Shane Raynor 2/6/25 Shane Raynor 2/6/25

Thursday evening February 6

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.

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

Away, My Needless Fears

Charles Wesley

Away, my needless fears
And doubts no longer mine!
A ray of heavenly light appears,
A messenger divine.

Thrice comfortable hope,
That calms my troubled breast;
My Father's hand prepares the cup,
And what he wills is best.

He knows whatever I want;
He sees my helplessness,
And always readier is to grant
Than I to ask his grace.

My fearful heart he reads,
Secures my soul from harms,
And underneath his mercy spreads
Its everlasting arms.

If what I wish is good,
And suits the will divine,
By earth and hell in vain withstood,
I know it shall be mine.

Here is firm footing; here,
My soul, is solid rock,
To break the waves of grief and fear,
And trouble's rudest shock:

This only can sustain
When earth and heaven remove:
O turn thee to thy rest again,
Thy God's eternal love!

Here then I doubt no more,
But in his pleasure rest,
Whose wisdom, love, and truth and power
Engage to make me blest.

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 18

𝙍: My God lights up my darkness.

I love You, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.
My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
so shall I be saved from my enemies. 𝙍

The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
The cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From His temple He heard my voice,
and my cry for His help reached His ears. 𝙍

Then the earth shook and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains trembled;
they were shaken because He burned with anger.
Smoke rose from His nostrils,
and consuming fire came from His mouth;
glowing coals blazed forth.
He parted the heavens and came down
with dark clouds beneath His feet.
He mounted a cherub and flew;
He soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness His hiding place,
and storm clouds a canopy around Him. 𝙍

From the brightness of His presence
His clouds advanced—
hailstones and coals of fire.

The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded—
hailstones and coals of fire.
He shot His arrows and scattered the foes;
He hurled lightning and routed them.
The channels of the sea appeared,
and the foundations of the world were exposed,
at Your rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. 𝙍

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
He drew me out of deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from foes too mighty for me.
They confronted me in my day of calamity,
but the LORD was my support.
He brought me out into the open;
He rescued me because He delighted in me. 𝙍

The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness;
He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all His ordinances are before me;
I have not disregarded His statutes.
And I have been blameless before Him
and kept myself from iniquity.
So the LORD has repaid me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight. 𝙍

To the faithful You show Yourself faithful,
to the blameless You show Yourself blameless;
to the pure You show Yourself pure,
but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.
For You save an afflicted people,
but You humble those with haughty eyes.

For You, O LORD, light my lamp;
my God lights up my darkness.
For in You I can charge an army,
and with my God I can scale a wall. 𝙍

As for God, His way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way clear.
He makes my feet like those of a deer
and stations me upon the heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 𝙍

You have given me Your shield of salvation;
Your right hand upholds me,
and Your gentleness exalts me.
You broaden the path beneath me
so that my ankles do not give way.
I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back until they were consumed.
I crushed them so they could not rise;
they have fallen under my feet.

You have armed me with strength for battle;
You have subdued my foes beneath me.
You have made my enemies retreat before me;
I put an end to those who hated me. 𝙍

They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but He did not answer.
I ground them as dust in the face of the wind;
I trampled them like mud in the streets.

You have delivered me from the strife of the people;
You have made me the head of nations;
a people I had not known shall serve me.
When they hear me, they obey me;
foreigners cower before me.
Foreigners lose heart
and come trembling from their strongholds. 𝙍

The LORD lives, and blessed be my Rock!
And may the God of my salvation be exalted—
the God who avenges me
and subdues nations beneath me,
who delivers me from my enemies.
You exalt me above my foes;
You rescue me from violent men.
Therefore I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing praises to Your name.

Great salvation He brings to His king.
He shows loving devotion to His anointed,
to David 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 God lights up my darkness.

Psalm prayer

From your royal throne, O God,
you sent your living Word
to pierce the gloom of oppression;
so, in our souls’ night,
come with your saving help
and penetrate our darkness with the
rays of your glory
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Old Testament reading

Leviticus 9

On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. He said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and present them before the LORD. Then speak to the Israelites and say, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb—both a year old and without blemish—for a burnt offering, an ox and a ram for a peace offering to sacrifice before the LORD, and a grain offering mixed with oil. For today the LORD will appear to you.’ ”

So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and the whole congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. And Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded you to do, so that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Approach the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering to make atonement for yourself and for the people. And sacrifice the people’s offering to make atonement for them, as the LORD has commanded.”

