Westminster Abbey A Service to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies Wednesday 6 May 2009 11.00 am HISTORICAL NOTE NAFAS, the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies, is an educational charity dedicated to the promotion of the artistic use of all types of plant material through the medium of its flower clubs for both adults and children. NAFAS is concerned about the environment and members uphold the principles of conservation and preservation of rare and endangered plants and flowers. With approximately 1,300 clubs and 75,000 members throughout the United Kingdom, NAFAS is in a unique position to encourage the art of flower arranging through demonstrations, classes, exhibitions, festivals, and show-work. NAFAS is affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society and is a founder member of the World Association of Flower Arrangers. The many member Clubs throughout the British Isles, and also a number of the overseas associates, have been and continue to be responsible for thousands of cathedral and church festivals. It encourages a very high standard of artistic beauty and meticulous organisation. Festivals have varied in scope from simple ones in country churches using only garden flowers to resplendent spectacles involving hundreds of flower arrangers in St Paul’s Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey. 2 Most of the church, with the exception of the North Transept, is served by a hearing loop. Users should turn their hearing aid to the setting marked T. Please ensure that mobile phones, cellular phones, and pagers are switched OFF. The service is conducted by The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster. The service is sung by the Westminster Abbey Special Service Choir, conducted by James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers. The organ is played by Robert Quinney, Sub-Organist. Music before the service: James McVinnie, Assistant Organist, plays: Allegro maestoso from Sonata in G Op 28 Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Sonata in C minor Percy Whitlock (1903-46) ii. Canzona iii. Scherzetto The Lord Mayor of Westminster Locum Tenens is received at the Great West Door by The Dean and Chapter of Westminster. All stand as The Lord Mayor Locum Tenens is conducted to his seat in the Quire, and then sit. 3 4 ORDER OF SERVICE All stand as the Choir and Clergy move to the Great West Door. The Choir sings THE INTROIT EEP me as the apple of an eye: hide me under the shadow of thy K wings. Humphrey Clucas (b 1941) Psalm 17: 8 All remain standing to sing THE HYMN during which the Collegiate Procession moves to places in the Quire and Sacrarium LL creatures of our God and King, A lift up your voice and with us sing Alleluia, alleluia! Thou burning sun with golden beam, thou silver moon with softer gleam: O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Thou rushing wind that art so strong, ye clouds that sail in heaven along, O praise him, Alleluia! Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice, ye lights of evening, find a voice: Thou flowing water, pure and clear, make music for thy Lord to hear, Alleluia, alleluia! Thou fire so masterful and bright, that givest man both warmth and light: 5 Dear mother earth, who day by day unfoldest blessings on our way, O praise him, Alleluia! The flowers and fruits that in thee grow, let them his glory also show: Let all things their Creator bless, and worship him in humbleness, O praise him, Alleluia! Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, three in One: Lasst uns erfreuen 263 NEH Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) translated by William Draper (1855-1933) after a melody in Geistliche Kirchengesäng Cologne, 1623 All remain standing. The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster, says THE BIDDING ELCOME to Westminster Abbey. Many of you have been actively W engaged in preparing for this flower festival and for this service. Your work has added contemporary freshness to this venerable building, which is itself both ancient and forever new. On behalf of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, I thank you all. We come to praise almighty God for his wonderful creation, to rejoice in the beauty of flowers, to celebrate the gifts of flower arrangers, and to delight in the fifty-year history and wide reach of the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies. O all ye green things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord. O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord. Let us praise him and magnify him for ever. The Song of the Three 54; 60 6 All sit. Pat Martin, Chairman, Westminster Abbey Festival of Flowers Committee 2009, reads 1 CHRONICLES 16: 29-34 SCRIBE to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and Acome before him. Worship the Lord in holy splendour; tremble before him, all the earth. The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord is king!’ Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. All remain seated. The Choir sings BENEDICITE ALL ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and O magnify him for ever. O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye waters that be above the firmament, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye sun, and moon, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye showers, and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye winds of God, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye dews, and frosts, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye frost and cold, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. 7 O ye ice and snow, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye nights, and days, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye lightnings, and clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O let the earth bless the Lord: yea, let it praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye mountains, and hills, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O all ye green things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye wells, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye seas, and floods, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. All ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O all ye beasts, and cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O let Israel bless the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever. LORY be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; G as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen. Malcolm Archer (b 1952) The Song of the Three 35-65 8 All remain seated. Dorothy Irvin, NAFAS National President, reads PHILIPPIANS 4: 2-9 URGE Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. I Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 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.