Ready now for streaming – with Mthr. Gwen & Fr. Jim as our cantors and Alison & Jo as lectors.
—
Jesus said, “You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
VIDEO: People, Look East (Besançon Carol, French; Eleanor Farjeon) – Houston Chamber Choir, 2013
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. Isaiah 40:5
GENERAL CONFESSION
God of all mercy,
we confess that we have sinned against you,
opposing your will in our lives.
We have denied your goodness in each other,
in ourselves, and in the world you have created.
We repent of the evil that enslaves us,
the evil we have done,
and the evil done on our behalf.
Forgive, restore, and strengthen us
through our Savior Jesus Christ,
that we may abide in your love
and serve only your will. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
INVITATORY AND PSALTER
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
If possible, light a candle here.
VIDEO: O gracious light (Russell Schulz-Widmar) – St. John Vianney Vesper Choir, Houston, Texas, 2011
Hymn: O Gracious Light
Phos hilaron
O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
VIDEO: Psalm 35 (Henry Stonex) – Choir of St. Stephen’s, Canterbury, at Portsmouth Cathedral, 2012
Psalm 35
1 Fight those who fight me, O LORD; *
attack those who are attacking me.
2 Take up a shield and armor *
and rise up to help me.
3 Draw the sword and bar the way against those who pursue me: *
say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
4 Let those who seek after my life be shamed and humbled; *
let those who plot my ruin fall back and be dismayed.
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind, *
and let the angel of the LORD drive them away.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery, *
and let the angel of the LORD pursue them.
7 For they have secretly spread a net for me without a cause; *
without a cause they have dug a pit to take me alive.
8 Let ruin come upon them unawares; *
let them be caught in the net they hid;
let them fall into the pit they dug.
9 Then I will be joyful in you, O LORD; *
I will glory in your victory.
10 My very bones will say, “LORD, who is like you? *
You deliver the poor from those who are too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
11 Malicious witnesses rise up against me; *
they charge me with matters I know nothing about.
12 They pay me evil in exchange for good; *
my soul is full of despair.
13 But when they were sick I dressed in sack-cloth *
and humbled myself by fasting;
14 I prayed with my whole heart,
as one would for a friend or a brother; *
I behaved like one who mourns for a mother,
bowed down and grieving.
15 But when I stumbled, they were glad and gathered together;
they gathered against me; *
strangers whom I did not know tore me to pieces and would not stop.
16 They put me to the test and mocked me; *
they gnashed at me with their teeth.
17 O Lord, how long will you look on? *
rescue me from the roaring beasts,
and my life from the young lions.
18 I will give you thanks in the great congregation; *
I will praise you in the mighty throng.
19 Do not let my treacherous foes rejoice over me, *
or let those who hate me without a cause wink at each other.
20 For they do not plan for peace, *
but invent deceitful schemes against the quiet in the land.
21 They opened their mouths at me and said, *
“Aha! we saw it with our own eyes.”
22 You saw it, O LORD; do not be silent; *
O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Awake, arise, to my cause! *
to my defense, my God and my Lord!
24 Give me justice, O LORD my God,
according to your righteousness; *
do not let them triumph over me.
25 Do not let them say in their hearts,
“Aha! just what we want!” *
Do not let them say, “We have swallowed you up.”
26 Let all who rejoice at my ruin be ashamed and disgraced; *
let those who boast against me be clothed with dismay and shame.
27 Let those who favor my cause sing out with joy and be glad; *
let them say always, “Great are you, O LORD,
you desire the prosperity of your servant.”
28 And my tongue shall be talking of your righteousness *
and of your praise all the day long.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Joey Velasco: Table of Hope. The artist met these hungry children in Manila and Quezon City, the Philippines, fed them and took their photographs, then painted them into his Last Supper. These kids, he said, were all so hungry that a day’s bowl of rice wasn’t enough.
THE LESSON
Luke 22:14-30 (NRSV)
When the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!” Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do this.
A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
“You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
VIDEO: E’en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come (Paul Manz; Ruth Manz, adapt. Revelation 22) – Choir of St. John’s College, Cambridge, 2006
For the Canticle: E’en so, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come
Peace be to you and grace from Him
Who freed us from our sin
Who loved us all, and shed his blood
That we might saved be.
Sing holy, holy to our Lord
The Lord almighty God
Who was and is, and is to come
Sing holy, holy Lord.
Rejoice in heaven, all ye that dwell therein
Rejoice on earth, ye saints below
For Christ is coming, Is coming soon
For Christ is coming soon.
E’en so Lord Jesus quickly come
And night shall be no more
They need no light, no lamp, nor sun
For Christ will be their All!
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
VIDEO: Apostles’ Creed – Central Baptist Church, Honolulu, 2015
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS
VIDEO: Eternal Spirit: The New Zealand Lord’s Prayer (Ana Hernández) – Omega Dance Company, Middle Collegiate Church, New York City, 2013
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear,
and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit
in the communion of all your saints,
entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
No “Peace on Earth.” (Huffington Post Religion)
Collect of the Day: Second Sunday of Advent
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Collect for Fridays
Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
A Prayer on Gender Violence
Christ Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Lord, my Creator, my Liberator, my Strength, hear my voice. I am your daughter. I used to think that did not mean much, that I was not important in this world. Now I know that I am precious to you. Now I would stand straight up boldly in prayer to you, but I make myself small to survive in the darkness. Even in my silence, I believe that you are hearing me. When night falls and the hard hands and loud voices of hate come, keep me safe. Let me wake to another morning. You keep giving me hope, and that is not dead yet. Give me a voice that others hear. And if they cannot hear me, place your voice inside their hearts. Please send help. May there be someone who walks like Jesus, someone who is not afraid to touch me and offer healing and rescue. Make the next morning the one that brings the light of peace to me. Lord, hear my voice. Amen.
Friday Evening Prayer List: For the Church
For Our Candidates for Ordination to the Diaconate
Maria L. Evans, Diocese of Missouri
Leslie Scoopmire, Diocese of Missouri
Teresa Wakeen, Diocese of Michigan
For Our Postulants for Ordination to the Diaconate
Hilary Greene, Diocese of Massachusetts
For our Seminarians
Shanna, Church Divinity School of the Pacific
For Christians in the Middle East
Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Israel and Palestine
For the Anglican Communion
For Ecumenical Partners
For Church Unity
Primates of the Anglican Communion
Renato Abibiko, The Philippines
Onesphore Rwaje, Rwanda
David Chillingworth, Scotland
Datuk Bolly anak Lapok, South East Asia
Govada Dyvasirvadam, South India
Please add your own prayers and supplications here.
Prayer for Mission
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13++
VIDEO: A Prayer for Peace (Let There Be Peace on Earth, Sy Miller, Jill Jackson; A Balm in Gilead, #676, African-American spiritual) – Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, dir. Reuben M. Reynolds III, at the New England Conservatory of Music, 2014
The Daily Office 