Evening Prayer 8.7.16, Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Fireworks over Olympic Stadium in Rio Friday night. Several of our members have mentioned Olympic athletes they know; let us pray for the health and safety of all involved amid the joy of competing with the best in the world. (Mauricio Lima/The New York Times)

Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2

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.

Hymn: Light of the World
Phos hilaron

Light of the world in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

Psalm 19

1  The heavens declare the glory of God, *
and the firmament shows forth the work of God’s hands.
2  One day tells its tale to another, *
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
3  Although they have no words or language, *
and their voices are not heard,
4  Their sound has gone out into all lands, *
and their message to the ends of the world.
5  In the deep has God set a pavilion for the sun; *
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
6  It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; *
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.

7  The law of the LORD is perfect and revives the soul; *
the testimony of the LORD is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.
8  The statutes of the LORD are just and rejoice the heart; *
the commandment of the LORD is clear and gives light to the eyes.
9  The fear of the LORD is clean and endures for ever; *
the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10  More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, *
sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.
11  By them also is your servant enlightened, *
and in keeping them there is great reward.
12  Can people tell how often they offend? *
cleanse me from my secret faults.
13  Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me; *
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.
14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, *
O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Psalm 46

1  God is our refuge and strength, *
a very present help in trouble.
2  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *
and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;
3  Though its waters rage and foam, *
and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.
4  The LORD of hosts is with us; *
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

5  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *
the holy habitation of the Most High.
6  God is in the midst of the city;
it shall not be overthrown; *
God shall help it at the break of day.
7  The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *
God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.
8  The LORD of hosts is with us; *
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

9  Come now and look upon the works of the LORD, *
what awesome things God has done on earth.
10  It is the LORD who makes war to cease in all the world; *
who breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,
and burns the shields with fire.
11  ”Be still, then, and know that I am God; *
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.”
12  The LORD of hosts is with us; *
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

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.

THE LESSON
Mark 4:35-41 (NRSV)

On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Canticle: The Song of Simeon
Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.

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.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

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

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is 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.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Polish National Catholic Church of the Transfiguration, Wallington, New Jersey.

Collect of the Day: Proper 14

Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Sundays

Lord God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ triumphed over the powers of death and prepared for us our place in the new Jerusalem: Grant that we, who have this day given thanks for his resurrection, may praise you in that City of which he is the light, and where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday Evening Prayer List

For This Congregation
Our East, West & Spanish-language subscribers
Our Facebook group, Twitter followers & iTunes audience
Our Mission Board
Our Chaplain, Mother Gwen
Our Missioner, Maria
Our Honorary Deacon Clint
Our Webcasters and Cantors’ Guild
Our Episcopal Visitor, +Catherine

A Collect for Mission

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfil now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21++

VIDEO: Bless the Lord, O my soul (Para. Psalm 103) – Bishop Leonard Scott, 2008

Evening Prayer 7.30.16, William Wilberforce & Lord Shaftesbury, Abolitionists

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.

Anthony Ashley Cooper was the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, a philanthopist and ally of Wilberforce in Parliament for the abolition of slavery. He learned about Christian love from the family housekeeper and, in Parliament, took responsibility to reform the “lunacy laws,” a task at which he worked diligently for many years. Crazy people used to be chained up and treated worse than dogs, until he came along. (source unknown)

If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night,” darkness is not dark to you, O Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike. Psalm 139:10-11

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

O God, be not far from us.
Come quickly to help us, O God.

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.

Hymn: Light of the World
Phos hilaron

Light of the world in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

Psalm 23

1  The LORD is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.
2  You make me lie down in green pastures *
and lead me beside still waters.
3  You revive my soul *
and guide me along right pathways for your Name’s sake.
4  Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5  You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.
6  Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalm 27

