Psalm 72·1–7 sung to a double Anglican chant in F by Edwin George Monk (1819–1900), chanted by Hertford College Chapel Choir for the Feast of Christ the King (Sunday 24 November 2013), conducted by Nick Graham, organ played by Andrew Furniss.

Monk: Psalm 72·1–7

Will Todd's Christmas anthem ‘My Lord has come’ sung by Hertford College Chapel Choir, conducted by Nick Graham.

Shepherds, called by angels,
called by love and angels:
No place for them but a stable.
My Lord has come.

Sages, searing for stars,
searing for love in heaven;
No place for them but a stable.
My Lord has come.

His love will hold me,
his love will erish me,
love will cradle me.

Lead me, lead me to see him,
sages and shepherds and angels;
No place for me but a stable.
My Lord has come.

text and music: Will Todd (b. 1970)


Todd: My Lord Has Come

The Advent hymn ‘Hills of the north, rejoice!’ sung in Hertford College Chapel for Advent Sunday (1 December 2013), with Ed Whitehead organist.

text: Charles E. Oakley (1832–1865)
adapted: the editors of English Praise, 1975
music: Little Cornard, Martin Shaw (1875–1958)

Hills Of The North, Rejoice

The Macbride Sermon is a statutory University Sermon of the University of Oxford, always preached in Hertford College Chapel on the second Sunday of Hilary term in the presence of University officials. The sermon's stated topic is 'messianic prophecy'.

The 2014 Macbride Sermon was delivered by Dr David Lincicum, Caird Fellow in Theology at Mansfield College, Oxford, on 26 January 2014.

David Lincicum: Macbride Sermon 2014

The Right Reverend Jonathan Clark, Bishop of Croydon, preaches at Choral Evensong in Hertford College Chapel, Oxford, on the Fourth Sunday before Lent (9 February 2014).

Bishop Jonathan Clark of Croydon: Sermon for the Fourth Sunday before Lent

Sermon by Richard Mutter, ordinand at Ripon College Cuddesdon and associate chaplain at Hertford College Chapel, for Sexagesima Sunday (23 February 2014).

Richard Mutter: Sermon for Sexagesima Sunday 2014

Sister Margaret Anne, of the All Saints Sisters of the Poor in east Oxford, sermon in Hertford College Chapel, Oxford, for Quinquagesima Sunday (2 March 2014).

Sister Margaret Anne ASSP: Sermon for Quinquagesima Sunday 2014

The Reverend Rachel Mann preached at Choral Evensong in Hertford College Chapel, Oxford, on Vocations Sunday (the Fourth Sunday of Easter, 11 May 2014).

Rachel is an Anglican parish priest, broadcaster & writer. She is resident poet at Manchester Cathedral, and 'Dazzling Darkness', her autobiographical account of what it means to be trans, lesbian & Christian, was a Church Times bestseller.

Rachel Mann's sermon for Vocations Sunday (Easter 4)

Sermon by the Venerable Nicola Sullivan given in Hertford College Chapel on the Feast of St Frideswide, Sunday 19 October 2014. Archdeacon Nicola is the Archdeacon of Wells, caring for around 200 Somerset parishes, and elected to sit with the House of Bishops until at least six women sit there by right.


Archdeacon Nicola Sullivan's Sermon on the Feast of St Frideswide

Through Lent, Psalm 139.1–18 is sung at Compline (candlelit night prayer) in the chapel. This is a simple Gregorian tone set to the moving words of the psalm. An antiphon (short, melismatic phrase) is sung at the beginning and end, and Gloria Patri ("Glory to the Father…") is sung after the last psalm verse and before the final repeat of the antiphon. There is a meditative pause at the middle of each verse.

Sung by the Chaplain, the Reverend Gareth Hughes.

    [Antiphon]
The darkness •
is no darkness with you.

  O Lord, you have searched me out and known me; •
   you know my sitting down and my rising up;
      you discern my thoughts from afar.
  You mark out my journeys and my resting place •
   and are acquainted with all my ways.
  For there is not a word on my tongue, •
   but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
  You encompass me behind and before •
   and lay your hand upon me.
  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, •
   so high that I cannot attain it.
  Where can I go then from your spirit? •
   Or where can I flee from your presence?
  If I climb up to heaven, you are there; •
   if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.
  If I take the wings of the morning •
   and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
  Even there your hand shall lead me, •
   your right hand hold me fast.
  If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me •
   and the light around me turn to night,’
  Even darkness is no darkness with you;
      the night is as clear as the day; •
   darkness and light to you are both alike.
  For you yourself created my inmost parts; •
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
  I thank you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; •
   marvellous are your works, my soul knows well.
  My frame was not hidden from you, •
   when I was made in secret
      and woven in the depths of the earth.
  Your eyes beheld my form, as yet unfinished; •
   already in your book were all my members written,
  As day by day they were fashioned •
   when as yet there was none of them.
  How deep are your counsels to me, O God! •
   How great is the sum of them!
  If I count them, they are more in number than the sand, •
   and at the end, I am still in your presence.

  Glory to the Father and to the Son •
    and to the Holy Spirit.
  As it was in the beginning, is now, •
    and ever shall be. Amen.

    [Antiphon]
The darkness •
is no darkness with you.

Psalm 139 in Gregorian chant

The Hertford College Chapel Choir sing Lauridsen's setting of 'O Magnum Mysterium' at Hertford's 2016 service of Nine Lessons and Carols.

Conducted by Aaron King

Lauridsen - O Magnum Mysterium

A recording of the Hertford College Chapel choir singing Vaughan-Williams's setting of an extract from Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's progress', in the first service of Trinity term 2017.

Valiant-for-truth - Vaughan-Williams

The Chapel of Hertford College.
One of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford.

Hertford College Chapel is in the heart of Oxford: next to the Bridge of Sighs and opposite the Bodleian Library. Built in 1908 by Thomas Graham Jackson, its mix of carved oak and stone makes for a wonderful acoustic. Hertford College Chapel Choir sings at services in the chapel and tours internationally twice a year.

Members of the public are welcome to most services, and may visit whenever Hertford College advertises that we are open for visitors.

You will often find a lot of music in the Chapel: services, lunchtime recitals, concerts, or just people practising with the beautiful pipe organ, the piano or other musical instrument.

The main services of the week are
• Sunday Evensong (5.45 pm) with full choir. Most Sundays have guest preachers drawn from a diverse range of backgrounds of faith and life experience. Evensong is followed by drinks and formal hall
• Wednesday evening Eucharist (6 pm) with a smaller choir, followed by free supper
• Tuesday night Compline (10 pm) with unaccompanied plainsong by candlelight

Hertford College Chapel

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