A celebration at Westminster Abbey

On May 16, Westminster Abbey opened its doors for a very special service, marking five decades of The Arts Society and ‘to rejoice in all that contributes beauty to people’s lives’ as The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster put it in the opening bidding.

A 2000-strong congregation enjoyed lessons, readings and performances from leading lights of The Arts Society - not to mention some very special guests.

‘Come ye Sons and daughters of Art, come away’, bade elfin-voiced Cerys Matthews, reading from her adaption of Nahum Tate’s poem, while an exuberant Simon Callow gave us verses from Dante’s Divine Comedy. We had jazz from Kansas Smitty’s house band and a specially commissioned choral piece by Matthew Sheeran that was quite simply sublime.

A moving sermon was given by one of our Accredited Lecturers, former Bishop of St Albans, the Rt Revd Dr Christopher Herbert, a transcript of which can be downloaded here. 

A fitting way to mark fifty years of our commitment to enriching lives through the arts. 

Photos: Andrew Dunsmore and Westminster Abbey