Worship > Sundays > Road Map to 7 PM Evensong Worship Service
Road Map to the 7 PM Evensong Worship Service
We welcome you to our 7 PM Evensong or Bach Vespers worship service. It is our hope that this guide will give you a sense of the service and answer any questions you might have, particularly if this is your first time attending an Evensong service. If we’ve forgotten something, please ask.
As You Arrive
There are two entrances to our worship space – the front doors on Bloor Street and the ramp entrance on Avenue Road. Pushing the round paddle on the wall to the left of the door at the top of the ramp will open it for you.
Wheelchair accessible washrooms are located to the left as you come in the Bloor Street doors. In the area at the back of the worship space you will find a number of print resources about the parish.
Preparing for Worship
The service takes place in the main worship space. If you arrive early, wander around looking at the stained glass windows is a good way to orient yourself to the space. There is a prayer request list on the lectern in the centre aisle. If you would like to add names of family and friends to this list, please do.
Please sit where you feel most comfortable. We use the Book of Alternative Services at all of our services. The leaflet contains all of the prayers and the hymn numbers as well as notices of upcoming events. You are welcome to take the leaflet home with you.
The Worship Service
The presider enters the worship space led by the crucifer. We stand when they begin their procession. The service begins with a sung call and response and then we sing a hymn.
During the first reading all are seated. This is followed by a psalm where the congregation joins in for all verses bolded in the service leaflet. We listen to a reading from the Epistles of the Christian scriptures. We stand for the singing of the Magnificat (Song of Mary), sit for the gospel reading, and then stand again for the Song of Simeon.
We sit as the presider offers a brief reflection on the readings. Five minutes of silence follow to allow us to meditate on this theme. At the end of the five minutes, the schola (the choir of four voices) sings an anthem. When the service is a Vespers one, the time for silent reflection is reduced and the offering of the Bach Canata helps to form our time of prayerful response. Please remain seated.
The service comes to a conclusion when we stand to sing a hymn while the collection plate is passed. If you’d like to make an offering to support our work, please place it in the plate as it reaches you. After the hymn, the presider leads us in prayer concluding with the Lord's prayer, the dismissal and the final hymn. During this hymn the crucifer leads the presider out.
Following the Service
As you leave, a member of the clergy and worship leadership team are waiting to welcome you.
To download a PDF version of this road map, please click here.