Welcome to the Lady Chapel Evensong for Christmas! For those who are joining us for the first time, Evensong is an Episcopal / Anglican service of evening prayer that follows a set order of hymns, psalms, readings, and prayers. You can listen via the audio player above or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want to follow along in the Book of Common Prayer, we’re on page 117. Or you can follow the order of service below. We’ve got a special addition this time. My husband Will gave a Christmas Eve sermon a few years ago that inspired the song, so I got him to read it for us here. I didn’t include the text, but if you’d like it, just send me an email! Merry Christmas, friends! - Allie
Order of Service for Evensong
A brief welcome from my daughter
Opening Responses (also called Preces, which in Latin means prayers)
Then follows
Evening Hymn: O Gracious Light (Phos hilaron)
Then follows
The Psalm (read by Meg Settle)
Psalm 98
1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things.
2 With his right hand and his holy arm has he won for himself the victory.
3 The Lord has made known his victory; his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
5 Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands; lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
6 Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the voice of song.
7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy before the King, the Lord.
8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, the lands and those who dwell therein.
9 Let the rivers clap their hands, and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord, when he comes to judge the earth.
10 In righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with equity.
Then follows
The Lesson (read by Rev. Dr. Zac Settle)
A Reading from the letter to Titus
When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Here ends the Reading.
Then follows
The Song of Mary (Magnificat)
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer - Sung to the tune of "Lifting Up the Lowly" (music coming soon) 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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Christmas by Lacy Clark Ellman
Emmanuel, God-With-Us—fully human and fully divine—as we celebrate your birth, may your spirit and message be born anew in our hearts just as you were born in a stable on that dark night long ago, so that we might continue to encounter you in unexpected places and be forever awestruck by the simplicity and significance of your everlasting love. Amen.
Sermon by Rev. Dr. Will Levanway
A hymn is sung. Intercessions can be offered aloud or in silence.
The service closes with
Amen.
Lacy Clark Ellman wrote our collect for Christmas. She is a spiritual director and pilgrimage guide. You can learn more about her here.
This podcast was mixed by Meg Settle and mastered by Edsel Holden. It was recorded at the downtown branch of the Chattanooga Public Library.
Thank you to Chase Floyd for playing guitar and harmonica on O Gracious Light and Lifting Up the Lowly.
Thank you to Rev. Claire Brown, Rev. Dr. Zac Settle, Rev. Murdock Jones, Rev. Casey Andrew Perkins, and Chase Floyd for sharing your beautiful voices in this service.
Thank you to Mary Erskine for notating these charts.
One final note: the liturgical nerds will notice some pieces of the service missing - I’m still working on it. You can pray for my soul in the meantime :)
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