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Choral Evensong at Saint James’
"Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." Psalm 141:2
It’s
late on Sunday afternoon: the day is drawing to a close, and ahead lies a busy
week. Before it begins, Evensong
presents us with a time of quiet contemplation and prayer. Words and music come
together to enrich each other, to calm and uplift our souls as we pray.
Over the last few decades Evensong, one of
the most beautiful services of the Anglican Communion, has become relatively
rare. While still often said
or sung in cathedrals, sometimes daily, it is no longer common in parish
churches. We in the Church of Saint
James the Apostle, Manotick, are continuing the centuries-old tradition. Twice
each year we invite all Christians throughout Ottawa to
join us at 4:30 pm in celebrating this ancient office.
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (1489 – 1586) created the service of Evensong through the fusion of Vespers and Compline, which were part of the daily cycle of prayer in medieval monasteries. The service is drawn almost entirely from the Bible. Its primary purpose is an act of praise to God, proclaiming the miracle of His presence in history and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its secondary purpose is to evoke from the worshipper a response of praise, penitence, prayer and obedience. In addition to the reading of the psalms and lessons, two evocative passages from the New Testament are set to music. The Magnificat is the song of Mary, her hymn of praise to God as she became aware that she was to be the mother of Jesus. The Nunc Dimittis is the song of Simeon, a song of thanksgiving by a man who had waited all his life to see the Messiah.
Proponents of Choral Evensong believe singing adds a valuable dimension to the spiritual experience of worship. As St. Augustine said, “Anyone who sings, prays twice.”
