Westminster Abbey

A Service to Celebrate the 50th Anniversaryof the National Association of Flower

Arrangement Societies

Wednesday 6 May 200911.00 am

HISTORICAL NOTE

NAFAS, the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies, is aneducational charity dedicated to the promotion of the artistic use of alltypes of plant material through the medium of its flower clubs for bothadults and children.

NAFAS is concerned about the environment and members uphold theprinciples of conservation and preservation of rare and endangered plantsand flowers.

With approximately 1,300 clubs and 75,000 members throughout theUnited Kingdom, NAFAS is in a unique position to encourage the art offlower arranging through demonstrations, classes, exhibitions, festivals,and show-work.

NAFAS is affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society and is a foundermember of the World Association of Flower Arrangers.

The many member Clubs throughout the British Isles, and also a numberof the overseas associates, have been and continue to be responsible forthousands of cathedral and church festivals. It encourages a very highstandard of artistic beauty and meticulous organisation. Festivals havevaried in scope from simple ones in country churches using only gardenflowers to resplendent spectacles involving hundreds of flower arrangersin St Paul’s Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey.

2

Most of the church, with the exception of the North Transept, is served bya hearing loop. Users should turn their hearing aid to the setting markedT.

Please ensure that mobile phones, cellular phones, and pagers areswitched OFF.

The service is conducted by The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean ofWestminster.

The service is sung by the Westminster Abbey Special Service Choir,conducted by James O’Donnell, Organist and Master of the Choristers.

The organ is played by Robert Quinney, Sub-Organist.

Music before the service:

James McVinnie, Assistant Organist, plays:

Allegro maestoso from Sonata in G Op 28 Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Sonata in C minor Percy Whitlock (1903-46)ii. Canzonaiii. Scherzetto

The Lord Mayor of Westminster Locum Tenens is received at the GreatWest Door by The Dean and Chapter of Westminster. All stand as The LordMayor Locum Tenens is conducted to his seat in the Quire, and then sit.

3

4

ORDER OF SERVICE

All stand as the Choir and Clergy move to the Great West Door. The Choir sings

THE INTROIT

KEEP me as the apple of an eye: hide me under the shadow of thywings.

Humphrey Clucas (b 1941) Psalm 17: 8

All remain standing to sing

THE HYMN

during which the Collegiate Processionmoves to places in the Quire and Sacrarium

ALL creatures of our God and King,lift up your voice and with us sing

Alleluia, alleluia!Thou burning sun with golden beam,thou silver moon with softer gleam:

O praise him, O praise him,Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong,ye clouds that sail in heaven along,

O praise him, Alleluia!Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice, ye lights of evening, find a voice:

Thou flowing water, pure and clear,make music for thy Lord to hear,

Alleluia, alleluia!Thou fire so masterful and bright,that givest man both warmth and light:

5

Dear mother earth, who day by dayunfoldest blessings on our way,

O praise him, Alleluia!The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,let them his glory also show:

Let all things their Creator bless, and worship him in humbleness,

O praise him, Alleluia!Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,and praise the Spirit, three in One:

Lasst uns erfreuen 263 NEH Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) translated by William Draper (1855-1933)after a melody in Geistliche Kirchengesäng Cologne, 1623

All remain standing. The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean ofWestminster, says

THE BIDDING

WELCOME to Westminster Abbey. Many of you have been activelyengaged in preparing for this flower festival and for this service.

Your work has added contemporary freshness to this venerable building,which is itself both ancient and forever new. On behalf of the Dean andChapter of Westminster, I thank you all.

We come to praise almighty God for his wonderful creation, to rejoice inthe beauty of flowers, to celebrate the gifts of flower arrangers, and todelight in the fifty-year history and wide reach of the National Associationof Flower Arrangement Societies.

O all ye green things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord. O ye children ofmen, bless ye the Lord. Let us praise him and magnify him for ever.

The Song of the Three 54; 60

6

All sit. Pat Martin, Chairman, Westminster Abbey Festival of FlowersCommittee 2009, reads

1 CHRONICLES 16: 29-34

ASCRIBE to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, andcome before him. Worship the Lord in holy splendour; tremble before

him, all the earth. The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say amongthe nations, ‘The Lord is king!’ Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let thefield exult, and everything in it. Then shall the trees of the forest sing forjoy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. O give thanks to theLord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.

All remain seated. The Choir sings

BENEDICITE

O ALL ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, andmagnify him for ever.

O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify himfor ever.

O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.O ye waters that be above the firmament, bless ye the Lord: praise him,

and magnify him for ever.O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify

him for ever.O ye sun, and moon, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for

ever.O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for

ever.O ye showers, and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him

for ever.O ye winds of God, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for

ever.O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for

ever.O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him

for ever.O ye dews, and frosts, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for

ever.O ye frost and cold, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for

ever.

7

O ye ice and snow, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him forever.

O ye nights, and days, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him forever.

O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify himfor ever.

O ye lightnings, and clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnifyhim for ever.

O let the earth bless the Lord: yea, let it praise him, and magnify him forever.

O ye mountains, and hills, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify himfor ever.

O all ye green things upon the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise him, andmagnify him for ever.

O ye wells, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.O ye seas, and floods, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for

ever.O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise him,

and magnify him for ever.All ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for

ever.O all ye beasts, and cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him

for ever.O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for

ever.O let Israel bless the Lord: praise him, and magnify him for ever.O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him

for ever.O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and magnify him

for ever.O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and

magnify him for ever.O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and

magnify him for ever.O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise him, and

magnify him for ever.

GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without

end. Amen.

