First Sunday of the Month
6.00 pm
Experience Choral Evensong in the stunning surroundings of St Mary’s Church, Whitkirk.
The liturgy of Choral Evensong was first written down in 1549 in Archbishop Thomas Cranmer’s Book of Common Prayer. Several revisions to the book were made over subsequent years with the definitive version published in 1662. Renowned for the beauty and richness of its language, including Myles Coverdale’s translation of the psalms, the 1662 edition of the Book of Common Prayer remains the official prayer book of the Church of England.
The service is a combination of two of the seven offices (services) that made up the daily round of monastic prayer, namely the evening offices of Vespers and Compline. Choral Evensong is a beautiful service and its 472-year old choral music tradition gives a powerful sense of connecting the present with the past.
Choral Evensong at St Mary’s Whitkirk takes place on the first Sunday of the month at 6.00pm. The service includes three hymns, two readings from the Bible, a sermon and prayers. As well as the three hymns, the choristers sing a psalm, the Magnificat, the Nunc Dimittis and an anthem.
All are welcome.
Upcoming services
The Choral Evensong Trust website lists services of Choral Evensong throughout the British Isles, including at St Mary’s.