Compline
From the ancient monastic practice of ending the day in prayer and praise of God, a Compline service is held every Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. This stunningly beautiful candlelit service features a small group of singers, "Sanctuary," offering Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony. The service was inaugurated in September 2010. We also livestream the service each Sunday night at 8 p.m. Once this 30-minute service concludes each Sunday, you'll see a recording of the most recent service until the next livestream a week later.
The repertoire for the coming weeks is available further down this page.
The importance of contemplative services
Watch a video segment with the Rev. Bill Roberts about why liturgies like our sung Compline service and Celtic Evensong and Communion are vital to the church in the twenty-first century.
Livestream
(If you do not see the livestream below, try this page, or our YouTube channel or Facebook.)
Repertoire for February and March 2024
February 4 | Epiphany 5
Eric Whitacre, Lux arumque
Gustav Holst Nunc dimittis
Johannes Eccard When Mary to the temple went
February 11 | Last Epiphany
Mily Balakirev, Send forth thy light
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, In manus tuas Domine
Paul Mealor, Locus iste
February 18 | Lent 1
Kerensa Briggs, Media vita
Thomas Tallis, In pace in idipsum
Phillip Cooke, Ave Regina caelorum
February 25 | Lent 2
Raphaella Aleotti, Miserere mei, Deus
Maurice Duruflé, Notre Père
Robert White, Christe qui lux es et dies
March 3 | Lent 3
William Byrd, Miserere mihi Domine
Orlando di Lasso, Te lucis ante terminum
William Blitheman, In pace in idipsum
March 10 | Lent 4
Imogen Holst, Hymne to Christ
Thomas Tallis, Nunc dimittis à 5
Philip Moore Evening Prayers
March 17 | Lent 5
Thomas Tallis, Miserere nostri
Brent te Velde, In manus tuas Domine
John Sheppard, In pace in idipsum
March 24 | Palm Sunday
Tomas Luis de Victoria, Pueri hebraeorum
Anton Bruckner, Christus factus est
Orlando di Lasso, Ave Regina caelorum
March 31 | Easter Day
Healey Willan, Rise up, my love
Philip Stopford Our Father
Te lucis ante terminum for Eastertide; Gregorian chant
In manus tuas Domine for Eastertide; Gregorian chant
Gary Davison, Most glorious Lord of life
Regina caeli , Gregorian chant
Other ways to listen to Compline from St. Stephen's
- Videos of past Compline service livestreams are here.
- A video about the service, including pieces sung by the choir (produced in 2015)
- A half-hour Compline service recorded on video in March 2020
- Audio of past services through March 2020 is available here
- Sanctuary CD (details below)
What is Compline?
The word "Compline" is from the same root as the word "complete." As the last service of the day, it is the completion of our worship of God until the next morning, when we pray, "O Lord, open thou our lips." In monastic communities, Compline is the beginning of silence lasting until the morning.
Compline can be found on page 127 of The Book of Common Prayer. While this simple service is spoken in many churches, homes, and other settings, our Sunday evening service is sung by the choir. A downloadable PDF of the texts sung at Compline is available here. Recordings of recent services are here.
Sanctuary--The Compline CD
In response to numerous requests for a CD of Sanctuary singing pieces from the Compline service, Sanctuary produced a CD in 2012. Each CD includes complete texts and translations. CDs cost $15 each and may be purchased in the parish office.
Contact
Brent te Velde, Director of Music
804.288.2867