1  The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom then shall I fear? *
the LORD is the strength of my life;
of whom then shall I be afraid?
2  When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, *
it was they, my foes and my adversaries, who stumbled and fell.
3  Though an army should encamp against me, *
yet my heart shall not be afraid;
4  And though war should rise up against me, *
yet will I put my trust in the LORD.
5  One thing have I asked of the LORD;
one thing I seek; *
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life;
6  To behold the fair beauty of the LORD *
and to seek God in the temple.
7  For on the day of trouble the LORD shall shelter me in safety; *
the LORD shall hide me in the secrecy of the holy place
and set me high upon a rock.
8  Even now the LORD lifts up my head *
above my enemies round about me.
9  Therefore I will offer in the holy place an oblation
with sounds of great gladness; *
I will sing and make music to the LORD.
10  Hearken to my voice, O LORD, when I call; *
have mercy on me and answer me.
11  You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.” *
Your face, LORD, will I seek.
12  Hide not your face from me, *
nor turn away your servant in displeasure.
13  You have been my helper;
cast me not away; *
do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.
14  Though my father and my mother forsake me, *
the LORD will sustain me.
15  Show me your way, O LORD; *
lead me on a level path, because of my enemies.
16  Deliver me not into the hand of my adversaries, *
for false witnesses have risen up against me,
and also those who speak malice.
17  What if I had not believed
that I should see the goodness of the LORD *
in the land of the living!
18  O tarry and await the LORD’s pleasure;
be strong, and the LORD shall comfort your heart; *
wait patiently for the LORD.

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.

THE LESSON
Matthew 28:11-20 (NRSV)

While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, telling them, “You must say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story is still told among the Jews to this day.

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Canticle: The Song of Mary
Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your Name.
You have mercy on those who fear you *
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm, *
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones, *
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things, *
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
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

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.

Anton Hickel, 1794: William Wilberforce. He was raised Anglican, but came under the influence of Methodists and other evangelicals at any early age, who urged him to take up the anti-slavery cause. He wasn’t the first to advocate, but he became the key member of Parliament on the issue, obtaining a ban on the slave trade in 1807 and the abolition of slavery itself in most of the British Empire in 1833. He was a conservative, but he became acutely aware that the discussion was about human beings with souls as dear to God as any others; his faith was the decisive factor. (Wilberforce House)

Collect of the Day: William Wilberforce and Anthony Ashley Cooper, Lord Shaftesbury, Prophetic Witnesses, 1833, 1885

Just and eternal God, we give you thanks for the stalwart faith and persistence of your servants William Wilberforce and Anthony Ashley Cooper, who, undeterred by opposition and failure, held fast to a vision of justice in which no child of yours might suffer in enforced servitude and misery. Grant that we, drawn by that same Gospel vision, may persevere in serving the common good and caring for those who have been cast down, that they may be raised up through Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For Peace

Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquillity your dominion may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Saturdays

O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your unending day upon us who watch for you, that our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship on the morrow give you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saturday Evening Prayer List: For the Church

Special Intention: For David & family, traveling in the Middle East

For Our Mission Partners
Cuttington University School of Nursing, Liberia
The American Friends of Cuttington, New York
Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion, New York
Diocese of Brasilia Afterschool Program, Brazil
Rosebud Episcopal Mission, South Dakota
St. André’s School, Mithon, Haiti

For Mission

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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 Evensong 7.8.16, Seventh Ordinary Friday

We had a good service tonight; somber, but then we heard some Good News. Click here.

—

If anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

VIDEO: Eco-Peace Middle East: Saving the Jordan River – Episcopal News Service, 2015

Seek the One who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth: The Lord is his name. Amos 5:8

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: Holy radiant light (Alexander Gretchaninoff) – Luther College Nordic Choir, dir. Allen Hightower, 2012

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 22 – Diocese of St. Benedict, Old Catholic Missionaries, 2014

