Choral Evensong: February 25, 2021 Thursday in the First Week of Lent Welcome to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church We are glad you are on this journey with us in this season of all-virtual worship. If we experience technical difficulties during the service, we will pause the service until the issue is resolved and the livestream has resumed. You are the congregation; there is no worship without you. As we gather for worship together in our different locations, we are making different choices of how to participate. Some are standing, sitting, and kneeling as they would in church, and singing with enthusiasm. Others are participating in silence. Please know that, just as you are welcome to “come as you are” in the physical church, so we hope you will participate here “as you will.” Please join us after the service for a virtual reception on Zoom by clicking on this link: https://zoom.us/j/97702326369?pwd=ZitpandhSGRYcURJZmk2bzhrbVFmUT09 or by entering this info: Meeting ID: 977 0232 6369 Passcode: 338166 We Depend on Your Generous Support! Please remember that though the physical church is closed, our financial needs continue. We are committed to offering ongoing financial support to those in need through our fundamental partners in outreach ministry, to paying our staff, maintaining our buildings and grounds, and offering worship and formation opportunities. Please give generously to support our mission and ministries in one or more of the following ways: • Go to the St. Andrew’s website (www.standrewdenver.org) and use the Donate button at the bottom of the page using a credit or debit card. • Text to donate: text to 310-582-5828 (For your first text you will have to set up an account and provide a credit/debit card number. After that it is as easy as texting! Please contact our Treasurer Bob Mosher ([email protected]) for details on setting this up.) • Automatic withdrawal: arrange for a monthly (or any frequency) withdrawal directly from your checking account. No need to remember whether you have donated or not. (To set this up there is a simple form. Contact our Treasurer Bob Mosher ([email protected]) for details) • Mail your check to the church (2015 Glenarm Place, Denver CO 80205) Choral Evensong: February 25, 2021 Thursday in the First Week of Lent Derived from the ancient monastic evening offices of Vespers and Compline, Evensong (literally “Evening Song”) is an almost entirely sung service. Thomas Cranmer, the first Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, combined the above two Roman Catholic monastic offices into one Anglican lay office, characterized by the chanting of psalms and the singing of the principal canticles from each – the Magnificat from Vespers and the Nunc dimittis from Compline. This felicitous pairing, and the mystical atmosphere of a church at dusk, have fired the imaginations of many of the Anglican Church’s greatest musicians. Please note that the texts to some of the sung items may differ slightly from what is printed in the modern Book of Common Prayer, particularly the Suffrages. Numbers preceded by “BCP” are found in the Book of Common Prayer (Black Book) Numbers preceded by “S” are in the front portion of the 1982 Hymnal (Red Book) The Organ Voluntary: Méditation (from Symphonie I) Charles Marie Widor (1844-1937) Word of Welcome The Invitatory and Psalter The Invitatory: Preces Thomas Tomkins (1576-1623) Officiant O Lord, open thou our lips; Choir And our mouth shall show forth thy praise. Officiant O God, make speed to save us; Choir O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; Choir As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen. Officiant Praise ye the Lord; Choir The Lord’s Name be praised. The Canticle of Light: O Lord, the maker of all things William Mundy (d. 1591) O Lord, the maker of all things, we pray thee now in this evening us to defend through thy mercy from all deceits of our enemies; Let neither us deluded be, Good Lord, from dream or fantasy, our hearts waking in thee thou keep, that we in sin fall not on sleep. O Father, through thy blessed Son grant us this our petition, to whom with the Holy Ghost always in heaven and earth be laud and praise. Amen. paraphrase of the Phos hilaron, 3rd Century Greek Hymn The King’s Primer, 1545 The People sit. All stand when the Choir concludes the psalm with the Gloria Patri (“Glory to the Father…”) The Psalm: 138 Confitebor; Plainchant: Tone V.a. 1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; * before the gods I will sing your praise. 2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your Name, * because of your love and faithfulness; 3 For you have glorified your Name * and your word above all things. 4 When I called, you answered me; * you increased my strength within me. 5 All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, * when they have heard the words of your mouth. 6 They will sing of the ways of the Lord, * that great is the glory of the Lord. 7 Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; * he perceives the haughty from afar. 8 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; * you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right hand shall save me. 9 The Lord will make good his purpose for me; * O Lord, your love endures for ever; do not abandon the works of your hands. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; * As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Lessons The First Lesson Esther 14:1-6, 12-14 Then Queen Esther, seized with deadly anxiety, fled to the Lord. She took off her splendid apparel and put on the garments of distress and mourning, and instead of costly perfumes she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she utterly humbled her body; every part that she loved to adorn she covered with her tangled hair. She prayed to the Lord God of Israel, and said: ‘O my Lord, you only are our king; help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, for my danger is in my hand. Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations, and our ancestors from among all their forebears, for an everlasting inheritance, and that you did for them all that you promised. And now we have sinned before you, and you have handed us over to our enemies. Remember, O Lord; make yourself known in this time of our affliction, and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of all dominion! Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate the man who is fighting against us, so that there may be an end of him and those who agree with him. But save us by your hand, and help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, O Lord. The People stand. The Magnificat Healey Willan (1880-1968) Fauxbourdons Evening Service 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. 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 People sit. The Second Lesson Matthew 7:7-12 ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.’ The People stand. The Nunc dimittis Healey Willan Fauxbourdons Evening Service 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.