Shane Raynor 12/14/23 Shane Raynor 12/14/23

Thursday evening December 14

Friday evening
Wednesday evening

Opening response

Make haste, O God, to deliver us.
Hurry, O LORD, to help us.

Reveal among us the light of your presence
that we may behold your power and glory.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
creator of light and darkness,
to you be glory and praise forever.
As evening falls, you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
May your word be a lantern to our feet
and a light upon our path
that we may behold your coming among us.
Strengthen us in our stumbling weakness
and free our tongues to sing your praise.
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

The Universal King

Charles Wesley

The universal King
Let all the world proclaim;
Let every creature sing
His attributes and name!
Him Three in One and One in Three,
Extol to all eternity.

In his great name alone
All excellencies meet,
Who sits upon the throne,
And shall forever sit;
Him Three in One and One in Three,
Extol to all eternity.

Glory to God belongs;
Glory to God be given,
Above the noblest songs
Of all in earth or heaven!
Him Three in One and One in Three,
Extol to all eternity.

Confession of sin

Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their own ways
and the unrighteous their own thoughts.
Let them return to the LORD so that he may have compassion,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

cf Isaiah 55

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

Lord God,
we have sinned against you;
we have done what is evil in your sight.
We are sorry and repent.
Have mercy on us according to your loving devotion.
Wash us clean of our iniquity and cleanse us from our sin.
Renew a right spirit within us,
and restore to us the joy of your salvation
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

cf Psalm 51

May the Father of all mercies
cleanse us from our sins,
and restore us in his image
to the praise and glory of his name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Bless be the LORD,
for he has heard our cry for mercy.
Therefore our hearts rejoice
and we give thanks to him with our song.

cf Psalm 28:7, 9

Psalm 73

𝙍: I have made the Lord GOD my refuge.

Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
my steps had nearly slipped.
For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

They have no struggle in their death;
their bodies are well-fed.
They are free of the burdens others carry;
they are not afflicted like other men.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
a garment of violence covers them.
From their prosperity proceeds iniquity;
the imaginations of their hearts run wild. 𝙍

They mock and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongues strut across the earth.

So their people return to this place
and drink up waters in abundance.
The wicked say, “How can God know?
Does the Most High have knowledge?”
Behold, these are the wicked—
always carefree as they increase their wealth.

Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure;
in innocence I have washed my hands.
For I am afflicted all day long
and punished every morning.
If I had said, “I will speak this way,”
then I would have betrayed Your children. 𝙍

When I tried to understand all this,
it was troublesome in my sight
until I entered God’s sanctuary;
then I discerned their end.

Surely You set them on slick ground;
You cast them down into ruin.
How suddenly they are laid waste,
completely swept away by terrors!
Like one waking from a dream,
so You, O Lord, awaken and despise their form.

When my heart was grieved
and I was pierced within,
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before You. 𝙍

Yet I am always with You;
You hold my right hand.
You guide me with Your counsel,
and later receive me in glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And on earth I desire no one besides You.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

Those far from You will surely perish;
You destroy all who are unfaithful to You.
But as for me, it is good to draw near to God.
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may proclaim all Your works.

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: I have made the Lord GOD my refuge.

Psalm prayer

Holy God,
may we find wisdom in your presence
and set our hope not on uncertain riches
but on the love that holds us to the end;
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Silence may be kept.

Old Testament reading

Isaiah 48:1-11

“Listen to this, O house of Jacob,
you who are called by the name of Israel,
who have descended from the line of Judah,
who swear by the name of the LORD,
who invoke the God of Israel—
but not in truth or righteousness—
who indeed call yourselves after the holy city
and lean on the God of Israel;
the LORD of Hosts is His name.

I foretold the former things long ago;
they came out of My mouth and I proclaimed them.
Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
For I knew that you are stubborn;
your neck is iron and your forehead is bronze.
Therefore I declared it to you long ago;
I announced it before it came to pass,
so that you could not claim, ‘My idol has done this;
my carved image and molten god has ordained it.’
You have heard these things; look at them all.
Will you not acknowledge them?

From now on I will tell you of new things,
hidden things unknown to you.
They are created now, and not long ago;
you have not heard of them before today.
So you cannot claim,
‘I already knew them!’
You have never heard; you have never understood;
for a long time your ears have not been open.
For I knew how deceitful you are;
you have been called a rebel from birth.

For the sake of My name I will delay My wrath;
for the sake of My praise I will restrain it,
so that you will not be cut off.
See, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
For My own sake, My very own sake, I will act;
for how can I let Myself be defamed?
I will not yield My glory to another.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

1 Thessalonians 3

So when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left on our own in Athens. We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for God in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that none of you would be shaken by these trials. For you know that we are destined for this. Indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer persecution; and as you know, it has come to pass. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter had somehow tempted you and caused our labor to be in vain.

But just now, Timothy has returned from his visit with the good news about your faith, your love, and the fond memories you have preserved, longing to see us just as we long to see you. For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we have been reassured about you, because of your faith. For now we can go on living, as long as you are standing firm in the Lord.

How can we adequately thank God for you in return for our great joy over you in His presence? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking from your faith.

Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you. And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows, so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

𝙍: Lord Jesus, you are the one who is to come, the one whom we await with longing hearts.

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: Lord Jesus, you are the one who is to come, the one whom we await with longing hearts.

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 church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ
The leaders of the church
The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God
Those who are working for justice in the world
The broken, that they may find God’s healing

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

Response

Father, hear our prayer,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power
and come among us,
and with great might succor us;
that whereas, through our sins and wickedness
we are grievously hindered
in running the race that is set before us,
your bountiful grace and mercy
may speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and forever.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Awaiting his coming in glory, 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 the Lord, when he comes, find us watching and waiting.
Amen.

Shane Raynor 12/13/23 Shane Raynor 12/13/23

Wednesday evening December 13

Thursday evening
Tuesday evening

Opening response

Make haste, O God, to deliver us.
Hurry, O LORD, to help us.

Reveal among us the light of your presence
that we may behold your power and glory.

Prayer of thanksgiving

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

Father, Son, and Spirit Hear

Charles Wesley

Father, Son, and Spirit, hear
Faith's effectual fervent prayer;
Hear, and our petitions seal,
Let us now the answer feel.

Still our fellowship increase,
Knit us in the bond of peace;
Join our newborn spirits, join
Each to each, and all to thine.

Build us in one body up,
Called in one high calling's hope:
One the Spirit whom we claim,
One the pure baptismal flame.

One the faith, and common Lord,
One the Father lives adored,
Over, through, and in us all,
God incomprehensible.

One with God, the source of bliss,
Ground of our communion this:
Life of all that live below,
Let thine emanations flow!

Rise eternal in our heart:
Thou our long-sought Eden art;
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Be to us what Adam lost!

Confession of sin

Let us admit to God the sin which always confronts us.

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

Almighty God,
patient and of great goodness:
I confess to you,
I confess with my whole heart
my neglect and forgetfulness of your commandments,
my wrong doing, thinking, and speaking;
the hurts I have done to others,
and the good I have left undone.
O God, forgive me, for I have sinned against you;
and raise me to newness of life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

May the God of love and power
forgive us and free us from our sins,
heal and strengthen us by his Spirit,
and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Psalm 10

𝙍: You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Why, O LORD, do You stand far off?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
In pride the wicked pursue the needy;
let them be caught in the schemes they devise.

For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart;
he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him;
in all his schemes there is no God. 𝙍

He is secure in his ways at all times;
Your lofty judgments are far from him;
he sneers at all his foes.
He says to himself, “I will not be moved;
from age to age I am free of distress.”

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.
He lies in wait near the villages;
in ambush he slays the innocent;
his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.
He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket;
he lurks to seize the oppressed;
he catches the lowly in his net.
They are crushed and beaten down;
the hapless fall prey to his strength.
He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
He hides His face and never sees.” 𝙍

Arise, O LORD! Lift up Your hand, O God!
Do not forget the helpless.
Why has the wicked man renounced God?
He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.”
But You have regarded trouble and grief;
You see to repay it by Your hand.
The victim entrusts himself to You;
You are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
call him to account for his wickedness
until none is left to be found. 𝙍

The LORD is King forever and ever;
the nations perish from His land.
You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble;
You will strengthen their hearts.
You will incline Your ear,
to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed,
that the men of the earth
may strike terror no more.

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: You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Psalm prayer

When wickedness triumphs
and the poor are betrayed,
come to your kingdom, strong and holy God,
destroy the masks of evil
and reign in our broken hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 14

𝙍: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.

The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”

They are corrupt; their acts are vile.
There is no one who does good.

The LORD looks down from heaven
upon the sons of men
to see if any understand,
if any seek God.
All have turned away,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one. 𝙍

Will the workers of iniquity never learn?

They devour my people like bread;
they refuse to call upon the LORD.
There they are, overwhelmed with dread,
for God is in the company of the righteous.
You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
yet the LORD is their shelter.

Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come from Zion!

When the LORD restores His captive people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad!

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 fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.

Psalm prayer

God of heaven,
look with mercy on all who are consumed
by ignorance and greed,
and let the children of earth know
that you are God forever.

Silence may be kept.

Old Testament reading

Isaiah 47

“Go down and sit in the dust,
O Virgin Daughter of Babylon.
Sit on the ground without a throne,
O Daughter of Chaldea!
For you will no longer be called
tender or delicate.
Take millstones and grind flour;
remove your veil;
strip off your skirt, bare your thigh,
and wade through the streams.
Your nakedness will be uncovered
and your shame will be exposed.
I will take vengeance;
I will spare no one.”

Our Redeemer—the LORD of Hosts is His name—
is the Holy One of Israel.

“Sit in silence and go into darkness,
O Daughter of Chaldea.
For you will no longer be called
the queen of kingdoms.
I was angry with My people;
I profaned My heritage,
and I placed them under your control.
You showed them no mercy;
even on the elderly you laid a most heavy yoke.
You said, ‘I will be queen forever.’
You did not take these things to heart
or consider their outcome.

So now hear this,
O lover of luxury who sits securely,
who says to herself,
‘I am, and there is none besides me.
I will never be a widow
or know the loss of children.’
These two things will overtake you in a moment,
in a single day:
loss of children, and widowhood.
They will come upon you in full measure,
in spite of your many sorceries
and the potency of your spells.
You were secure in your wickedness;
you said, ‘No one sees me.’
Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray;
you told yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
But disaster will come upon you;
you will not know how to charm it away.
A calamity will befall you
that you will be unable to ward off.
Devastation will happen to you
suddenly and unexpectedly.

So take your stand with your spells
and with your many sorceries,
with which you have wearied yourself
from your youth.
Perhaps you will succeed;
perhaps you will inspire terror!
You are wearied by your many counselors;
let them come forward now and save you—
your astrologers who observe the stars,
who monthly predict your fate.
Surely they are like stubble;
the fire will burn them up.
They cannot deliver themselves
from the power of the flame.
There will be no coals to warm them
or fire to sit beside.
This is what they are to you—
those with whom you have labored and traded from youth—
each one strays in his own direction;
not one of them can save you.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

1 Thessalonians 2:13-20

And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as the true word of God—the word which is now at work in you who believe.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Judea that are in Christ Jesus. You suffered from your own countrymen the very things they suffered from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men, hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.

Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense. For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us. After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? You are indeed our glory and our joy.

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

𝙍: Lord Jesus, you are the one who is to come, the one whom we await with longing hearts.

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: Lord Jesus, you are the one who is to come, the one whom we await with longing hearts.

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 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:

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

Response

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

The Lord’s Prayer

Awaiting his coming in glory, as our Savior taught us, so we pray

Conclusion

May the Lord, when he comes, find us watching and waiting.
Amen.

Shane Raynor 12/12/23 Shane Raynor 12/12/23

Tuesday evening December 12

Wednesday evening
Monday evening

Opening response

Make haste, O God, to deliver us.
Hurry, O LORD, to help us.

Reveal among us the light of your presence
that we may behold your power and glory.

Prayer of thanksgiving

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

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Charles Wesley

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

Confession of sin

cf Isaiah 55

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

cf Psalm 51

May the Father of all mercies
cleanse us from our sins,
and restore us in his image
to the praise and glory of his name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Bless be the LORD,
for he has heard our cry for mercy.
Therefore our hearts rejoice
and we give thanks to him with our song.

cf Psalm 28:7, 9

Psalm 11

𝙍: The LORD is on His heavenly throne.