Psalm 22

1  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? *
and are so far from my cry
and from the words of my distress?
2  O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; *
by night as well, but I find no rest.
3  Yet you are the Holy One, *
enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
4  Our ancestors put their trust in you; *
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5  They cried out to you and were delivered; *
they trusted in you and were not put to shame.
6  But as for me, I am a worm and not a man, *
scorned by all and despised by the people.
7  All who see me laugh me to scorn; *
they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,
8  “He trusted in the LORD; let him deliver him; *
let him rescue him, if he delights in him.”
9  Yet you are the one who took me out of the womb, *
and kept me safe upon my mother’s breast.
10  I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; *
you were my God when I was still in my mother’s womb.
11  Be not far from me, for trouble is near, *
and there is none to help.
12  Many young bulls encircle me; *
strong bulls of Bashan surround me.
13  They open wide their jaws at me, *
like a ravening and a roaring lion.
14  I am poured out like water;
all my bones are out of joint; *
my heart within my breast is melting wax.
15  My mouth is dried out like a pot-sherd;
my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; *
and you have laid me in the dust of the grave.
16  Packs of dogs close me in,
and gangs of evildoers circle around me; *
they pierce my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
17  They stare and gloat over me; *
they divide my garments among them;
they cast lots for my clothing.
18  Be not far away, O LORD; *
you are my strength; hasten to help me.
19  Save me from the sword, *
my life from the power of the dog.
20  Save me from the lion’s mouth, *
my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls.
21  I will declare your Name to the community; *
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.

22  Praise the LORD, you that are God-fearing; *
stand in awe of the LORD, O offspring of Israel;
all you of Jacob’s line, give glory.
23  For the LORD does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;
neither is the LORD’s face hidden from them; *
but when they cry out, the LORD hears them.
24  My praise is of God in the great assembly; *
I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship the LORD.
25  The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the LORD shall give praise: *
“May your heart live for ever!”
26  All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to God, *
and all the families of the nations bow before the LORD.
27  For sovereignty belongs to the LORD, *
who rules over the nations.
28  To the LORD alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; *
all who go down to the dust fall before the LORD.
29  My soul shall live for God;
my descendants shall serve the LORD; *
they shall be known as the LORD’s for ever.
30  They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn *
the saving deeds that God has done.

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.

THE LESSON
Matthew 24:15-31 (NRSV)

Jesus said, “So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Take note, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

“Immediately after the suffering of those days
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

VIDEO: Nunc dimittis in C (Charles V. Stanford) – Choir of Somerville College, Oxford, 2013

Canticle: The Song of Simeon
Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.

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.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

VIDEO: Apostles’ Creed (Latin, Gregorian Chant) – unknown monks, 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: Lord’s Prayer (chant) – Holy Family Choir, 2011

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.

Bishop Cate Waynick of Indianapolis, our Episcopal Visitor, presented a check for $13,000 yesterday (including a small sum from us) to Bishop Mauricio Andrade of the Diocese of Brasilia, and Luciano Sousa Neves, to help expand the after-school program in Brasilia’s inner city. We are glad for the chance to help; thank you, Daily Office donors. (The Rev. Jeffrey Bower, World Missions Committee of the Diocese of Indianapolis)

Collect of the Day: Proper 9

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and 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.

Friday Evening Prayer List: For the Church

For Our Seminarians & Their Schools
Maria L. Evans, CDSP & Diocese of Missouri
Teresa Wakeen, CDSP
Leslie Scoopmire, Eden Theological Seminary

Montréal Diocesan Theological College, Québec
Msalato Theological College, Tanzania
Newton Theological College, Papua New Guinea
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, California
Perkins School of Theology, Texas

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: O worship the King (#388, Hanover, attr. William Croft; Robert Grant) – BBC “Songs of Praise,” 2010

Evening Prayer 7.7.16, Seventh Ordinary Thursday

Because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Former Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning’s health has taken a serious turn for the worse, and we ask your prayers for his healing, comfort and peace. He was the 6th Bishop of Hawai’i when he was elected 24th Presiding Bishop and Primate, and is famous for saying, in 1985, of the ongoing struggle for LGBT inclusion, “There will be no outcasts in this church.” (The Rev. Susan Russell)

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because God is at my right hand, I shall not fall. Psalm 16:7-8

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.

