Compline

Based on the Felgild Compline from the Northumbria Community and Night Prayer from the New Zealand Prayer Book.

Sunday evenings at 7.00pm on Zoom
(not on 2nd Sundays when we have Soul Food in the St Andrew's Centre)

Simply click on the link for Compline just prior to the start time (see note above):

Please note: After Sunday 22 December, there's no Compline until Sunday 12 January 2025

(If your connection is poor, logging out and logging back in again may help.)

In peace we will lie down and sleep; for you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.

You are invited to share the ancient service of Compline. This short, spoken service takes its name from the Latin word for ‘completion’ and is intended to mark a quiet end to the day, as we give to our loving God the day that has passed and the night that is to come. The service lasts about 15 minutes.

The words are available as both a PowerPoint and pdf document and so, if you prefer, you can say the service at home. Many like to say it immediately before going to bed.

The leader will light three candles. If you would like to, please also light three candles or a single candle at home.

candle-paolo-nicolello-KY6NHtB We light a light in the name of the Maker,
Who lit the world and breathed the breath of life in me.

We light a light in the name of the Son,
Who saved the world and stretched out his hand to me.

We light a light in the name of the Spirit,
who encompasses the world and blessed our souls with longing.

We will light three lights,
For the Trinity of Love
God above us,
God beside us,
God beneath us,
The beginning, the end.
The everlasting one.
Amen

Calm me, O Lord, as You stilled the storm.
Still me, O Lord, keep me from harm.

Let all the tumult within me cease.
Enfold me, Lord, in Your peace.

Dear God,
Thank you for all that is good,
for our creation and for our humanity,
for the stewardship you have given us of this planet earth,
for the gifts of life and of one another,
for your love which is unbounded and eternal.
O thou, most holy and beloved,
my Companion, my Guide upon the way,
my bright evening star. Amen

We repent the wrongs we have done:

Silence

We have wounded your love.
O God, heal us.

We stumble in the darkness.
Light of the world, transfigure us.

We forget that we are your home.
Spirit of God, dwell in us.

candle-paolo-nicolello-KY6NHtB Eternal Spirit, living God,
in whom we live and move and have our being,
all that we are, have been, and shall be is known to you,
to the very secret of our hearts
and all that rises to trouble us.

Living flame burn into us,
cleansing wind, blow through us,
fountain of water, well up within us,
that we may love and praise in deed and in truth.

Eternal Spirit, flow through our being and open our lips,
that our mouths may proclaim your praise.

Let us worship the God of love. Alleluia, alleluia.

A reading, prayer or reflection may be added here.

Keep me, O God, as the apple of an eye;
hide me under the shadow of your wings.

Preserve us, O God, while waking,
and guard us while sleeping,
that awake we may watch with Christ,
and asleep may rest in your peace.

I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.

Nunc Dimittis – from the Book of Common Prayer
Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace:
According to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation;
Which thou hast prepared:
Before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles;
And to be the glory of Thy people Israel.

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

The peace of God be
over me to shelter me,
under me to uphold me,
about me to protect me,
behind me to direct me,
ever with me to save me.

I will lie down this night with God,
and God will lie down with me.

I will lie down this night with Christ,
and Christ will lie down with me.

I will lie down this night with the Spirit,
and the Spirit will lie down with me;

God and Christ and the Spirit
be lying down with me.

The peace of all peace
be yours this night,
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit
Amen

Goodnight and may God bless you.

Compline in PDF format
Compline in POWERPOINT format

Hello and welcome to St Andrew's. If you are new, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

'I'm New' Click here

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

No one belongs here more than you.

We look forward to meeting you! Here's some information so that if you're planning a visit you know beforehand what to expect on a Sunday morning. We have other pages telling you more About Us, our approach to Faith and our Online services.

Where and When

We meet at the Church Building (details below) for our main Sunday Service starting at 10.30am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you find a parking space and can settle in before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Plan your journey:
While, unfortunately, St Andrew's does not have its own carpark, there is a council-run pay and display carpark a short distance along St Andrew Street, to the east of the church; there is a £1.50 flat-rate charge for parking in this carpark on Sundays (though half an hour or less is free).

This is a useful East Herts Council website page for full details of parking in Hertford.

There are single yellow lines outside the church with parking restrictions, but some 30-minute parking bays are situated on the opposite side of the road for short stays (longer on Sundays).

Open Google Maps

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. There is a disabled toilet towards the back of the church, behind the kitchen.

Our Service

The service will usually begin promptly at 10.30am and will last between 60 and 75 minutes. We enjoy the presence of an excellent choir who help us sing hymns (modern and traditional) as well as provide anthems and special songs through the period of communion. We have a traditional organ but also benefit from music played on the piano and by our band (eg on the Second Sunday of each month when we have an All-Age Service in which our children and young people are fully involved).

Each 10.30am service includes a sermon, prayers and eucharist.

After the service, everyone is invited for coffee and conversation - some like to stay for a quick chat while others remain in the church for a longer time.

Communion

Children and Young People

Children are never too young to come to church. You and your children are very welcome at St Andrew’s.

We really value worshipping God together as a family, so children stay with their parent or grown-up at the start of the service before being invited to leave for the young people's activities after the first hymn. Junior Church meets in the St Andrew's Centre (our adjoining hall), accessed through the church on Sunday mornings. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy.

The children and young people then return to the main service in time to join the eucharist and, if confirmed, take Holy Communion or, if not, receive a blessing. We offer a little box of raisins to children being blessed at the altar.

There is a Children's Corner in church where you can go at any time. You will find books, toys and drawing materials there.

Toilet and baby-change facilities are located at the back of church, behind the kitchen.

There's more information here: Children and Young People at St Andrew's

Junior Church celebration

Getting Connected

Home Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week. Check out Home Groups on our website and see if there’s one that you could join. Alternatively, speak to a member of the Welcome Team who will give you the information that you need.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. Please contact Phil in the Church Office.

Get in touch with us

If you have any questions, please do get in touch. You'll find our contact details here.

We hope that you will feel at home at our church.

Group photo at the top of the page taken by Tim Pike