Digital Order of Service now available

Friday, 11th June 2021

A service as seen from behind the Reverend and altar

People visiting the Abbey to worship can now access the Order of Service via their smartphone or tablet instead of using a paper copy.

The digital Order of Service will help the Abbey cut down drastically on paper consumption and waste as the demands for physical copies decrease. The digital offering could see the Abbey reduce paper usage by 12,000 sheets of paper per week.

Worshippers will also have a more versatile experience as they will be able to adjust the size of the font on their screen.

There are currently digital Order of Services available for each Eucharist and Evensong, but there are plans for every service to have this digital feature.

How to access

When visiting the Abbey for a service, worshippers can use their smartphone or tablet to scan the QR code on display.

By simply accessing the camera on a smartphone or tablet and pointing it towards the QR code, worshippers will be prompted to open the Order of Service. Tapping the pop-up will take worshippers to the latest Order of Service.

Once downloaded, a permanent link can be created on the smartphone or tablet home screen, which will automatically take you to the current order of service, when accessed.

Background

The digital Order of Service was developed last year and trialled by a small number of worshippers in September.

There will be ongoing development work in order to improve the digital offering over the coming months.

Thoughts and feedback

The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle said:

‘Over the last year we have all negotiated new challenges and been forced to think again. We have adapted and changed. This development, which began in a safety measure, has proved to be a really welcome opportunity to offer a new and responsive resource for those worshipping with us. I am delighted we are exploring the possibilities it presents.’

One member of the congregation remarked:

‘There is lots to like about the digital Order of Service. It’s good to see the Abbey embracing the technology and it’s encouraging to have the obvious environmental benefits of going paperless.’