Hymn: Light of the World
Phos hilaron

Light of the world in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

Psalm 18:21-50

21  The LORD rewarded me because of my righteous dealing; *
because my hands were clean God rewarded me;
22  For I have kept the ways of the LORD *
and have not offended against my God;
23  For all God’s judgments are before my eyes, *
and the decrees of the LORD I have not put away from me;
24  For I have been blameless with the LORD *
and have kept myself from iniquity;
25  Therefore the LORD rewarded me according to my righteous dealing, *
seeing the cleanness of my hands.
26  With the faithful you show yourself faithful, O God; *
with the forthright you show yourself forthright.
27  With the pure you show yourself pure, *
but with the crooked you are wily.
28  You will save a lowly people, *
but you will humble the haughty eyes.
29  You, O LORD, are my lamp; *
my God, you make my darkness bright.
30  With you I will break down an enclosure; *
with the help of my God I will scale any wall.
31  As for you, O God, your ways are perfect;
the words of the LORD are tried in the fire; *
you are a shield to all who trust in you.
32  For who is God, but the LORD? *
who is the Rock, except our God?
33  It is God who girds me about with strength *
and makes my way secure.
34  You make me sure-footed like a deer *
and let me stand firm on the heights.
35  You train my hands for battle *
and my arms for bending even a bow of bronze.
36  You have given me your shield of victory; *
your right hand also sustains me;
your loving care makes me great.
37  You lengthen my stride beneath me, *
and my ankles do not give way.
38  I pursue my enemies and overtake them; *
I will not turn back till I have destroyed them.
39  I strike them down, and they cannot rise; *
they fall defeated at my feet.
40  You have girded me with strength for the battle; *
you have cast down my adversaries beneath me;
you have put my enemies to flight.
41  I destroy those who hate me;
they cry out, but there is none to help them; *
they cry to the LORD, who does not answer.
42  I beat them small like dust before the wind; *
I trample them like mud in the streets.
43  You deliver me from the strife of the peoples; *
you put me at the head of the nations.
44  A people I have not known shall serve me;
no sooner shall they hear than they shall obey me; *
strangers will cringe before me.
45  The foreign peoples will lose heart; *
they shall come trembling out of their strongholds.
46  The LORD lives! Blessed is my Rock! *
Exalted is the God of my salvation!
47  The LORD is the God who gave me victory *
and cast down the peoples beneath me.
48  You rescued me from the fury of my enemies;
you exalted me above those who rose against me; *
you saved me from my deadly foe.
49  Therefore will I extol you among the nations, O LORD, *
and sing praises to your Name.
50  You multiply the victories of your king; *
you show loving-kindness to your anointed,
to David and his descendants for ever.

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.

THE LESSON
Matthew 24:1-14 (NRSV)

As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. Then he asked them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birthpangs.

“Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.”

Canticle: The Song of Mary
Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your Name.
You have mercy on those who fear you *
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm, *
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones, *
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things, *
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

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

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.

Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us by your Holy Spirit.

The after-school program in the Diocese of Brasilia is at capacity, and one thing our gift to them does is to increase the number of children who get to participate. Public schools in Brazil’s capital are only open 2-3 hours a day, so this program is vital. (World Mission Committee, Diocese of Indianapolis)

Collect of the Day: Proper 9

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for the Presence of Christ

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.

Thursday Evening Prayer List

For Sobriety & Recovery
For Those with Addictions

O blessed Lord, you ministered to all who came to you: Look with compassion on all who through addiction have lost their health and freedom. Restore to them the assurance of your unfailing mercy; remove from them the fears that beset them; strengthen them in the work of their recovery; and to those who care for them, give patient understanding and persevering love. Amen.

For Those with Mental Illness
alt. Dinah Danby

O heavenly Father, we beseech you to have mercy upon all your children who are living with mental illness. Give them loving and supportive families and friends, and bless their caregivers with wisdom and compassion. Restore them to strength of mind and cheerfulness of spirit, and give them health and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Mission of the Church

Almighty God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to reconcile the world to yourself: We praise and bless you for those whom you have sent in the power of the Spirit to preach the Gospel to all nations. We thank you that in all parts of the earth a community of love has been gathered together by their prayers and labors, and that in every place your servants call upon your Name; for the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours for ever. Amen.

