Opening response

Hurry, God, to deliver us.
LORD, come quickly to help us.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night:
to you be praise and glory forever.
As darkness falls you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
By the light of Christ, your living Word,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
that we may walk as children of light
and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and forever.
Amen.

Hymn

Partners of a glorious hope

Charles Wesley

Partners of a glorious hope,
Lift your hearts and voices up!
Nobly let us bear the strife,
Keep the holiness, of life;

Still forget the things behind,
Follow Christ in heart and mind,
To the mark unwearied press,
Seize the crown of righteousness.

Jesus, fill us with thy love,
Never from our souls remove,
Heart to heart unite and bless,
Keep us in thy perfect peace!

In our lives our faith be known,
Faith by holy actions shown;
Faith that mountains can remove,
Faith that always works by love.

Confession of sin

The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor repaid us for our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his loving kindness towards those who fear him.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God,
Holy and strong,
Holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Like a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
Praise the LORD, my soul!
All that is within me, praise his holy name!
Praise the LORD, my soul,
and don’t forget all his benefits.

Psalm 59

Refrain:
O God, you are my high tower.

Deliver me from my enemies, my God.
Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity.
Save me from the bloodthirsty men.
For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul.
The mighty gather themselves together against me,
not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, LORD.
I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Rise up, behold, and help me!
You, LORD God of Armies, the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish the nations.
Show no mercy to the wicked traitors. Selah.

They return at evening, howling like dogs,
and prowl around the city.
Behold, they spew with their mouth.
Swords are in their lips,
“For”, they say, “who hears us?”
But you, LORD, laugh at them.
You scoff at all the nations.
Oh, my Strength, I watch for you,
for God is my high tower.
My God will go before me with his loving kindness.
God will let me look at my enemies in triumph.
Don’t kill them, or my people may forget.
Scatter them by your power, and bring them down, Lord our shield.
For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips,
let them be caught in their pride,
for the curses and lies which they utter.
Consume them in wrath.
Consume them, and they will be no more.
Let them know that God rules in Jacob,
to the ends of the earth. Selah.

At evening let them return.
Let them howl like a dog, and go around the city.
They shall wander up and down for food,
and wait all night if they aren’t satisfied.

But I will sing of your strength.
Yes, I will sing aloud of your loving kindness in the morning.
For you have been my high tower,
a refuge in the day of my distress.
To you, my strength, I will sing praises.
For God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.

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.

Refrain:
O God, you are my high tower.

Psalm prayer

Strong and merciful God,
stand with the oppressed
against the triumph of evil
and the complacency of your people,
and establish in Jesus Christ
your new order of generosity and joy,
for he is alive and reigns now and forever.

Psalm 60

Refrain:
Restore us again, O God our Saviour.

God, you have rejected us.
You have broken us down.
You have been angry.
Restore us, again.
You have made the land tremble.
You have torn it.
Mend its fractures,
for it quakes.
You have shown your people hard things.
You have made us drink the wine that makes us stagger.
You have given a banner to those who fear you,
that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

So that your beloved may be delivered,
save with your right hand, and answer us.
God has spoken from his sanctuary:
“I will triumph.
I will divide Shechem,
and measure out the valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine.
Ephraim also is the defence of my head.
Judah is my sceptre.
Moab is my wash basin.
I will throw my sandal on Edom.
I shout in triumph over Philistia.”

Who will bring me into the strong city?
Who has led me to Edom?
Haven’t you, God, rejected us?
You don’t go out with our armies, God.
Give us help against the adversary,
for the help of man is vain.
Through God we will do valiantly,
for it is he who will tread down our adversaries.

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.

Refrain:
Restore us again, O God our Saviour.

Psalm prayer

Risen Christ,
you claim your own among the nations;
mend what is broken in us, loving Saviour;
do not forsake us when we fail,
but in your service grant us daring and love;
for your name’s sake.

Psalm 67

Refrain:
God will bless us.

May God be merciful to us, bless us,
and cause his face to shine on us. Selah.

That your way may be known on earth,
and your salvation amongst all nations,
let the peoples praise you, God.
Let all the peoples praise you.
Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you will judge the peoples with equity,
and govern the nations on earth. Selah.

Let the peoples praise you, God.
Let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has yielded its increase.
God, even our own God, will bless us.
God will bless us.
All the ends of the earth shall fear him.

