Welcome to the Christmas Lady Chapel evensong. Evensong is an Episcopal / Anglican service of evening prayer that follows a set order of hymns, psalms, readings, and prayers.

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 on the lady chapel Substack. Merry Christmas, friends :) - Allie

Order of Service for Evensong

A brief welcome from my daughter

Opening Responses

Evening Hymn: O Gracious Light (Phos hilaron)

The Psalm

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.

The Lesson

A Reading from 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. (Titus 3:4-7)

The Song of Mary (Magnificat): Lifting Up the Lowly

The Apostles’ Creed

The Lord’s Prayer

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.

A hymn is sung. Intercessions can be offered aloud or in silence.

Closing Responses

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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 working on it. You can pray for my soul in the meantime :)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ladychapel.substack.com