The General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21++

VIDEO: Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s Parish Visit after the Earthquake in Ecuador Litoral – Episcopal News Service, two days ago

Morning Prayer 7.7.16, Thursday of Pentecost 7

MOTHER GWEN was both officiant and cantor at 7 a.m. and did a wonderful job; see for yourself, just click here.

Adobe’s sound quality at 9 a.m. was less than ideal, so we recommend most viewers watch the early service. But if you want to try the 9 a.m., go here.

—

Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law.

Members of the Diocese of Indianapolis World Mission Committee have arrived in the Diocese of Brasilia and begun their pastoral tour with a visit to the after-school program at the Anglican Episcopal Social Center. My rector, the Rev. Dr. Bradley Pace, is the first one on the left in the red staff shirt; we also see Indianapolis Bishop Cate Waynick and the committee chair, the Rev. Jeffrey Bower of St. John’s, Speedway; further right, wearing a pectoral cross, is Bishop Mauricio Andrade of Brasilia, whose attention has been drawn to the children. The after-school program is Brasilia is one of our Daily Office mission projects, and committee members carried our gift and prayers with them. Both bishops are familiar faces at this center; their dioceses are mission partners. (World Mission Committee, Diocese of Indianapolis)

The Lord is in the holy temple; let all the earth keep silence. Habakkuk 2:20

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

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.

Psalm 95:1-7
Venite

Come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before God’s presence with thanksgiving;
and raise to the Lord a shout with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God;
you are great above all gods.
In your hand are the caverns of the earth;
and the heights of the hills are yours also.
The sea is yours, for you made it,
and your hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee,
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For you are our God,
and we are the people of your pasture, and the sheep of your hand.
Oh, that today we would hearken to your voice!

Psalm 18:1-20

1  I love you, O LORD my strength, *
O LORD my stronghold, my crag, and my haven.
2  My God, my rock in whom I put my trust, *
my shield, the horn of my salvation, and my refuge;
you are worthy of praise.
3  I will call upon the LORD, *
and so shall I be saved from my enemies.
4  The breakers of death rolled over me, *
and the torrents of oblivion made me afraid.
5  The cords of hell entangled me, *
and the snares of death were set for me.
6  I called upon the LORD in my distress *
and cried out to my God for help.
7  You heard my voice from your heavenly dwelling; *
my cry of anguish came to your ears.
8  The earth reeled and rocked; *
the roots of the mountains shook;
they reeled because of your anger.
9  Smoke rose from your nostrils
and a consuming fire out of your mouth; *
hot burning coals blazed forth from you.
10  You parted the heavens and came down *
with a storm cloud under your feet.
11  You mounted on cherubim and flew; *
you swooped on the wings of the wind.
12  You wrapped darkness about you; *
you made dark waters and thick clouds your pavilion.
13  From the brightness of your presence, through the clouds, *
burst hailstones and coals of fire.
14  O LORD, you thundered out of heaven; *
O Most High, you uttered your voice.
15  You loosed your arrows and scattered them; *
you hurled thunderbolts and routed them.
16  The beds of the seas were uncovered,
and the foundations of the world laid bare, *
at your battle cry, O LORD,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
17  You reached down from on high and grasped me; *
you drew me out of great waters.
18  You delivered me from my strong enemies
and from those who hated me; *
for they were too mighty for me.
19  They confronted me in the day of my disaster; *
but the LORD was my support.
20  You brought me out into an open place; *
you rescued me because you delighted in me.

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.

THE LESSONS
Deuteronomy 3:18-28 (NRSV)

At that time, I [Moses] charged you as follows: “Although the LORD your God has given you this land to occupy, all your troops shall cross over armed as the vanguard of your Israelite kin. Only your wives, your children, and your livestock—I know that you have much livestock—shall stay behind in the towns that I have given to you. When the LORD gives rest to your kindred, as to you, and they too have occupied the land that the LORD your God is giving them beyond the Jordan, then each of you may return to the property that I have given to you.” And I charged Joshua as well at that time, saying: “Your own eyes have seen everything that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so the LORD will do to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross. Do not fear them, for it is the LORD your God who fights for you.”

