Evensong is a service called Daily Evening Prayer, taken directly from the Book of Common Prayer.  It can be found in the section entitled “The Daily Office,” page 61 (Rite One) or page 115 (Rite Two).  At Trinity, we offer Choral (sung) Evensong just one or two times a year, but, as the heading says, it is meant to be a Daily Office, a habitual time spent at the closing of each day with God.

Evensong at Trinity includes scripture readings particular to the day, a sermon, prayer and music.  Scripture can always speak to us, and the message will surely exhort and encourage us. But the music is what will move us. With apologies to Bob Seger, Evensong is “the kind of music that soothes the soul.”

 Preces & Responses

On Sunday, the choir, after processing, will begin by singing the Preces (the plural of the Latin word prex, which means prayer) and the Responses.  These are sung in a versicle and response style, (one person sings a line of the prayer, and the choir responds with another).  This is one of the oldest forms of prayer, coming from the Hebrew Temple Worship traditions.

Invitatory

Next, the choir sings the Invitatory, the Phos Hilaron, (Φῶς Ἱλαρόν).  Written originally in New Testament Greek, this song, translated as “Gracious Light,” is the earliest known Christian hymn recorded outside the Bible that is still in use today.

Psalmody

After the Phos Hilaron, the choir sings the Psalmody appointed for the day, Psalm 8 this year, using Anglican Chant.  Singing the Psalms is always appropriate, since the word Psalm means “song.”

 1st Lesson & Magnificat

Then comes the reading of the first lesson, followed by The Magnificat, or Song of Mary.   This Canticle, taken directly from Luke 1:46-55, is what young Mary said so beautifully when she learned God’s plan for her life.

 Second Lesson & Nunc Dimittus

The second lesson is read, and the choir responds by singing the Nunc Dimittis, or Song of Simeon.  From Luke 2:29-32, this is a quote from Simeon, a “righteous and devout” man of Jerusalem, when he encountered young Jesus being presented at the temple.  Luke 2:28 says “Simeon took him (Jesus) in his arms and praised God, saying…” followed by the lyrics you’ll hear in the Nunc Dimittis.  Just imagine what it must have been like for Simeon to hold the little Jesus in his arms, knowing he was the promised savior.

 Sermon & Hymn

The Choir and Congregation then joins in to sing a hymn chosen by our sermoner.  The hymn chosen is “O, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing.”  Be sure to listen for two different Descants from the Choristers and Trebles during verses four and six.  We will then hear a message from our guest, the beloved former Rector of Trinity, the Reverend Canon Francis Howard.

 Preces

We all join together to chant the Apostles’ Creed on one tone after the sermon, and the Choir leads worship with additional Preces (prayers) and Responses, called the Suffrages.  We then chant the traditional Anglican Lord’s Prayer.  Plainchant, also called Plainsong, had its origins in the earliest Christian Church, perhaps even the first century AD.  While not using the same language as the earliest apostles, you are likely chanting the prayer in a style they might have used.

Collects

Three Collects, which collect all of our prayers and offer them up to God are then chanted by a cantor on a single note.

 Anthem

After a greeting from our rector, the Reverend Canon Thomas Furrer, the Choir sings an Anthem of Praise.  This year the anthem chosen by Director of Music Mary Rose DiGiovanna is entitled appropriately, “Praise.”

Closing Hymn

We give thanks to God, and then end our service with the lovely Anglican hymn ‘The Day Thou Gavest,” written in 1870, and sung at Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Evensong gathers devout music traditions from the very earliest recorded times up to the present, and offers them up to God.  This service is a beautiful reminder that, for thousands of years, the faithful have gathered to praise God in many of the same ways that we still do today.  Trinity’s continuation of this tradition is helping to ensure that thousands of years from now, our descendants will still be lifting these unchanging praises to our unchanging Lord.  From the first recorded praise song in Exodus 15 to the time when, indeed, every knee shall bow, we are blessed to be a part of the melody line.

Come join us in the song.  See you Sunday, May 6, 2012 at 4:30pm.

Note:  Evensong will be followed by an English Tea reception in the Parish Hall, including a special “Tea Party Table” for the little ones (hats and gloves optional).  Free Childcare is available during the entire program in the church nursery.

But is chanting our way through the Creed, unthinking, to get to the other end really in our best interest?  (Check! Onto the Prayers…).

Is it in the best interest of the God to whom we pray?

The word Credo, from where we get our modern word Creed, is Latin for…

“I believe.”

Are we really stating what we believe when we recite the creed?

Check out this video and let us know what you think.

Trinity's Nave, immediately after the new floor was installed

Welcome to Trinity’s new Blog!  We definitely plan for this to be a place to hear from some of Trinity’s rockstars, (that is probably not the way they would describe themselves, but I think it definitely fits), but you are also invited to share your thoughts, your stories, and your faith here.  Our church, after all, isn’t a building (although we are a little fond of our beautiful church campus); our church is a body of believers, working and growing and serving and learning and loving together, all for the sake of our Lord.

I think of this new blog space as empty, and expectant:  kind of like the photo taken after our new floors were installed a couple of years ago.  Right now, we’re not sure what will fill this blog, but I’m sure it will be a place of blessing.  Just as many came together to fill the space of our nave after our new floors were installed, carrying in the pews and kneelers, carefully placing the hymnals and BCPs into their racks, filling the building with prayer, and song, and worship, I’m hoping you will be a part of filling this blog space.  If you think you just might want to try to write a guest blog of any length for this site, please contact the webmaster by clicking here.  You can tell us what you like about Trinity.  Talk about how you saw God working today.  Let us know about your favorite hymn, your best pot-luck recipe, or why you go to the Sunday service that you attend.  Share a photo you took at Trinity.  Post a video you made.  Be a part of it.  If you want editing assistance, we can help.  If you want anonymity, we can offer that, too.

Until then, check back often to see what’s here.  If you’ve Liked us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, you’ll be the first to know about a new post.  I know I look forward to seeing what will fill the space here, on Trinity’s Blog.

Now, go in peace to love (and blog about) the Lord!

Carolyn