Choral Evensong in Commemoration of St. Teresa of Ávila

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Step out of the noise of the week and into an evening of music, prayer, and stillness. On Thursday, October 15, at 7:00 PM, the Emmanuel choir will offer Choral Evensong in the sanctuary, a beautiful Anglican tradition that few churches in our area still offer.

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Evensong is different from a typical Sunday service. Much of the prayer is carried by the choir through music, which leaves you free to simply listen, reflect, and be present. You don't need to know the service, be Episcopalian, or know quite what to expect. Just find a seat and let the music do some of the work.

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This year's service remembers St. Teresa of Ávila, the 16th-century Spanish Carmelite whose feast day falls on October 15. Teresa was a mystic, a writer, and a tireless reformer. She traveled across Spain for 25 years and founded 17 convents, and not even imprisonment slowed her down. Her writings on prayer, including The Way of Perfection and Interior Castle, led the church to name her a Doctor of the Church in 1970. Those who knew her through her letters describe a practical organizer and a warm friend, and above all someone shaped by a deep longing for God.

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That longing is part of the music, too. Among the pieces the choir will sing is Carmine Lappano's Prayer of St. Teresa, a setting of words traditionally attributed to her. It reminds us that the work of love in the world is carried out by our own hands and feet.

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If you've never experienced Choral Evensong, this is a beautiful place to begin.

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Thursday, October 15 · 7:00 PM
Emmanuel Episcopal Church · 5 Bryant Street, Wakefield, Massachusetts
All are welcome.