At that time, too, I entreated the LORD, saying: “O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your might; what god in heaven or on earth can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours! Let me cross over to see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and the Lebanon.” But the LORD was angry with me on your account and would not heed me. The LORD said to me, “Enough from you! Never speak to me of this matter again! Go up to the top of Pisgah and look around you to the west, to the north, to the south, and to the east. Look well, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, because it is he who shall cross over at the head of this people and who shall secure their possession of the land that you will see.”

Canticle: The Song of Moses
Exodus 15:1-6, 11-13, 17-18

I will sing to the Lord, for he is lofty and uplifted; *
the horse and its rider has he hurled into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my refuge; *
the Lord has become my Savior.
This is my God and I will praise him, *
the God of my people and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a mighty warrior; *
Yahweh is his Name.
The chariots of Pharaoh and his army has he hurled into the sea;
the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.
The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; *
they sank into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; *
your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy.
Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? *
who is like you, glorious in holiness,
awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?
You stretched forth your right hand; *
the earth swallowed them up.
With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; *
with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling.
You will bring them in and plant them *
on the mount of your possession,
The resting-place you have made for yourself, O Lord, *
the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hand has established.
The Lord shall reign *
for ever and for ever.

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.

Romans 9:19-33 (NRSV)

You will say to me then, “Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who indeed are you, a human being, to argue with God? Will what is molded say to the one who molds it, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one object for special use and another for ordinary use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath that are made for destruction; and what if he has done so in order to make known the riches of his glory for the objects of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—including us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.'” “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they shall be called children of the living God.” And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the children of Israel were like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved; for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth quickly and decisively.” And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left survivors to us, we would have fared like Sodom and been made like Gomorrah.”

What then are we to say? Gentiles, who did not strive for righteousness, have attained it, that is, righteousness through faith; but Israel, who did strive for the righteousness that is based on the law, did not succeed in fulfilling that law. Why not? Because they did not strive for it on the basis of faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “See, I am laying in Zion a stone that will make people stumble, a rock that will make them fall, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Canticle: Glory to God
Gloria in excelsis

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Matthew 24:1-14 (NRSV)

As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. Then he asked them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birthpangs.

“Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.”

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

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

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.

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.

V.  Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;
R.  Govern and uphold them, now and always.
V.  Day by day we bless you;
R.  We praise your Name for ever.
V.  Lord, keep us from all sin today;
R.  Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V.  Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R.  For we put our trust in you.
V.  In you, Lord, is our hope;
R.  And we shall never hope in vain.

Bishop Mauricio Andrade loves to play with the kids – and they enjoy getting attention from him. (IndyDio World Mission Committee)

Collect of the Day: Proper 9

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Guidance

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Aged

Look with mercy, O God our Father, on all whose increasing years bring them weakness, distress, or isolation. Provide for them homes of dignity and peace; give them understanding helpers, and the willingness to accept help; and, as their strength diminishes, increase their faith and their assurance of your love. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Thursday Morning Prayer List

In Places of War, Political Unrest & Violence
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, México, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela, Yemen

For peace in these nations
For peacemakers and military personnel
For civilians in danger zones
For first responders and emergency workers

Please add your own intercessions, supplications and thanksgivings here.

Prayer for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfil now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

God’s blessing be with us,
Christ’s peace be with us,
the Spirit’s outpouring be with us,
now and always. Amen.++

VIDEO: Fairest Lord Jesus (#383, St. Elizabeth, German, harm. T. Tertius Noble; German, composite) – Maranatha Celtic, 2012

Evening Prayer 7.2.16, Rauschenbusch, Gladden & Riis, Prophetic Witnesses

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The Episcopal Church held its annual College for Bishops this week, and it was surely predestined that the Class of ’16 selfie would wind up on Twitter. Blame it on the ex-California surfer turned Bishop of Mississippi, Brian Seage; after a week of prayer, study and communal living, these six will likely stay close friends for the rest of their lives.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light around me turn to night,” darkness is not dark to you, O Lord; the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike. Psalm 139:10-11

INVITATORY AND PSALTER

O God, be not far from us.
Come quickly to help us, O God.

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.

