Monday evening November 12

Tuesday evening
Sunday evening

Preparation


Opening response


Favor us, Lord, and deliver us.

Lord, come quickly and help us.


All your faithful ones bless you.

They speak of the glory of your kingdom.


Prayer of thanksgiving


Blessed are you, Sovereign God,

our light and our salvation,

to you be glory and praise forever.

Now, as darkness is falling,

wash away our transgressions,

cleanse us by your refining fire

and make us temples of your Holy Spirit.

By the light of Christ,

dispel the darkness of our hearts

and make us ready to enter your kingdom,

where songs of praise forever sound.

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


Live Our Great God on High


Charles Wesley

Live our great God on high

Eternally adored,

Who gave his Son to die,

Our dear redeeming Lord

He from his throne and bosom gave,

A world, a sinful world to save.


Worship and praise and power

Ascribe we to the Lamb,

His bleeding wounds adore,

And kiss his precious name,

Jesus the name to sinners given,

The name that lifts us up to heaven.


That blessed Spirit praise

Who shows the atoning blood,

Applies the Savior’s grace,

And seals the sons of God;

Spirit of grace and glory too

He claims eternal praise his due.


We with our friends above,

When time and death shall end,

In ecstasies of love

A heavenly life shall spend,

Spend in the great Jehovah’s praise

An age of everlasting days.


Confession of sin


Let us confess our sins to God.


A time of silence and self-examination may be kept.


My God, for love of you

I desire to hate and forsake all sins

by which I have ever displeased you;

and I resolve by the help of your grace

to commit them no more;

and to avoid all opportunities of sin.

Help me to do this,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.


The Lord enrich us with his grace,

and nourish us with his blessing;

the Lord defend us in trouble and keep us from all evil;

the Lord accept our prayers,

and absolve us from our offenses,

for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Amen.


The Word of God


Psalm 34


Refrain:

Taste and see how good the Lord is!


I will bless the Lord at all times;

his praise will always be in my mouth.

I praise the Lord—

let the suffering listen and rejoice.

Magnify the Lord with me!

Together let us lift his name up high!

I sought the Lord and he answered me.

He delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to God will shine;

their faces are never ashamed.

This suffering person cried out:

the Lord listened and saved him from every trouble.

On every side, the Lord’s messenger protects those who honor God; and he delivers them.

Taste and see how good the Lord is!

The one who takes refuge in him is truly happy!

You who are the Lord’s holy ones, honor him,

because those who honor him don’t lack a thing.

Even strong young lions go without and get hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Come, children, listen to me.

Let me teach you how to honor the Lord:

Do you love life;

do you relish the chance to enjoy good things?

Then you must keep your tongue from evil

and keep your lips from speaking lies!

Turn away from evil! Do good!

Seek peace and go after it!

The Lord’s eyes watch the righteous,

his ears listen to their cries for help.

But the Lord’s face is set against those who do evil,

to eliminate even the memory of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry out, the Lord listens;

he delivers them from all their troubles.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;

he saves those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous have many problems,

but the Lord delivers them from every one.

He protects all their bones;

not even one will be broken.

But just one problem will kill the wicked,

and those who hate the righteous will be held responsible.

The Lord saves his servants’ lives;

all those who take refuge in him

won’t be held responsible for anything.


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:

Taste and see how good the Lord is!


Psalm prayer


Send your holy angels

to watch over us, O God,

that on our lips will be found your truth

and in our hearts your love;

so we may ever taste your goodness

in the land of the living;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.


Old Testament reading
Isaiah 5:8-24


Doom to those who acquire house after house,

who annex field to field until there is no more space left

and only you live alone in the land.

I heard the Lord of heavenly forces say this:

Many houses will become total ruins,

large, fine houses, with no one living in them.

Ten acres of vineyard

will produce just one bath,

and a homer of seed

will produce only an ephah.

Doom to those who wake up early in the morning to run after beer,

to those who stay up late, lit up by wine.

They party with lyre and harp, tambourine, flute, and wine;

but they ignore the Lord’s work;

they can’t see what God is doing.

Therefore, my people go into exile since they didn’t understand—

their officials are dying of hunger;

so many of them are dried up with thirst.

Therefore, the grave opens wide its jaws,

opens its mouth beyond all bounds,

and the splendid multitudes will go down, with all their uproar and cheering.

Humanity will be humiliated;

each person laid low,

the eyes of the exalted laid low.

But the Lord of heavenly forces will be exalted in justice,

and the holy God will show himself holy in righteousness.

Lambs will graze as if in their pasture;

young goats will feed among the ruins of the rich.

Doom to those who drag guilt along with cords of fraud,

and haul sin as if with cart ropes,

who say, “God should hurry and work faster so we can see;

let the plan of Israel’s holy one come quickly, so we can understand it.”

Doom to those who call evil good and good evil,

who present darkness as light and light as darkness,

who make bitterness sweet and sweetness bitter.

Doom to those

who consider themselves wise,

who think of themselves as clever.

Doom to the wine-swigging warriors,

mighty at mixing drinks,

who spare the guilty for bribes,

and rob the innocent of their rights.

Therefore, as a tongue of fire devours stubble,

and as hay shrivels in a flame,

so their roots will rot,

and their blossoms turn to dust,

for they have rejected the teaching of the Lord of heavenly forces,

and have despised the word of Israel’s holy one.


Silence may be kept.


New Testament reading
Matthew 4:23-5:12


Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues. He announced the good news of the kingdom and healed every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all those who had various kinds of diseases, those in pain, those possessed by demons, those with epilepsy, and those who were paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from the areas beyond the Jordan River. Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain. He sat down and his disciples came to him. He taught them, saying:

“Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

“Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad.

“Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.

“Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full.

“Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy.

“Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God.

“Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children.

“Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

“Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. In the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you.


Silence may be kept.


Gospel canticle
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)


Refrain:

You show mercy to everyone, from one generation to the next, who honors you as God.


With all my heart I glorify the Lord!

In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.

He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant.

Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored

because the mighty one has done great things for me.

Holy is his name.

He shows mercy to everyone,

from one generation to the next,

who honors him as God.

He has shown strength with his arm.

He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations.

He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones

and lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away empty-handed.

He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,

remembering his mercy,

just as he promised to our ancestors,

to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.


Luke 1:46-55


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:

You show mercy to everyone, from one generation to the next, who honors you as God.


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.


Prayers


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 saints on earth, that they may live as citizens of heaven

All people, that they may hear and believe the word of God

All who fear the winter months

All sovereigns and political leaders, that they may imitate the righteous rule of Christ

All who grieve or wait with the dying


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


Response


Father, by your Spirit

Bring in your kingdom.


Silence may be kept.


Collect of the day


Almighty Father,

whose will is to restore all things

in your beloved Son, the King of all:

govern the hearts and minds of those in authority,

and bring the families of the nations,

divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin,

to be subject to his just and gentle rule;

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


May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven, bring us to reign with him in glory.

Amen.