Returning to the Office: Morning Prayer, Evensong, Compline
Dear Trinity,
One of the many ways that we will explore this year’s theme, “Held in Common,” is to learn more how we worship in communion with others across the globe through The Book of Common Prayer. Dating from 1549, with many revisions and geographical variants, the BCP provides structures for our liturgies, notably the Holy Eucharist and the Daily Offices of Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evensong, and Compline. These offices, non-Eucharistic forms of liturgy, can be traced to ancient monastic forms of worship which mark different times of the day through prayer. While Morning Prayer was once the primary Sunday morning service in most Anglican churches, revisions to the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer in 1979, designated the Holy Eucharist as “the principal act of Christian worship on the Lord’s Day” in most parishes in the United States. (see BCP, p. 13)
At Trinity, as at the majority of churches and cathedrals throughout the Anglican Communion, the Eucharist has become central to our common worship life. Morning Prayer, Evensong, and Compline remain important ways in which Episcopalians pray. Trinity parishioners come together on Zoom each Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 pm, praying a short service of Compline to mark conclusion of the day. Morning Prayer will be celebrated at 10 am in months with five Sundays beginning this Sunday, September 29.
Choral Evensong is officiated each Wednesday at 5:45 pm, and worshippers come to Trinity from their nearby hotels, meetings, and workplaces to attend. The leaders of this service, the Trinity Choristers, flock to Copley Square from school, sports practice, dance rehearsal, and other activities to live out a centuries-old worship tradition of the Anglican Church. In leading Evensong, they often develop a deep love of the psalms, canticles, responses, and other prayers which date back to the oldest versions of the BCP. These young singers, a great hope for the church of the future, are very much the church of today.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 25, all families are especially invited for a special Evensong at 5:45 pm followed by a welcome reception in the Commons for families to gather, eat, and learn about family ministries at Trinity, ending with a tour of our historic space!
This coming summer, the Choristers and Trinity Choir will create an even deeper connection to our tradition on their triennial England Pilgrimage, joining our full choir to sing Choral Evensong each night for one week at Canterbury Cathedral and one week at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. As they prepare for this pilgrimage, please plan to join the Trinity choirs for Choral Evensong at 2 pm on the first Sunday of each month, beginning on February 2, the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple, or Candlemas.
I hope you will find an opportunity to come experience these important beats in Trinity’s worship rhythm. And as always, please email me directly if you know of a child (aged 8 or above) who might be interested in singing!
See you in church!
Colin Lynch
Director of Music