So Aaron approached the altar and slaughtered the calf as a sin offering for himself. The sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and applied it to the horns of the altar. And he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. On the altar he burned the fat, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver from the sin offering, as the LORD had commanded Moses. But he burned up the flesh and the hide outside the camp.

Then Aaron slaughtered the burnt offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he sprinkled it on all sides of the altar. They brought him the burnt offering piece by piece, including the head, and he burned them on the altar. He washed the entrails and the legs and burned them atop the burnt offering on the altar.

Aaron then presented the people’s offering. He took the male goat for the people’s sin offering, slaughtered it, and offered it for sin like the first one.

He presented the burnt offering and offered it according to the ordinance.

Next he presented the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar in addition to the morning’s burnt offering.

Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram as the people’s peace offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he sprinkled it on all sides of the altar.

They also brought the fat portions from the ox and the ram—the fat tail, the fat covering the entrails, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver— and placed these on the breasts. Aaron burned the fat portions on the altar, but he waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering before the LORD, as Moses had commanded.

Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having made the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down.

Moses and Aaron then entered the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Philippians 2:14-30

Aaron then presented the people’s offering. He took the male goat for the people’s sin offering, slaughtered it, and offered it for sin like the first one.

He presented the burnt offering and offered it according to the ordinance.

Next he presented the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar in addition to the morning’s burnt offering.

Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram as the people’s peace offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he sprinkled it on all sides of the altar.

Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having made the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down.

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

𝙍: You have mercy on those who fear you, from generation to generation.

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: You have mercy on those who fear you, from generation to generation.

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.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He 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:

Local government, community leaders
All who provide local services
Those who work with young or elderly people
Schools, colleges and universities
Emergency and rescue organizations

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

Almighty God,
by whose grace alone we are accepted
and called to your service:
strengthen us by your Holy Spirit
and make us worthy of our calling;
through 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

Believing the promises of God, 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

May Christ, who sends us to the nations, give us the power of his Spirit.
Amen.

Shane Raynor 2/5/25 Shane Raynor 2/5/25

Wednesday evening February 5

Thursday evening
Tuesday evening

Opening response

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

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

Jesus, Thou Sovereign Lord of All

Charles Wesley

Jesus, thou sovereign Lord of all,
The same through one eternal day,
Attend thy feeblest follower’s call,
And O, instruct us how to pray!
Pour out the supplicating grace,
And stir us up to seek thy face.

We cannot think a gracious thought,
We cannot feel a good desire,
Till thou, who callest worlds from nought,
The power into our hearts inspire;
And then we in the Spirit groan,
And then we give thee back thine own.

Jesus, regard the joint complaint
Of all thy tempted followers here,
And now supply the common want,
And send us down the Comforter,
The spirit of ceaseless prayer impart,
And fix thy Agent in our heart.

Come in thy pleading Spirit down
To us who for thy coming stay;
Of all thy gifts we ask but one,
We ask the constant power to pray;
Indulge us, Lord, in this request,
Thou canst not then deny the rest.

Confession of sin

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins
through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all
goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in
eternal life.
Amen.

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.

Old Testament reading

Leviticus 8

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull of the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”

So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. And Moses said to them, “This is what the LORD has commanded to be done.”

Then Moses presented Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He tied the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him. Then he put the breastpiece on him and placed the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece. Moses also put the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the holy diadem, on the front of the turban, as the LORD had commanded him.

Next, Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it; and so he consecrated them. He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them.

He also poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him. Then Moses presented Aaron’s sons, put tunics on them, wrapped sashes around them, and tied headbands on them, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Moses then brought the bull near for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. Moses slaughtered the bull, took some of the blood, and applied it with his finger to all four horns of the altar, purifying the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it so that atonement could be made on it.

Moses also took all the fat that was on the entrails, the lobe of the liver, and both kidneys and their fat, and burned it all on the altar. But the bull with its hide, flesh, and dung he burned outside the camp, as the LORD had commanded him.

Then Moses presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. Moses slaughtered the ram and sprinkled the blood on all sides of the altar. He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces, and the fat. He washed the entrails and legs with water and burned the entire ram on the altar as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

After that, Moses presented the other ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. Moses also presented Aaron’s sons and put some of the blood on their right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then he sprinkled the blood on all sides of the altar.

