What is Evensong? Choral Evensong is an informal name for the sung service of Evening Prayer in the Anglican tradition. It is based on the monastic offices of prayer of the medieval church—a combined service of the evening office of Vespers and the nighttime office of Compline—and was incorporated into the first Book of Common Prayer in 1549. Today Evensong is celebrated around the world as a beautiful, contemplative service marking the end of the day and filled with music and prayer, often in the language of those early prayer books.

Since most of the service of Choral Evensong is sung by the choir to musical settings that draw on the rich repertoire of choral music composed specifically for the service, the congregation participates mainly through attentive meditation on the words of Holy Scripture and prayer, either said or set to music. We invite all to celebrate the end of the Lord’s Day in this contemplative service of prayer, music, and reflection.

St. Bartholomew’s celebrates Evensong generally on the first Sunday of the month, October through June. All are invited to the reception following Evensong and most other special services, sponsored by members of the parish and the Hospitality Committee.