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Minster Evensong?

Jonathan Hassell and Rachel Backhurst find out that it’s better late than never

Goatees are in this year. At least for choristers anyway. Which is unusual to find in circumstances so traditional. Sunday afternoon saw five distinctly dressed students hurrying down the Nave of the Minster, late as usual, but for quite a different service to normal. Sunday Evensong in the Minster starts at 4pm, early enough to eat and catch another service elsewhere afterwards, should you so desire. And you certainly might, considering the service gives ample inspiration but not much chance of personal response and worship.

For the uninitiated, the traditional element of Cathedral worship can inspire and confuse at the same time. The beautiful music, so capturing God’s splendour, is accompanied by many odd chances for parting company with your seat and standing, lead by those who know what they’re doing and, possibly, for what purpose. Actually, this was one of the only chances for participation in the service, the other being a hymn at the end, during the collection. Even the Creed was sung, depriving the congregation of an opportunity to unite with the choir in professing their collective faith.

Here is the crux: the choir are the service. Evensong seems much more of a concert held for God’s glory rather than a service. Certainly the choir are serving God; whether the congregation are given a chance to is debatable. You could sit back and be inspired by the singing of beautiful anthems and settings of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittus, and play the age-old game of trying to spot a lyric or two in the singing of the Psalm. The sung prayers, however, seemed to lack feeling and the passion needed to lead the unspoken prayers of the congregation; musical precision reigns over sincerity here.

The overall feeling, however, was one of a sense of God’s beauty, constancy and power. Everything about the service was beautiful: from the magnificence of the Minster building itself to the service sheets to guide you through, and the knowledge that you are participating in a cycle of worship which stretches back into history.

Evensong: here the curious tourist mingles with the most dedicated Churchgoer, both gaining inspiration from God through the splendour of tradition. Unfortunately for the tourist, Christianity can easily be mistaken for some cosy mysticism, as what sermon there was never really took the time to situate the timeless, ageless Trinity in normal life outside the formal Cathedral traditions where it seems so close.

Jonathan Hassell and Rachel Backhurst

Magnus Smyly offers his own views of the Minster Evensong in Issue 36
Further information from Magnus appears in Issue 38

Last modified: 25th November 2005