In the LORD I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:

“Flee like a bird to your mountain!
For behold, the wicked bend their bows.
They set their arrow on the string
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
If the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?” 𝙍

The LORD is in His holy temple;
the LORD is on His heavenly throne.
His eyes are watching closely;
they examine the sons of men.
The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked;
His soul hates the lover of violence.
On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their portion.

For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice.
The upright will see His face.

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 is on His heavenly throne.

Psalm prayer

God of heaven,
when the foundations are shaken
and there is no escape,
test us, but not to destruction,
look on the face of your anointed
and heal us in Jesus Christ your Son.

Psalm 12

𝙍: You, O LORD, will keep us.

Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.
They lie to one another;
they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
May the LORD cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue.
They say, “With our tongues we will prevail.
We own our lips—who can be our master?” 𝙍

“For the cause of the oppressed
and for the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise,” says the LORD.
“I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

The words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace,
like gold purified sevenfold.
You, O LORD, will keep us;
You will forever guard us from this generation.
The wicked wander freely,
and vileness is exalted among men.

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: You, O LORD, will keep us.

Psalm prayer

Lord, when faith is faint
and speech veils our intentions,
restore us by your word of power and purity,
both now and forever.

Psalm 13

𝙍: I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice — my appeal for mercy.

How long, O LORD?
Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long must I wrestle in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart each day?
How long will my enemy dominate me? 𝙍

Consider me and respond, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death,
lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes rejoice when I fall.

But I have trusted in Your loving devotion;
my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
for He has been good to me.

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: I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice — my appeal for mercy.

Psalm prayer

Jesus Christ, Son of God,
who passed through the dark sleep of death,
remember those who cry to you
in shame and silence and defeat
and raise them to your risen life,
for you are alive and reign forever.

Silence may be kept.

Old Testament reading

Isaiah 46

Bel crouches; Nebo cowers.
Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle.
The images you carry are burdensome,
a load to the weary animal.
The gods cower; they crouch together,
unable to relieve the burden;
but they themselves go into captivity.

“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
all the remnant of the house of Israel,
who have been sustained from the womb,
carried along since birth.
Even to your old age, I will be the same,
and I will bear you up when you turn gray.
I have made you, and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and deliver you.

To whom will you liken Me or count Me equal?
To whom will you compare Me, that we should be alike?
They pour out their bags of gold
and weigh out silver on scales;
they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god,
so they can bow down and worship.
They lift it to their shoulder
and carry it along;
they set it in its place, and there it stands,
not budging from that spot.
They cry out to it, but it does not answer;
it saves no one from his troubles.

Remember this and be brave;
take it to heart, you transgressors!
Remember what happened long ago,
for I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me.
I declare the end from the beginning,
and ancient times from what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’
I summon a bird of prey from the east,
a man for My purpose from a far-off land.
Truly I have spoken,
and truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it,
and I will surely do it.

Listen to Me, you stubborn people,
far removed from righteousness:
I am bringing My righteousness near;
it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed.
I will grant salvation to Zion
and adorn Israel with My splendor.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

You yourselves know, brothers, that our visit to you was not in vain. As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.

For our appeal does not arise from deceit or ulterior motives or trickery. Instead, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, not in order to please men but God, who examines our hearts. As you know, we never used words of flattery or any pretext for greed. God is our witness! Nor did we seek praise from you or from anyone else, although as apostles of Christ we had authority to demand it.

On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children. We cared so deeply that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our own lives as well. That is how beloved you have become to us.

Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous, and blameless our conduct was among you who believed. For you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children— encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

𝙍: Lord Jesus, you are the one who is to come, the one whom we await with longing hearts.

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: Lord Jesus, you are the one who is to come, the one whom we await with longing hearts.

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 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:

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

Response

God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

The Lord’s Prayer

Awaiting his coming in glory, as our Savior taught us, so we pray

Conclusion

May the Lord, when he comes, find us watching and waiting.
Amen.