Hymn: Light of the World
Phos hilaron

Light of the world in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

Psalm 104

1  Bless the LORD, O my soul; *
O LORD my God, how excellent is your greatness!
you are clothed with majesty and splendor.
2  You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak *
and spread out the heavens like a curtain.
3  You lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above; *
you make the clouds your chariot;
you ride on the wings of the wind.
4  You make the winds your messengers *
and flames of fire your servants.
5  You have set the earth upon its foundations, *
so that it never shall move at any time.
6  You covered it with the Deep as with a mantle; *
the waters stood higher than the mountains.
7  At your rebuke they fled; *
at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.
8  They went up into the hills and down to the valleys beneath, *
to the places you had appointed for them.
9  You set the limits that they should not pass; *
they shall not again cover the earth.
10  You send the springs into the valleys; *
they flow between the mountains.
11  All the beasts of the field drink their fill from them, *
and the wild asses quench their thirst.
12  Beside them the birds of the air make their nests *
and sing among the branches.
13  You water the mountains from your dwelling on high; *
the earth is fully satisfied by the fruit of your works.
14  You make grass grow for flocks and herds *
and plants to serve humankind;
15  That they may bring forth food from the earth, *
and wine to gladden our hearts,
16  Oil to make a cheerful countenance, *
and bread to strengthen the heart.
17  The trees of the LORD are full of sap, *
the cedars of Lebanon which the LORD planted,
18  In which the birds build their nests, *
and in whose tops the stork makes its dwelling.
19  The high hills are a refuge for the mountain goats, *
and the stony cliffs for the rock badgers.
20  You appointed the moon to mark the seasons, *
and the sun knows the time of its setting.
21  You make darkness that it may be night, *
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.
22  The lions roar after their prey *
and seek their food from God.
23  The sun rises, and they slip away *
and lay themselves down in their dens.
24  Mortals go forth to their work *
and to their labor until the evening.

25  O LORD, how manifold are your works! *
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
26  Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
creatures both small and great.
27  There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan, *
which you have made for the sport of it.
28  All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.
29  You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
30  You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.
31  You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.
32  May your glory, O LORD, endure for ever; *
may you rejoice in all your works.
33  You look at the earth and it trembles; *
you touch the mountains and they smoke.
34  I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.
35  May these words of mine please you; *
I will rejoice in the LORD.
36  Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, *
and the wicked be no more.
37  Bless the LORD, O my soul. *
Hallelujah!

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.

THE LESSON
Matthew 22:23-40 (NRSV)

The same day some Sadducees came to Jesus, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother. The second did the same, so also the third, down to the seventh. Last of all, the woman herself died. In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her.”

Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching.

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Canticle: The Song of Mary
Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your Name.
You have mercy on those who fear you *
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm, *
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones, *
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things, *
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
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

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.

Jacob Riis was a Danish-born church deacon and muckraking reporter in New York who campaigned tirelessly on behalf of the urban poor. He made Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt shut down police-run poorhouses where people lived in squalor. Riis himself had lived in one when he first arrived as an immigrant. A hundred years later, his photojournalism has entered history books, documentaries and museums.

Collect of the Day: Walter Rauschenbusch, Washington Gladden and Jacob Riis, Prophetic Witnesses, 1918, 1918, 1914

Loving God, you call us to do justice and love kindness: we thank you for the witness of Walter Rauschenbusch, Washington Gladden and Jacob Riis, reformers of society; and we pray that, following their examples of faithfulness to the Gospel, we may be ever mindful of the suffering of those who are poor and work diligently for the reform of our communities; through Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For Peace

Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquillity your dominion may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Saturdays

O God, the source of eternal light: Shed forth your unending day upon us who watch for you, that our lips may praise you, our lives may bless you, and our worship on the morrow give you glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saturday Evening Prayer List: For the Church

For Our Mission Partners
Cuttington University School of Nursing, Liberia
The American Friends of Cuttington, New York
Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion, New York
Diocese of Brasilia Afterschool Program, Brazil
Rosebud Episcopal Mission, South Dakota
St. André’s School, Mithon, Haiti

For Mission

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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++