What Is Evensong?

This unique church service invites us to experience the beauty of tradition and worship together through music.

Evensong is a prayer service set to music that has deep roots in ancient Christian monasticism and the 16th-century Reformation of the English church. Customarily held near sunset, it’s a sacred moment to mark the passage of time.

“Evensong offers the opportunity to both look back at what’s been done and gently ready yourself for what’s to come,” says the Rev. Yein Kim, a priest and the associate director of Sacramental Life and Membership at Trinity. “It’s one of the oldest forms of worship in the Anglican tradition, and it’s been practiced for centuries by Christian communities across the world.”

The service comes from an established cadence of prayer throughout the day known as the Daily Office. Evensong combines elements from Vespers, or Evening Prayer; and Compline, or Night Prayer.

“In the cacophony of our modern world, Evensong gives us a gift: the chance to encounter the divine through rhythms and melodies passed to us through the ages, from saints who’ve walked the path before us,” says the Rev. Michael Bird, Trinity’s Vicar. “It’s an expression of our unity in God’s all-encompassing love.”

The heart of Choral Evensong is awe and transcendence, and we feel that together.

The service lasts about 40 minutes and features readings from the Bible, two songs from Luke’s Gospel (Mary’s Magnificat and the Nunc dimittis, also known as the Song of Simeon), and the Apostles’ Creed, among a collection of prayers and music. Outlined in the Book of Common Prayer, the structure and substance of Evensong remain constant, though the Scripture readings and musical settings change each week. 

“There’s a clear sequence to Evensong. It’s designed to be experienced from beginning to end,” says Mother Yein. “There’s a particular beauty to the ritual — to something we’ve inherited from our ancestors in the faith. You learn what to expect through repetition, and it becomes part of you. I know it by heart, not brain.”

Each Evensong is led by a different Trinity ensemble, including the Trinity Choir, the Trinity Youth Chorus, St. Paul’s Chapel Choir, and Downtown Voices. Their voices carry the service, at times blending with the congregation’s singing and accompanied by the enveloping sound of Trinity’s newly installed 8,000-pipe organ. 

While Compline at Trinity features largely improvised music, for Evensong our ensembles pull from a rich library of sacred choral music — including well-loved classics and new works highlighting contemporary composers — ultimately serving as a medium for religious experience.

“We’re not sitting in the pews as a passive audience. Whether we’re lifelong churchgoers or visiting for the first time, each of us is participating in our own way. We’re worshiping through the beauty of music,” says Mother Yein. “The heart of Choral Evensong is awe and transcendence, and we feel that together.”

Trinity Church holds Evensong services at 3pm on select Sundays throughout the year. See the schedule.