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 April and May 2024
Please note: After the May 26 service, Compline will pause in June and July, and resume August 4.
April 7 | Easter 2
Raphaella Aleotti Ego flos campi
Owain Park, Te lucis ante terminum (Night Prayer)
John Tavener, As one who has slept
April 14 | Easter 3
Philip Stopford, If ye love me
June Nixon, Nunc dimittis
John Sheppard, Jesu, salvator saeculi, verbum
April 21 | Easter 4
Bobby McFerrin, Psalm 23
Michael Simpson, In manus tuas Domine
Giovanni Matteo Asola, Surrexit pastor bonus
April 28 | Easter 5
Annabel Rooney, Round me falls the night
William Walton, Set me as a seal
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Regina caeli
May 5 | Easter 6
Jane Marshall, Easter Prayer
Heinrich Schütz, Pater noster
Cecilia McDowall, I know that my redeemer liveth
May 12 |Easter 7
Raphaella Aleotti, Ascendens Christus in altum
Brent te Velde, Te lucis ante terminum
Everett Titcomb, I will not leave you comfortless
May 19 Pentecost
Tomas Luis de Victoria, Veni creator spiritus
Te lucis ante terminum for Pentecost, Gregorian chant
William Byrd, Nunc dimittis (Gradualia)
William Byrd,Veni, sancte Spiritus
May 26 | Trinity Sunday
Tomas Luis de Victoria, Tres sunt
John Sheppard, In manus tuas Domine (second setting)
John Sheppard, Libera nos, salva nos
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