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 Choir of Westminster Abbey.

Setting: Missa O quam gloriosum, Tomás Luis de Victoria (c 1548–1611)

During the offertory hymn a collection will be taken; the money from today's services will be divided equally between Tariro—Hope for Youth in Zimbabwe International and the work of the Abbey. Tariro helps young people in Zimbabwe to learn, develop, and grow until they can support themselves.

Order of Service

All stand as the choir and clergy enter, and to sing the Hymn

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
   Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
   triumph o'er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear.

Dark and cheerless is the morn
   unaccompanied by thee;
joyless is the day's return,
   till thy mercy's beams I see;
till they inward light impart,
glad my eyes, and warm my heart.

Visit then this soul of mine,
   pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
fill me, radiancy divine,
   scatter all my unbelief;
more and more thyself display,
shining to the perfect day.

Words: 'Morning Hymn' Charles Wesley (1707–88)
Music: 'Ratisbon' in Johann Werner's 'Choralbuch' Leipzig, 1815

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.

Almighty Father, whose Son was revealed in majesty before he suffered death upon the cross: give us grace to perceive his glory, that we may be strengthened to suffer with him and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

All sit for the Reading from the Old Testament, 2 Kings 2: 1–12

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, 'Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.' But Elisha said, 'As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.' So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, 'Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?' And he said, 'Yes, I know; keep silent.'

Elijah said to him, 'Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.' But he said, 'As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.' So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, 'Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?' And he answered, 'Yes, I know; be silent.'

Then Elijah said to him, 'Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.' But he said, 'As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.' So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, 'Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.' Elisha said, 'Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.' He responded, 'You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.' As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, 'Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!' But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

The choir sings Psalm 50: 1–6

Antiphon Out of Zion, God shines forth; he comes, and will not keep silence.

The Lord, the most mighty God, has spoken
   and called the world from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth;
   our God comes and will not keep silence.
Consuming fire goes out before him
   and a mighty tempest stirs about him.
He calls the heaven above,
   and the earth, that he may judge his people:
'Gather to me my faithful,
   who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice.'
Let the heavens declare his righteousness,
   for God himself is judge.

The Epistle, 2 Corinthians 4: 3–6

Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus's sake. For it is the God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness', who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

and all repeat

The word of the Lord endures for ever. The word of the Lord is the good news announced to you.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The reader announces the Gospel, Mark 9: 2–9

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.' He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!' Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

The Sermon by The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby GCVO, Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan

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, led by The Right Honourable The Lord Boateng CVO DL, Chair, Archbishops' Racial Justice Commission. 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

We are all one in Christ Jesus. We belong to him through faith, heirs of the promise of the Spirit of peace.

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

The Church's one foundation
   is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
she is his new creation
   by water and the word:
from heaven he came and sought her
   to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
   and for her life he died.

Elect from every nation,
   yet one o'er all the earth,
her charter of salvation
   one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
   partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses
   with every grace endued.

'Mid toil and tribulation,
   and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation
   of peace for evermore;
till with the vision glorious
   her longing eyes are blest,
and the great Church victorious
   shall be the Church at rest.

Yet she on earth hath union
   with God the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion
   with those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy!
   Lord, give us grace that we,
like them the meek and lowly,
   on high may dwell with thee.

Words: 'He is the Head of the Body, the Church' Samuel John Stone (1839–1900)
Tune: 'Aurelia' Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–76)

All remain standing for the Eucharistic Prayer. The president says

Father, we give you thanks and praise through your beloved Son Jesus Christ, your living Word, through whom you have created all things; who was sent by you in your great goodness to be our Saviour. By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh; as your Son, born of the blessed Virgin, he lived on earth and went about among us; he opened wide his arms for us on the cross; he put an end to death by dying for us; and revealed the resurrection by rising to new life; so he fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and saying:

The choir sings Sanctus

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.

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.

Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of [N and] all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

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

As we join our prayers with those of the Church Universal, 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

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

O Domine Jesu Christe, adoro te in cruce vulneratum, felle et aceto potatum: deprecor te ut vulnera tua sint remedium animae meae.

O Lord Jesus Christ, I worship you, wounded on the cross, having drunk of gall and vinegar: I beseech you that your wounds might be the remedy of my soul.

Words: anonymous
Music: Francisco Guerrero (1528–99)

All stand to sing the Hymn

Brother, sister, let me serve you,
   let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
   let you be my servant too.

We are pilgrims on a journey,
   fellow trav'lers on the road;
we are here to help each other
   walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christ-light for you
   in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
   speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping;
   when you laugh, I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
   till we've seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven,
   we shall find such harmony,
born of all we've known together
   of Christ's love and agony.

Brother, sister, let me serve you,
   let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
   let you be my servant too.

Words: 'The Servant Song' Richard Gillard (b 1953) after Matthew 20: 27–28; Mark 10: 44–45; John 13: 14–15; Romans 12: 15; Galatians 6: 2
Tune: Richard Gillard

Let us pray.

All remain standing. The president says the Prayer after Communion

Holy God, we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ: may we who are partakers at his table reflect his life in word and deed, that all the world may know his power to change and save. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The president pronounces the Blessing

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

Music after the service

Fugue in E flat BWV 552ii, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

CHORISTERSHIPS AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Enquiries are welcomed at any time. 

If you have a daughter aged 10 or 11 who would like to sing with the St Margaret's Choristers, please contact the Director of Music at St Margaret's, Greg Morris (email). Further details can be found here.

If you have a son who enjoys singing and you would like further details of the world-renowned Abbey Choir and its unique choir school, please click here.

Dr Emma Margrett, Head, Westminster Abbey Choir School, Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3NY, 020 7222 6151 email

Mr Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers, The Chapter Office, 20 Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3PA, 020 7654 4854 email

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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.