Choral Evensong: an opportunity for rest in the midst of a busy week
What is Evensong?
Sung at the close of day in Cathedrals and churches throughout the world, Choral Evensong is a service of Evening Prayer, derived from the ancient offices of Vespers and Compline. The choir sings the traditional evening prayers of the church that have been offered for centuries, while the congregation listens, joins in the hymns, and adds their own prayers to those of the choir. Choral Evensong is an opportunity for peaceful meditation in the midst of a busy week.
Evensong Meaning at Epiphany—A Tradition that Transcends Time, Place, and Religious Affiliation:
Evensong is part of the worship which is offered to God by people in every part of the world throughout the day and night. When you come to a Choral Evensong service at Epiphany, it is as if you were dropping in on an evening prayer that acts as a conversation already in progress—a conversation between God and his people, which began long before you were born and will continue long after you are dead.
Evensong is drawn almost entirely from the Bible. The primary purpose of an Evensong service is to proclaim the wonderful works of God in history and in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its second purpose is to evoke from the worshipper a response of praise, penitence, evening prayer, and obedience. Much of the English of an Evensong service is the language spoken and written by our ancestors more than four hundred years ago; it may sound old-fashioned but Evensong’s meaning is not out of date. It is our hope that your prayers may join with ours in our offering of evening prayer and worship.