Choral Evensong: A warm
dark evening; 27 persons gather in the chancel of the
great church, the choir sings the opening responses. We
settle into that great movement of God's dealings with
humanity: tonight Psalm 95, 'Come let sing unto the
Lord. he is the Lord our God.'; the story of
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being saved in the fiery
furnace; the song of
Mary, Matthew's account and interpretation of the parable
of the wheat and the tares; the song of Simeon. Then our
response to this account of God's dealings with the world
he loves so much: our profession of faith in the
Apostles' Creed and our prayer for the kingdom; the set
prayers, prayer for the peace of the world and for the
police of London in the week of President Bush's visit,
for those baptised that afternoon, for those ill and in
trouble, for our own dedication. Around this the hymns: O
thou who camest from above, Be thou my guardian and my
guide; Soldiers of Christ arise and put your armour on.
How better after the morning Eucharist to praise God for
his doings and to receive words to help us live better in
the week ahead. The
next Choral Evensong at All Saints is at
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