5 August 2026
Earlier this summer, on 14 June, St Luke's Church, Tiptree, marked Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) Sunday with a special ‘Come and Sing’ Choral Evensong service, bringing together singers and worshippers from across the local area for an afternoon of music, fellowship and worship.
The ‘Come and Sing’ event featured a choir of more than 30 singers gathered from across the area, including members of St Luke’s Choir and the Cantus Firmus Choir. Before the service, attendees enjoyed a choral workshop, preparing the music that would later form part of the Evensong liturgy.
The choir was directed by choirmaster Norman Eastbrook MBE, accompanied by Clive Eastbrook on the organ and Sharon Tidbury on grand piano.
The service opened with Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus, sung as an introit, creating a reflective atmosphere for the congregation gathered in the church. The Revd Christine Newmarch officiated, leading the Ferial Responses and intoning the Collects.
The service setting for the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis was Brewer in D, and the congregation joined in singing four hymns: Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven; Angel Voices, Ever Singing; Ye Holy Angels Bright; and The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended. The anthem, Fairest Lord Jesus by Martin How, further showcased both the choir and the church's renowned acoustics.
The sermon was preached by Leader Minister, the Revd Jo Wood, who reflected on the importance of singing in Christian worship. One of the most encouraging aspects of the day was the way singers from different churches, together with others less familiar with choral music, came together to share in worship, singing the liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer Evensong service.
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Choir members from across the local area took part in the special 'Come and Sing' Choral Evensong at St Luke's, Tiptree.
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Worshippers gathered for Choral Evensong at St Luke's, Tiptree in celebration of RSCM Music Sunday.
Reflecting on the event, the Revd Christine Newmarch said:
“The Special Choral Evensong service was such a joyful occasion for everyone. It was a wonderful experience for all our singers, and was greatly appreciated by our congregation. We shall certainly be making this at least an annual event, and were delighted to share our knowledge with other parishes keen to do the same.”
The ‘Come and Sing’ service demonstrated how music can strengthen connections between churches and their communities, while highlighting the important role church music continues to play in enriching worship and fostering fellowship across parish boundaries.
The service concluded with the Choristers' Prayer:
"Bless, O Lord, us thy servants, who minister in thy temple.
Grant that what we sing with our lips, we may believe in our hearts,
and what we believe in our hearts, we may show forth in our lives.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen."