Malcolm Archer (b 1952) The Song of the Three 35-65

8

All remain seated. Dorothy Irvin, NAFAS National President, reads

PHILIPPIANS 4: 2-9

I URGE Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for

they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together withClement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book oflife. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let yourgentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry aboutanything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgivinglet your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, whichsurpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds inChrist Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable,whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever iscommendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy ofpraise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you havelearned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace willbe with you.

All stand to sing

THE HYMN

WHEN morning gilds the skies,my heart awaking cries,

may Jesus Christ be praised:Alike at work and prayerto Jesus I repair;

may Jesus Christ be praised.

The night becomes as day,when from the heart we say,

may Jesus Christ be praised:The powers of darkness fear,when this sweet chant they hear,

may Jesus Christ be praised.

In heaven’s eternal blissthe loveliest strain is this,

may Jesus Christ be praised:Let air, and sea, and skyfrom depth to height reply,

may Jesus Christ be praised.

9

Be this, while life is mine,my canticle divine,

may Jesus Christ be praised:Be this the eternal songthrough all the ages on,

may Jesus Christ be praised.

Laudes Domini 473 NEH German, 19th century,Joseph Barnby (1838-96) translated by Edward Caswall (1814-78)

All sit forTHE ADDRESS

by

The Dean

The Reverend Michael Macey, Minor Canon of Westminster, leads

THE PRAYERS

IN the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to theFather.

All kneel or remain seated.

We rejoice in the splendour of creation and give thanks to God for thebeauty of flowers; for their diversity in colour, shape, and scent; for theirsimple yet intricate design; and for the warmth and joy they bring.Lord, hear us;Lord, graciously hear us.

For the skill and dedication of those who arrange flowers for theenjoyment of others. On this the 50th anniversary of the founding ofNAFAS, let us give thanks for Mary Pope, Founder President; and for allwho have contributed to the life of this Association.Lord, hear us;Lord, graciously hear us.

Let us pray that all flower arranging societies and clubs throughout thecountry may be places of welcome, fellowship, and support; wherefriendships may blossom and creativity flourish.Lord, hear us;Lord, graciously hear us.

10

We give thanks for those who have worked to bring about this magnificentfestival; for the imagination of the designers, for the determination of itsorganisers, and for the beauty of this Abbey Church.Lord, hear us;Lord, graciously hear us.

And let us pray that through this festival we may be inspired to rejoice inGod’s creation and strive to be wise and generous stewards of all that hehas given us.Lord, hear us;Lord, graciously hear us.

All these our prayers and praises let us now present before our heavenlyFather, in the prayer our Saviour Christ has taught us:

OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thykingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as weforgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not intotemptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, thepower, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

All sit. The Choir sings

THE ANTHEM

FOR the beauty of the earth,For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birthOver and around us lies,Lord of all, to thee we raiseThis our joyful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of each hourOf the day and of the night,Hill and vale and tree and flower,Sun and moon and stars of light,

For the joy of human love,Brother, sister, parent, child,Friends on earth and friends above,For all gentle thoughts and mild,

11

For each perfect gift of thine,To our race so freely given,Graces human and divine,Flowers of earth and buds of heaven,

John Rutter (b 1945) Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1835-1917)

All remain seated. Valerie Best, NAFAS National Chairman, reads

SONG OF THE FLOWER XXIII

I AM a kind word uttered and repeatedby the voice of nature;

I am a star fallen from theblue tent upon the green carpet.

I am the daughter of the elementswith whom winter conceived;to whom spring gave birth; I wasreared in the lap of summer and Islept in the bed of autumn.

At dawn I unite with the breeze to announce the coming of light; at eventide I join the birds in bidding the light farewell.

The plains are decorated with my beautiful colours, and the air is scented with my fragrance.

As I embrace slumber the eyes of night watch over me, and as I awaken I stare at the sun, which is the only eye of the day.

I drink dew for wine, and hearken to the voices of the birds, and dance to the rhythmic swaying of the grass.

12

I am the lover’s gift; I am the wedding wreath;I am the memory of a moment of happiness;I am the last gift of the living to the dead;I am a part of joy and a part of sorrow.

But I look up high to see only the light,and never look down to see my shadow.This is wisdom which man must learn.

Khalil Gibran (1883-1931)

All stand to sing

THE HYMN

REJOICE! the Lord is King.Your Lord and King adore;

mortals, give thanks and sing,and triumph evermore:

lift up your heart, lift up your voice;rejoice, again I say, rejoice.

Jesus, the Saviour, reigns,the God of truth and love;

when he had purged our stains,he took his seat above:

His kingdom cannot fail;he rules o’er earth and heaven;

the keys of death and hellare to our Jesus given:

He sits at God’s right hand till all his foes submit,

and bow to his command,and fall beneath his feet:

Gopsal 443 NEH Charles Wesley (1707-88)George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

13

All remain standing. The Dean pronounces

THE BLESSING

GO forth into the world in peace; be of good courage; hold fast thatwhich is good; render to no-one evil for evil; strengthen the faint-

hearted; support the weak; help the afflicted; honour all people; love andserve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit; and the blessingof God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be amongst youand remain with you always. Amen.

Music after the service:

A tempo ordinario e staccato – Allegro Georg Frideric Handelfrom Organ Concerto arranged by William Thomas Bestin B flat Op 4 no 2 (1826-97)

All remain standing as the Procession moves to the west end of the church.

Members of the Congregation are requested to remain in their placesuntil directed to move by the Stewards.

The bells of the Abbey Church are rung.

Hymns covered by Christian Copyright Licensing (Europe) Ltd are reproduced under CCL no 1040271

14

Printed byBarnard & Westwood Ltd

1 Chelsea Wharf, 15 Lots Road, London SW10 0QJBy Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen

Printers and Bookbinders Printers to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster