Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Evening Prayer - Wednesday, June 17 7:00 pm

EVENING PRAYER for Wednesday after 2 Pentecost

Vespers

(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)


Jesus Christ is the Light of the World,

The light no darkness can overcome.

Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening,

And the day is almost over.

Let your light scatter the darkness,

And illumine your Church.

 

Joyous light of glory:

of the immortal Father;

                        heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.

            We have come to the setting of the sun,

                        and we look to the evening light.

            We sing to God, the Father, Son,

                        and Holy Spirit:

            You are worthy of being praised

                        with pure voices forever.

            O Son of God, O Giver of life:

                        The universe proclaims your glory.

 

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give him thanks and praise.

 

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night: Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ; may his Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are merciful, and you love your whole creation, and we, your creatures, glorify you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Amen

 

 

 

 

Let my prayer rise before you as incense;

            the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;

            hear my voice when I cry to you.

Let my prayer rise before you as incense;

            the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord,

            and guard the door of my lips.

Let not my heart incline to any evil thing;

            let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers.

But my eyes are turned to you, Lord God;

            in you I take refuge. Strip me not of my life.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Let my prayer rise before you as incense;

            the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

 

Silence for meditation.

 

Let the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your lovingkindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify you forever and ever.

Amen

 

Psalm 125

 

1 Those who trust in the Lord are | like Mount Zion,*

                which cannot be moved, but stands | fast forever.

2 The hills stand a- | bout Jerusalem;*

                so does the Lord stand round about his people,

                from this time forth for- | evermore.

3 The scepter of the wicked shall not hold sway over the land allotted | to the just,*

                so that the just shall not put their | hands to evil.

4 Show your goodness, O Lord, to those | who are good*

                and to those who are | true of heart.

5 As for those who turn aside to crooked ways,

the Lord will lead them away with the | evildoers;*

                but peace be | upon Israel.

 

The proper psalm prayer is said, to which the congregation responds: Amen

 

Lord, surround your people with your presence. Do not let us stretch out our hands to evil deeds, nor be destroyed by the snares of the enemy, but bring us to share the land prepared for the saints in light, where you live and reign, God, now and forever.

 

 

Hymn                   There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy

 

1              There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,

                like the wideness of the sea;

                there’s a kindness in his justice

                which is more than liberty.

                There is no place where earth’s sorrows

                are more felt than up in heav’n.

                There is no place where earth’s failings

                have such kindly judgment giv’n.

 

2              There is welcome for the sinner,

                and a promised grace made good;

                there is mercy with the Savior;

                there is healing in his blood.

                There is grace enough for thousands

                of new worlds as great as this;

                there is room for fresh creations

                in that upper home of bliss.

 

3              For the love of God is broader

                than the measures of our mind;

                and the heart of the eternal

                is most wonderfully kind.

                There is plentiful redemption

                in the blood that has been shed;

                there is joy for all the members

                in the sorrows of the head.

 

4             ’Tis not all we owe to Jesus;

                it is something more than all:

                greater good because of evil,

                larger mercy through the fall.

                If our love were but more simple,

                we should take him at his word;

                and our lives would be all sunshine

                in the sweetness of our Lord.

 

Text: Frederick W. Faber, 1814-1863

 

Reading                                                                           Romans 5:1-8

 

 [The apostle Paul writes:]  1Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
  
6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

 

Response

In many and various ways

God spoke to his people of old by the prophets.

But now in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.

 

The GOSPEL CANTICLE is sung.

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

            my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

            for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

            From this day all generations will call me blessed.

                        The Almighty has done great things for me,

                        and holy is his name.

                        He has mercy on those who fear him

                        in every generation.

            He has shown the strength of his arm;

            he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

            He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

            and has lifted up the lowly.

            He has filled the hungry with good things,

            and the rich he has sent away empty.

            He has come to the help of his servant Israel,

            for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

            the promise he made to our fathers,

            to Abraham and his children forever.

            Glory to the Father, and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen

 

The LITANY is sung.

 

In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For all who offer today their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For Dan, our bishop; for your unworthy servant; for all pastors in Christ, for all servants of the Church, and for all the people, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For our public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may be upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

 

For the faithful who have gone before us and are at rest, let us give thanks to the Lord.

Alleluia.

 

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

 

Silence for meditation.

 

Rejoicing in the fellowship of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ, our Lord.

To you, O Lord.

 

Lord God of all nations, you have revealed your will to your people and promised your help to us all. Help us to hear and to do what you command, that the darkness may be overcome by the power of your light; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

Almighty God, you have given us this good land as our heritage. Make us always remember your generosity and constantly do your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education, and an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil course of action. Make us who came from many nations with many different languages a united people. Defend our liberties and give those whom we have entrusted with the authority of government the spirit of wisdom, that there might be justice and peace in our land. When times are prosperous, let our hearts be thankful; and, in troubled times, do not let our trust in you fail. We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the abundance of this land; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.   

Amen

 

We pray to you, almighty God, in this time of pandemic. You are our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Do not let us fail in the face of these events. Uphold us with your love, and give us the strength we need. Help us in our confusion, and guide our actions. Heal the sick, console the bereaved and afflicted, protect the innocent and helpless, and deliver all who are in peril; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever. Amen

 

Our Father, who art in heaven,

                        hallowed be thy name,

                        thy kingdom come,

                        thy will be done,

                                    on earth as it is in heaven.

            Give us this day our daily bread;

            and forgive us our trespasses,

                        as we forgive those who trespass against us;

            and lead us not into temptation,

                        but deliver us from evil.

            For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,

                        forever and ever. Amen

 

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

Hymn              All Praise To Thee, My God, this Night

Lutheran Book of Worship 278

 

1              All praise to thee, my God, this night

                for all the blessings of the light.

                Keep me, oh, keep me, King of kings,

                beneath thine own almighty wings.

 

2             Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,

                the ill that I this day have done;

                that with the world, myself, and thee,

                I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

 

3              Teach me to live, that I may dread

                the grave as little as my bed.

                Teach me to die, that so I may

                rise glorious at the awesome day.

 

4             Oh, may my soul in thee repose,

                and may sweet sleep mine eyelids close,

                sleep that shall me more vig’rous make

                to serve my God when I awake!

 

5             Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

                praise him, all creatures here below;

                praise him above, ye heav’nly host;

                praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

 

Text: Thomas Ken, 1637-1711

 

 

Sermon

 

Prayer and Benediction

Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you.

Amen