Evensong at St. James in Remembrance of HM Queen Elizabeth II
On a warm mid-October afternoon more than six weeks following the death of Her Late Majesty, Elizabeth the Second, the Parish of St. James, the oldest Anglican parish in the City of Vancouver celebrated a Solemn Evensong. The Eucharist is the spiritual practice which grounds us and prepares all of us as Anglicans and Christians to go out into the world and be the Body of Christ, however, although it has been out of fashion for decades, Evensong remains a relevant and moving liturgy. It’s penitential tone and acknowledgement of the fragility of our mortality is a fitting vehicle for a memorial.
This Evensong had all the elements and more, including a homily which is not customarily part of the Office, but in recent years with the rarity of its celebration (at least in the Diocese of New Westminster) has increasingly included a sermon. The guest preacher, retired Dean of the Diocese of New Westminster and Rector of Christ Church Cathedral, the Very Reverend (TVR) Peter Elliott began his address with these two paragraphs:
“Like millions of others around the world we watched coverage of our late Queen’s funeral. Bringing together royal customs with the precision of military pageantry underscored by ceremonies of the Church of England made for an impressive and moving ceremony. Who will ever forget her late Majesty’s crown on her coffin in a gun carriage pulled by British sailors, or the soaring beauty of the music in Westminster Abbey?
But, of course, the combination of these three forces—monarchy, military and religion have also been a lethal force in the process of colonization here and throughout the world. The crown’s interests, aided with military might and the missionary zeal of the church too often trampled over territories here and elsewhere, imposing culture, religion, and values foreign to the people of the land.”
TVR Elliott went on to remark on Her Majesty’s relationship to Canada, her humanity and humility in relation to her privilege, her consistency, her relations with other leaders and her wisdom. To illustrate this last quality, he included this quote from former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams:
“When I held the role of archbishop of Canterbury, I had to meet a large number of ... leaders across the world; I can truthfully say that not one impressed me in the same way the queen did. Not one had the same degree of attentiveness, unpompous clarity of mind and response, lack of prickly or defensive reactions. She could be abrupt; she could be caustic; she had a powerful sense of the absurd and a real impatience with clichés and flannel. Yet her profound kindness was always in evidence, and her dry and deflating humor was a great gift in keeping matters in perspective.”[1]
The Very Reverend Elliott also wove the scriptures read that day into the fabric of his homily, particularly the Second Lesson, Matthew 5:1-12 aka The Beatitudes:
“Even though she lived a life of incomparable privilege and wealth, she was not immune to the sufferings of the human heart and held fast to a faith that helped define her character and gave her the wise and discerning mind for which she was well known. Jesus’s teaching in the beatitudes was not far from her life experience: she knew what it was like to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be a peacemaker, to hunger and thirst for justice, to be merciful and even to be reviled and persecuted. Set apart the particular role she inhabited for so long, she was respected more for her service, steadfastness, and kindness than for her royal prerogative. In so many ways she was blessed indeed.”
The music in worship led by Organist and Director of Music, Gerald Harder was truly beautiful with all the music (except for the hymns and organ postlude which was Fugue in E flat by J.S. Bach) composed by 20th Century composers. Music in worship included:
- Evening hymn – Henry Balfour Gardiner
- Paul Halley’s Responses
- Gerald Harder’s Setting of Psalm 67
- Magnificat and Nunc Dimitis, Collegium Regale setting – Herbert Howells
- Song for Athene – John Tavener.
TVR Elliott closed with these words and a quote from the ‘Bard’.
"As we mourn her death and celebrate her life there’s a verse Shakespeare’s play Cymbeline which comes to mind:
Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimneysweepers, come to dust.
Thanks be to God for the life, service, and witness of our late Queen Elizabeth II. May her rest be in peace and her dwelling place in the paradise of God."
(TVR Elliott's sermon is available on this website by following this link)
IMAGES
- The Clergy and Music Director for the October 16 liturgy: Preacher, the Very Reverend Peter Elliott; Celebrant, the Reverend Mtr. Amanda Ruston; Rector of the parish, the Venerable Fr. Kevin Hunt; Organist/Director of Music at St. James, Gerald Harder
- Gerald Harder rehearsing the Choir of St. James
- The procession in (two photos)
- Celebrant, the Reverend Mtr. Amanda Ruston
- Peggy Smyth shared the First Lesson, 1 Kings 3: 5-14
- John Daniel, OC reads the Beatitudes, Matthew 5: 1-12
- Censing the Celebrant and the altar during the Magnificat (three photos)
- The Very Reverend Peter Elliott preaching
- Members of the Choir
- Mother Amanda leads the prayers
[1] https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2022/09/queen-elizabeth-servant-of-god