This is the form of prayer used last thing before bed time in monasteries and convents.
After Compline you don’t speak until the first prayers of the morning (either Vigils or Morning Prayer depending on how strict a regime your community follows), which always begin “O Lord open our lips.”
There is an ordered solemnity about Compline which can be very deep and wholesome. Or you may find it too formal and severe. But do give it a go.
It comes in many different forms, but you will pretty much always have a hymn, some Psalms, the Nunc Dimittis (the song of Simeon from Luke 2 – “Lord, let your servant depart in peace…”) and some prayers. And of course, silence.
A lovely form of Compline is in Common Worship Daily Prayer, and I have adapted it to be easy to print and use. It’s designed to be said rather than sung, except for the hymn. Download a copy here – it will print out as an A5 booklet using the booklet setting (or if you prefer, this will print out about right if you just print it double-sided).
The leader says the words in bold; everyone else joins in with the words in light type. Someone reasonably confident will have to lead the singing. The key to getting this service right is to leave long pauses between each element.
Or you could go even further.
It is said that at Cuddesdon, one of the Anglican theological college which long retained a monastic sensibility, on one occasion there was a fire in the night (the former Bishop’s palace over the road from the college did indeed burn to the ground, some time in the late 1960s): the students turned out to carry buckets of water and worked hard all night in a vain attempt to douse the flames. At Morning Prayer they were rebuked by the Principal for talking after Compline.
When I was at Cuddesdon in the early part of this century Compline was still sung every night in the old chapel. There was an altar piece depicting the Crucifixion. In the morning the focus was on the high stained glass windows above, showing the risen Christ on the throne of glory. But at night the jewel-like yet sombre scene in gold, red and blue was all you could see. All else was dark. The office was sung after. Candles were extinguished. We left in silence.
Here is the order that we used. If you can learn to sing this together you will do well. (I confess I do not know and have not troubled to find out the copyright in this document, trusting that reproducing it in this way and for these purposes will not be contrary to the wishes of whoever may have an interest in it.)
Season of Silence 