Opening response

O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste 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.

Hymn

Infinite God, to Thee We Raise

Words: Charles Wesley
Tune: ST. CHRYSOSTOM
Meter: 88.88.88
Resources: Hymnary

1. Infinite God, to Thee we raise
our hearts in solemn songs of praise;
By all Thy works on earth adored,
we worship Thee, the common Lord;
The everlasting Father own,
and bow our souls before Thy throne.

2. Thee all the choir of angels sings,
the Lord of hosts, the King of kings;
Cherubs proclaim Thy praise aloud,
and seraphs shout the triune God;
And, "Holy, holy, holy," cry,
"Thy glory fills both earth and sky!"

3. God of the patriarchal race,
the ancient seers record Thy praise;
The goodly apostolic band
in highest joy and glory stand;
And all the saints and prophets join
to extol Thy majesty divine.

4. Head of the martyrs’ noble host,
Of Thee they justly make their boast;
The church, to earth’s remotest bounds,
her heavenly founder’s praise resounds;
And strives, with those around the throne,
to hymn the mystic Three in One.

5. Father of endless majesty,
all might and love they render Thee;
Thy true and only Son adore,
the same in dignity and power;
And God the Holy Ghost declare,
the saints’ eternal comforter.

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.

Psalm 120

𝙍: Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips.

In my distress I cried to the LORD,
and He answered me.
Deliver my soul, O LORD,
from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.

What will He do to you,
and what will be added to you,
O deceitful tongue?
Sharp arrows will come from the warrior,
with burning coals of the broom tree! 𝙍

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech,
that I live among the tents of Kedar!
Too long have I dwelt
among those who hate peace.
I am in favor of peace;
but when I speak, they want war.

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.

𝙍: Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips.

Psalm prayer

God of consolation,
look on us, pilgrims in a strange land;
preserve us from slander and deceit,
show us the truth
and give to our souls the peace of Christ.

Psalm 121

𝙍: The LORD will guard you from all evil.

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
Behold, the Protector of Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep. 𝙍

The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is the shade on your right hand.
The sun will not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will guard you from all evil;
He will preserve your soul.
The LORD will watch over your coming and going,
both now and forevermore.

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.

𝙍: The LORD will guard you from all evil.

Psalm prayer

Lord, ever watchful and faithful,
we look to you to be our defense
and we lift our hearts to know your help;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Old Testament reading

Isaiah 43:14 - 44:5

Thus says the LORD your Redeemer,
the Holy One of Israel:

“For your sake, I will send to Babylon
and bring them all as fugitives,
even the Chaldeans,
in the ships in which they rejoice.
I am the LORD, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, and your King.”

Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea
and a path through the surging waters,
who brings out the chariots and horses,
the armies and warriors together,
to lie down, never to rise again;
to be extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

“Do not call to mind the former things;
pay no attention to the things of old.
Behold, I am about to do something new;
even now it is coming. Do you not see it?
Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
The beasts of the field will honor Me,
the jackals and the ostriches,
because I provide water in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert,
to give drink to My chosen people.

The people I formed for Myself
will declare My praise.

But you have not called on Me, O Jacob,
because you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.
You have not brought Me sheep for burnt offerings,
nor honored Me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
nor wearied you with frankincense.
You have not bought Me sweet cane with your silver,
nor satisfied Me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened Me with your sins;
you have wearied Me with your iniquities.

I, yes I, am He
who blots out your transgressions for My own sake
and remembers your sins no more.
Remind Me, let us argue the matter together.
State your case, so that you may be vindicated.
Your first father sinned,
and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.
So I will disgrace the princes of your sanctuary,
and I will devote Jacob to destruction and Israel to reproach.”

But now listen, O Jacob My servant,
Israel, whom I have chosen.
This is the word of the LORD, your Maker,
who formed you from the womb and who will help you:
“Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant,
Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and currents on the dry ground.
I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants,
and My blessing on your offspring.
They will sprout among the grass
like willows by flowing streams.
One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’
another will call himself by the name of Jacob,
and still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’
and will take the name of Israel.”

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

John 5:30-47

I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid. There is another who testifies about Me, and I know that His testimony about Me is valid.

You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved.

John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light. But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me. And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent.

You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.

I do not accept glory from men, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you have not received Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

𝙍: My spirit rejoices in you, O God; my soul proclaims your greatness.

My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One has done great things for me.
Holy is His name.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who are proud
in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
but has exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful,
as He promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his descendants 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.

𝙍: My spirit rejoices in you, O God; my soul proclaims your greatness.

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

Prayers may be offered for:

the day and its tasks
the world and its needs
the church and her life

Prayers may include the following concerns:

The universal church
Bishops, superintendents and all who lead the church
The leaders of the nations
The natural world and the resources of the earth
All who are in any kind of need

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 and everlasting God,
you are always more ready to hear than we to pray
and to give more than either we desire or deserve:
pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy,
forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid
and giving us those good things
which we are not worthy to ask
but through the merits and mediation
of Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
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, 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. 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.