William Buttery, leaving chorister Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

NUNC

DIMITTIS

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.

St Paul’s Service Herbert Howells (1892–1983)

Cantor Response

The Lord be with you.

And with thy spirit.

Cantor Response

Let us pray.

Lord have mercy upon us.

Christ have mercy upon us.

Lord have mercy upon us.

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.

Cantor Response

O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.

And grant us thy salvation.

Cantor Response

O Lord, save the Queen.

And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.

Cantor Response

Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.

And make thy chosen people joyful.

Cantor Response

O Lord, save thy people.

And bless thine inheritance.

Cantor Response

Give peace in our time, O Lord.

Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.

Cantor Response

O God, make clean our hearts within us.

And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

Music Bernard Rose (1916–1996)

The Collect of the Day O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal: Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake our Lord. Amen.

The 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. Amen.

The Collect for Aid against all Perils.

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.

ANTHEM Lo, the full, final, Sacrifice On which all figures fix’t their eyes.

The ransomed Isaac, and his ram; The Manna, and the Paschal Lamb.

Jesu Master, just and true!

Our Food, and faithful Shepherd too!

O let that love which thus makes thee Mix with our low Mortality, Lift our lean Souls, and set us up Convictors of thine own full cup, Coheirs of Saints. That so all may Drink the same wine; and the same Way, Nor change the Pasture, but the Place, To feed of Thee in thine own Face.

O dear Memorial of that Death Which lives still, and allows us breath!

Rich, Royal food! Bountiful Bread!

Whose use denies us to the dead!

Live ever Bread of loves, and be My life, my soul, my surer self to me.

Help Lord, my Faith, my Hope increase; And fill my portion in thy peace.

Give love for life; nor let my days Grow, but in new powers to thy name and praise.

Rise, Royal Zion! rise and sing Thy soul’s kind shepherd, thy heart’s king.

Stretch all thy powers; call if you can Harps of heaven to hands of man.

This sovereign subject sits above The best ambition of thy love.

Words St Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) in the version of Richard Crashaw (1613–1649)

The Dean leads the Prayers.

Music Gerald Finzi (1901–1956)

HYMN The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended, The darkness falls at thy behest; To thee our morning hymns ascended, Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank thee that thy Church unsleeping, While earth rolls onwards into light, Through all the world her watch is keeping, And rests not now by day or night.

As o’er each continent and island The dawn leads on another day, The voice of prayer is never silent, Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking Our brethren ’neath the western sky, And hour by hour fresh lips are making Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; thy throne shall never, Like earth’s proud empires, pass away; Thy kingdom stands and grows for ever, Till all thy creatures own thy sway.

Words John Ellerton (1826–1893)

Tune ST CLEMENT Clement Scholefield (1839–1904) Descant Christopher Robinson (b. 1936)

COLLEGE

PRAYER

Bless, O Lord, the work of this College, which is called by the name of thy beloved disciple; and grant that love of the brethren and all sound learning may ever grow and prosper here, to thy honour and glory, and to the good of thy people, who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.

BLESSING ORGAN VOLUNTARY Final, Symphonie I

Louis Vierne (1870–1937)