Lenten Evensongs

What is Evensong?

The roots of the Service of Evensong date back to the early church, and those roots are found in the Temple worship of the Jews. Communal prayer at specified hours of the day has always been a part of the Judaeo-Christian tradition.

In the monastic practices of the Western church, members of religious orders gathered seven or more times daily for the Divine Office, as the Hours of Prayer came to be called. Evensong (or Evening Prayer) is the Book of Common Prayer’s compression of the ancient monastic offices into two daily services, Matins and Evening Prayer, as arranged by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in the mid-sixteenth century. The prayer life of the monasteries was simplified and offered to the whole church, now including the laity in addition to the clergy and religious.

Choral Evensong, based on the Benedictine pattern of reciting psalms and canticles, and listening to scripture, is designed to increase our attentiveness. One of St. Benedict’s key commands was “Listen!” As we become fully and truly listeners, we will not only hear God’s call, but also gain the disposition to respond and obey.

Directions

To the Chapel on Harden Hill Road, Duxbury

Take Rt. 3 South toward Cape Cod from Southeast Expressway or from 128/93 South. Take Exit #10. Turn left onto Rte 3A (north) approximately one mile to the blinking light. Turn right at the light. Follow sign to South Duxbury (about a mile from blinking light.) Go around the flagpole in the center of the road and take Washington Street. This is the street with the Exxon station on the left and the liquor store on the right. The next turn (after approximately one city block) is Harden Hill Road.

The large grey building on the right hand side is the Bertram Conference Center. Free parking is available in the parking lot to the right of Bertram.

The first building on the left, past the Duxbury Town Green, is the chapel.

Sr. Marjorie Raphael's Art Exhibit

Sr. Marjorie Raphael's paintings will be exhibited by invitation of the Helen Bumpus Gallery in Duxbury. All are welcome to attend. The exhibit will run from Monday, January 2nd through Tuesday, February 28th. There will be a "Meeting the Artist" reception on Saturday, January 21st from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm.    

The gallery has posted Sr. Marjorie Raphael's “Artist Statement” and an “About the Artist” section on the page devoted to her exhibit. 

For a review of Sr. Marjorie Raphael's exibit that was published in the Patriot Ledger, click here.

For hours and directions to the Bumpus Gallery, click here.

The gallery was founded in 1968 with a gift from Helen McBurnie Bumpus, who was born  in 1891 and died at the age of 92 in 1983. Her gift to the town established an art gallery in the rotunda of the original 1909 building that housed the Duxbury Free Library. The Helen Bumpus Gallery is now located in the center of the new Duxbury Free Library, located on Alden Street.