Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Evening Prayer for Wednesday in the Third Week of Epiphany: January 27, 2021, 7:00 p.m.

The livestream may be found here. You need not have a Facebook account to view the livestream.

EVENING PRAYER

for Wednesday in 3 Epiphany

Vespers

(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)

 

The people who walked in darkness

  have seen a great light.

The light shines in the darkness,

  and the darkness has not overcome it.

Those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness,

  on them light has shined.

We have beheld Christ’s glory,

  glory as of the only Son from the Father.

For to us a child is born,

  to us a Son is given.

In him was life,

  and the life was the light of all people.

 

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.

 

  We praise and thank you, O God, for you are without beginning and without end. Through Christ you are the creator and preserver of the whole world; but, above all, you are his God and Father, the giver of the Spirit, and the ruler of all that is, seen and unseen. You made the day for the works of light and the night for the refreshment of our weakness. O loving Lord and source of all that is good, mercifully accept our evening sacrifice of praise. As you have conducted us through the day and brought us to night’s beginning, keep us now in Christ; grant us a peaceful evening and a night free from sin, and at the end, bring us to everlasting life through Christ our Lord. Through him we offer glory, honor, and worship to you in the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.

  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 91

 

Come, you peoples of the earth:

  drink from the wells of the Savior.

 

1 He who dwells in the shelter of | the Most High,*

                abides under the shadow of | the Almighty.

2 He shall say to the Lord, "You are my refuge | and my stronghold,*

                my God in whom I | put my trust."

3 He shall deliver you from the snare | of the hunter*

                and from the | deadly pestilence.

4 He shall cover you with his pinions,

   and you shall find refuge un- | der his wings;*

                his faithfulness shall be a | shield and buckler.

5 You shall not be afraid of any ter- | ror by night,*

                nor of the arrow that | flies by day;

6 of the plague that stalks | in the darkness,*

                nor of the sickness that lays | waste at midday.

7 A thousand shall fall at your side

   and ten thousand at | your right hand,*

                but it shall | not come near you.

8 Your eyes have only | to behold*

                to see the reward | of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the | Lord your refuge,*

                and the Most High your | habitation,

10 there shall no evil hap- | pen to you,*

                neither shall any plague come | near your dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge | over you,*

                to keep you in | all your ways.

12 They shall bear you | in their hands,*

                lest you dash your foot a- | gainst a stone.

13 You shall tread upon the li- | on and the adder;*

                you shall trample the young lion

and the serpent un- | der your feet.

14 Because he is bound to me in love, therefore will I de- | liver him;*

                I will protect him, because he | knows my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will | answer him;*

                I am with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and bring | him to honor.

16 With long life will I sat- | isfy him,*

                and show him | my salvation.

 

Come, you peoples of the earth:

  drink from the wells of the Savior.

 

Lord Jesus Christ, when tempted by the devil, you remained true to your Father, who commanded his angels to watch over you. Guard your Church from the plague of sin, so that we may remain faithful to you until the day when we enjoy the fullness of your salvation; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.  (369)

 

Hymn              Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling                               LBW 523

 

1      Holy Spirit, ever dwelling

        in the holiest realms of light;

        Holy Spirit, ever brooding

        o'er a world of gloom and night;

        Holy Spirit, ever raising

        those of earth to thrones on high;

        living, life-imparting Spirit,

        you we praise and magnify.

 

2      Holy Spirit, ever living

        as the church's very life;

        Holy Spirit, ever striving

        through us in a ceaseless strife;

        Holy Spirit, ever forming

        in the church the mind of Christ:

        you we praise with endless worship

        for your gifts and fruits unpriced.

 

3      Holy Spirit, ever working

        through the church's ministry;

        quick'ning, strength'ning, and absolving,

        setting captive sinners free;

        Holy Spirit, ever binding

        age to age and soul to soul

        in communion never ending,

        you we worship and extol.

 

Text: Timothy Rees, 1874-1939, alt.

 

 

READING                                                          Ephesians 1:15-23

15I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The Word of the Lord.                                        Thanks be to God.

Response

In many and various ways

God spoke to this 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.

 

Antiphon:

Our Lord and Savior, begotten before all ages,

  revealed himself to the world. Alleluia.

 

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

 

Antiphon:

Our Lord and Savior, begotten before all ages,

  revealed himself to the world. Alleluia.

 

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 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.

  To you, O Lord.

 

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.

 

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              To You Before the Close of Day                       Hymn 277

 

1              To you, before the close of day,

                Creator of the world, we pray!

                Your grace and peace to us allow

                and be our guard and keeper now.

 

2              From evil dreams defend our sight,

                from all the terrors of the night,

                from all deluding thoughts that creep

                on heedless minds disarmed by sleep.

 

3              O Father, this we ask be done

                through Jesus Christ, your only Son,

                who with the Holy Ghost and you

                shall live and reign all ages through. Amen

 

Text: compline office hymn, c. 8th cent.; tr. John M. Neale, 1818-1866, adapt.

 

 

 

 

Prayer and Benediction

Accept, O Lord, our praises and supplications, and look graciously on our households and our faith family, that we may abide this night in peace and safety under the shadow of your wings, and so assist us by your grace that we may be made fit for that kingdom where there shall be no more sin, nor sorrow, nor pain, but all shall be joy and peace in the Holy Spirit, to whom, with you, O Father, and you, O blessed Jesus, be all glory, both now and evermore.

  Amen

 

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