<description>&lt;div&gt;Hear staff from Westminster Abbey as they reflect on the context and the meaning of popular Christian hymns and anthems that came from poetry.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;In this episode, The Reverend Helena Bickley-Percival contextualises the hymn &lt;em&gt;Abide with me&lt;/em&gt; – from its origins and Biblical inspiration to its miraculous powers for solders in the First World War.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;
&lt;a href="https://hyperion.lnk.to/CDA68013"&gt;Listen&lt;/a&gt; to the full track, and the rest of the album recorded by the Choir of Westminster Abbey.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;These episodes are part of the &lt;a href="https://www.westminster-abbey.org/events/autumn-season/"&gt;Voice and Verse season&lt;/a&gt;. Join us in October and November as we celebrate the power of words and stories penned by historic and emerging poets. &lt;/div&gt;
</description>

Have you heard of the Miracle of Ypres? The Reverend Helena Bickley-Percival shares this, and more historical context about the famous hymn Abide with me.  

4: Hymns as Poetry: Henry Francis Lyte’s Abide with me 

<description>&lt;div&gt;Hear staff from Westminster Abbey as they reflect on the context and the meaning of popular Christian hymns and anthems that came from poetry.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;In this episode, sub-organist of Westminster Abbey Matthew Jorysz talks through how poetic lines about heaven and angels were turned into a double-choir anthem in &lt;em&gt;Faire is the heaven&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;
&lt;a href="https://hyperion.lnk.to/CDA68259"&gt;Listen&lt;/a&gt; to the full track, and the rest of the album recorded by the Choir of Westminster Abbey.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;These episodes are part of the &lt;a href="https://www.westminster-abbey.org/events/autumn-season/"&gt;Voice and Verse season&lt;/a&gt;. Join us in October and November as we celebrate the power of words and stories penned by historic and emerging poets. &lt;/div&gt;
</description>

Join Matthew Jorysz, sub-organist at Westminster Abbey, as he shares musical choices that turned a poem into the anthem Faire is the heaven.   

3: Hymns as Poetry: Edmund Spenser’s Faire is the heaven 

<description>&lt;div&gt;Hear staff from Westminster Abbey as they reflect on the context and the meaning of popular Christian hymns and anthems that came from poetry.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;In this episode, Stuart O’Hara, a bass lay vicar in the Abbey Choir examines John Milton’s&lt;em&gt; Blest Pair of Sirens&lt;/em&gt; and how careful composition is used to turn his words into a glorification of God.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;
&lt;a href="https://hyperion.lnk.to/CDA68089"&gt;Listen&lt;/a&gt; to the full track, and the rest of the album recorded by the Choir of Westminster Abbey.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;These episodes are part of the &lt;a href="https://www.westminster-abbey.org/events/autumn-season/"&gt;Voice and Verse season&lt;/a&gt;. Join us in October and November as we celebrate the power of words and stories penned by historic and emerging poets. &lt;/div&gt;
</description>

Hear about the power of words and music combined as bass lay vicar Stuart O’Hara shares his thoughts on Blest Pair of Sirens.  

2: Hymns as Poetry: John Milton’s Blest Pair of Sirens

<description>&lt;div&gt;Hear staff from Westminster Abbey as they reflect on the context and the meaning of popular Christian hymns and anthems that came from poetry.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;In this episode, The Reverend Mark Birch talks about William Blake and the context in which he was writing to produce the well-known verses of &lt;em&gt;Jerusalem&lt;/em&gt;.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;
&lt;a href="https://hyperion.lnk.to/CDA68013"&gt;Listen&lt;/a&gt; to the full track, and the rest of the album recorded by the Choir of Westminster Abbey.  &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;br&gt;
&lt;div&gt;These episodes are part of the &lt;a href="https://www.westminster-abbey.org/events/autumn-season/"&gt;Voice and Verse season&lt;/a&gt;. Join us in October and November as we celebrate the power of words and stories penned by historic and emerging poets.   &lt;/div&gt;
</description>

And was Jerusalem builded here? Join The Reverend Mark Birch as he unpacks the poetry that became the famous hymn Jerusalem.  

1: Hymns as Poetry: William Blake’s Jerusalem

<description>In his Ascension Day sermon, Acting Minor Canon Ralph Godsall talks about the significance and importance of the day and the different truths it offers. 

Ascension Day occurs forty days after Easter Day and it marks Christ’s Ascension into heaven. It is a celebration of the power and authority of the lordship of the risen Christ and the commissioning of his disciples to continue his work.

The Ascension is closely connected with the theme of mission and anticipates the birth of the worldwide Church. </description>

Sermon for Ascension Day 2024

Sermons, services and reflections from Westminster Abbey and lectures on issues of faith, ethics, politics and public policy-making from the Westminster Abbey Institute.

Westminster Abbey

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