We hope you enjoy this virtual playlist and readings for Evensong on Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent (March 30, 2022). In honor of Women’s History Month, and in reflection on the countless women’s voices that the church has unjustly silenced throughout history, this playlist is comprised of music written or performed by women.
“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” From Acts 2:17
Would you like to know more about what Evensong is all about? Check out our introduction in this post!
Would you like to just rest and listen to the music, without reading the whole service? Click here to listen to the playlist!
A Virtual Evensong for Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent
Introit
With Prayer and Supplication
from Three Choral Responses, Op. 8
Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944)
With prayer and supplication
Let your requests be made known unto God,
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
Shall keep your hearts and minds
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Philippians 4:6,7
OPENING SENTENCE
I will bless the Lord, who giveth me counsel; my heart teacheth me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall.
Psalm 16:7,8
CONfession of Sin
Officiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
All: Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep,
we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts,
we have offended against thy holy laws,
we have left undone those things which we ought to have done,
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us,
spare thou those who confess their faults,
restore thou those who are penitent,
according to thy promises declared unto mankind
in Christ Jesus our Lord;
and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,
to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
Officiant: The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and
remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of
life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen.
THE INVITATORY
From Preces and Responses by Janet Wheeler
Officiant: O Lord, open thou our lips.
People: And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Officiant: O God, make speed to save us.
People: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Officiant and People: 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. Amen. Praise ye the Lord. The Lord’s Name be praised.
Phos Hilaron
Plainsong
O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing thy praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Thou art worthy at all times to be praised by joyous voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
THE PSALTER
Psalm 145 Exaltabo te, Deus
Sarum chant
I WILL magnify thee, O God, my King: and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever.
Every day will I give thanks unto thee: and praise thy Name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and marvellous worthy to be praised: there is no end of his greatness.
One generation shall praise thy works unto another: and declare thy power.
As for me, I will be talking of thy worship: thy glory, thy praise, and wondrous works;
So that men shall speak of the might of thy marvellous acts: and I will also tell of thy greatness.
The memorial of thine abundant kindness shall be shewed: and men shall sing of thy righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and merciful: long-suffering and of great goodness.
The Lord is loving unto every man: and his mercy is over all his works.
All thy works praise thee, O Lord: and thy saints give thanks unto thee.
They shew the glory of thy kingdom: and talk of thy power;
That thy power, thy glory, and mightiness of thy kingdom: might be known unto men.
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom: and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages.
The Lord upholdeth all such as fall: and lifteth up all those that are down.
The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord: and thou givest them their meat in due season.
Thou openest thine hand: and fillest all things living with plenteousness.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways: and holy in all his works.
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him: yea, all such as call upon him faithfully.
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will help them.
The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but scattereth abroad all the ungodly.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy Name for ever and ever.
THE FIRST LESSON
The Lord’s love for Israel is compared to that of a mother for her children.
Isaiah 49:8–15
Thus says the Lord:
In a time of favor I have answered you,
on a day of salvation I have helped you;
I have kept you and given you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages;
saying to the prisoners, “Come out,”,
to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.”
They shall feed along the ways,
on all the bare heights shall be their pasture;
they shall not hunger or thirst,
neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
and by springs of water will guide them.
And I will turn all my mountains into a road,
and my highways shall be raised up.
Lo, these shall come from far away,
and lo, these from the north and from the west,
and these from the land of Syene.
Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people,
and will have compassion on his suffering ones.
But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
my Lord has forgotten me.”
Can a woman forget her nursing-child,
or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you.
MAGNIFICAT
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 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 SECOND LESSON
Hearing the voice of the Son of God.
John 5:19-29
Jesus said to the Jews, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.
“Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”
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 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 APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS & Responses
Officiant: The Lord be with you.
People: And with thy spirit.
Officiant: Let us pray.
Officiant and People:
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
The Suffrages
Officiant: O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
People: And grant us thy salvation.
Officiant: O Lord, save the Queen. In the USA, this line is omitted, and later is inserted, “Lord, keep this nation under your care.”
People: And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Officiant: Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
People: And make thy chosen people joyful.
Officiant: O Lord, save thy people.
People: And bless thine inheritance.
Officiant: Give peace in our time, O Lord.
People: Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
Officiant: O God, make clean our hearts within us.
People: And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
THE COLLECTS
This recording omits the collects but includes an Amen for each. You may read the collects here.
O Lord our God, you sustained your ancient people in the wilderness with bread from heaven: Feed now your pilgrim flock with the food that endures to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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.
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.
motet
O Ye Who Taste That Love is Sweet
O ye who taste that Love is sweet,
Set waymarks for the doubtful feet
That stumble on in search of it.
Sing hymns of Love, that those who hear
Far off in pain may lend an ear
Rise up and wonder and draw near.
Lead lives of Love, that others who
Behold your lives may kindle too
With Love and cast their lots with you.
From “What Good Shall My Life Do Me?” by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)
a prayer of st. chrysostom
Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee; and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting.
Amen.
benediction
Peace I Leave with You
from Three Choral Responses, Op. 8
Peace I leave with you,
My peace I give unto you.
Not as the world giveth give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled.
John 14:27
Final Responses
Officiant: The Lord be with you
People: And with thy spirit.
Officiant: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Cover image: Painting of Saint Cecilia (Florentine school) in the Castle of Chenonceau, Indre-et-Loire, France