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.

Refrain:
God will bless us.

Psalm prayer

In the face of Jesus Christ
your light and glory have blazed forth,
O God of all the nations;
with all your people,
may we make known your grace
and walk in the ways of peace;
for your name’s sake.

Old Testament reading

Judges 5

Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
“Because the leaders took the lead in Israel,
because the people offered themselves willingly,
be blessed, LORD!

“Hear, you kings!
Give ear, you princes!
I, even I, will sing to the LORD.
I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

“LORD, when you went out of Seir,
when you marched out of the field of Edom,
the earth trembled, the sky also dropped.
Yes, the clouds dropped water.
The mountains quaked at the LORD’s presence,
even Sinai at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.

“In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,
in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied.
The travelers walked through byways.
The rulers ceased in Israel.
They ceased until I, Deborah, arose;
Until I arose a mother in Israel.
They chose new gods.
Then war was in the gates.
Was there a shield or spear seen amongst forty thousand in Israel?
My heart is towards the governors of Israel,
who offered themselves willingly amongst the people.
Bless the LORD!

“Speak, you who ride on white donkeys,
you who sit on rich carpets,
and you who walk by the way.
Far from the noise of archers, in the places of drawing water,
there they will rehearse the LORD’s righteous acts,
the righteous acts of his rule in Israel.

“Then the LORD’s people went down to the gates.
‘Awake, awake, Deborah!
Awake, awake, utter a song!
Arise, Barak, and lead away your captives, you son of Abinoam.’

“Then a remnant of the nobles and the people came down.
The LORD came down for me against the mighty.
Those whose root is in Amalek came out of Ephraim,
after you, Benjamin, amongst your peoples.
Governors come down out of Machir.
Those who handle the marshal’s staff came out of Zebulun.
The princes of Issachar were with Deborah.
As was Issachar, so was Barak.
They rushed into the valley at his feet.
By the watercourses of Reuben,
there were great resolves of heart.
Why did you sit amongst the sheepfolds?
To hear the whistling for the flocks?
At the watercourses of Reuben,
there were great searchings of heart.
Gilead lived beyond the Jordan.
Why did Dan remain in ships?
Asher sat still at the haven of the sea,
and lived by his creeks.
Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death;
Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.

“The kings came and fought,
then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo.
They took no plunder of silver.
From the sky the stars fought.
From their courses, they fought against Sisera.
The river Kishon swept them away,
that ancient river, the river Kishon.
My soul, march on with strength.
Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing,
the prancing of their strong ones.
‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel.
‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants,
because they didn’t come to help the LORD,
to help the LORD against the mighty.’

“Jael shall be blessed above women,
the wife of Heber the Kenite;
blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
He asked for water.
She gave him milk.
She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
She put her hand to the tent peg,
and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer.
With the hammer she struck Sisera.
She struck through his head.
Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples.
At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay.
At her feet he bowed, he fell.
Where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

“Through the window she looked out, and cried:
Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice.
‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?
Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’
Her wise ladies answered her,
Yes, she returned answer to herself,
‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder?
A lady, two ladies to every man;
to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments,
a plunder of dyed garments embroidered,
of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’

“So let all your enemies perish, LORD,
but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.”

Then the land had rest forty years.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Luke 13:22-35

He went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and travelling on to Jerusalem. One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?”

He said to them, “Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen up and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ then he will answer and tell you, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s Kingdom, and yourselves being thrown outside. They will come from the east, west, north, and south, and will sit down in God’s Kingdom. Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”

On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, “Get out of here and go away, for Herod wants to kill you.”

He said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I complete my mission. Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.’

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused! Behold, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

Refrain:
Your mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear you.

My soul magnifies the Lord.
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
for he has looked at the humble state of his servant.
For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.
He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his offspring 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.

Refrain:
Your mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear you.

Brief silence.

The Apostle’s Creed

Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his 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,
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and 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.

Thanksgiving and intercession

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered
for peace
for individuals and their needs

Prayers may include the following concerns:

The social services
All who work in the criminal justice system
Victims and perpetrators of crime
The work of aid agencies throughout the world
Those living in poverty or under oppression

Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.

Response

Lord, hear your people
and answer our prayers.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

Lord, you have taught us
that all our doings without love are worth nothing.
Send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ's sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Savior taught us, so we 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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and forever.
Amen.

Conclusion

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.
Amen.