And Moses took the fat—the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with their fat—as well as the right thigh. And from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD, he took one cake of unleavened bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer, and he placed them on the fat portions and on the right thigh. He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and waved them before the LORD as a wave offering.

Then Moses took these from their hands and burned them on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD. He also took the breast—Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination—and waved it before the LORD as a wave offering, as the LORD had commanded him.

Next, Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments, as well as Aaron’s sons and their garments.

And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ Then you must burn up the remainder of the meat and bread.

You must not go outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are complete; for it will take seven days to ordain you. What has been done today has been commanded by the LORD in order to make atonement on your behalf. You must remain at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting day and night for seven days and keep the LORD’s charge so that you will not die, for this is what I have been commanded.”

So Aaron and his sons did everything the LORD had commanded through Moses.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Philippians 2:1-13

Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped,
but emptied Himself,
taking the form of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross.

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place
and gave Him the name above all names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

𝙍: Remember your promise of mercy, 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.

𝙍: Remember your promise of mercy, to Abraham and his children forever.

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:

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 of life
In your mercy, hear us.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray with confidence as our Savior has taught us:

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.

Shane Raynor 2/4/25 Shane Raynor 2/4/25

Tuesday evening February 4

Wednesday evening
Monday evening

Opening response

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

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 Let Us Arise

Charles Wesley

Come let us arise,
And aim at the prize,
The hope of our calling on this side the skies.

By works let us show
That Jesus we know,
While steadily on to perfection we go.

But may we not strive,
Yet never arrive
To be saints, or to live without sin, while alive?

No, no, never fear,
If we look for him here,
But our uttermost Savior in us shall appear.

We dare not believe,
That God can deceive,
And never intend what he promised to give.

He hath said, from all sin
Ye here shall be clean,
All-holy, all-pure, and all-glorious within.

We rest on his word,
We shall here be restored
To his image; the servant shall be as his Lord.

Our faith is not vain,
We are sure to regain
The nature divine of the heavenly man.

Then let us not stop,
But continue in hope
Rejoicing, ’till all in his image wake up;

His purity share,
His character bear,
And the truth of his hallowing promise declare.

Thus, thus let us stay,
And wait for the day
When the angels are sent to conduct us away.

When with joy we remove
To our brethren above,
And fly up to heaven in a chariot of love.

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 9

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

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart;
I will recount all Your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

When my enemies retreat,
they stumble and perish before You.
For You have upheld my just cause;
You sit on Your throne judging righteously. 𝙍

You have rebuked the nations;
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have erased their name forever and ever.
The enemy has come to eternal ruin,
and You have uprooted their cities;
the very memory of them has vanished.

But the LORD abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment.
He judges the world with justice;
He governs the people with equity.
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know Your name trust in You,
for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You. 𝙍

Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion;
proclaim His deeds among the nations.
For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers;
He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.

Be merciful to me, O LORD;
see how my enemies afflict me!
Lift me up from the gates of death,
that I may declare all Your praises—
that within the gates of Daughter Zion
I may rejoice in Your salvation.

The nations have fallen into a pit of their making;
their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
The LORD is known by the justice He brings;
the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. 𝙍

The wicked will return to Sheol—
all the nations who forget God.
For the needy will not always be forgotten;
nor the hope of the oppressed forever dashed.

Rise up, O LORD, do not let man prevail;
let the nations be judged in Your presence.
Lay terror upon them, O LORD;
let the nations know they are but 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, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Psalm prayer

Remember, Lord, all who cry to you
from death’s dark gates;
do not forget those whom the world forgets,
but raise your faithful ones to Zion’s gate,
with your all-conquering Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

Old Testament reading

Exodus 29:38-30:16

This is what you are to offer regularly on the altar, each day: two lambs that are a year old. Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight. With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour, mixed with a quarter hin of oil from pressed olives, and a drink offering of a quarter hin of wine. And offer the second lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and drink offering as in the morning, as a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.

For the generations to come, this burnt offering shall be made regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD, where I will meet you to speak with you. I will also meet with the Israelites there, and that place will be consecrated by My glory. So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests.

Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. And they will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I might dwell among them.

I am the LORD their God.

“You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense. It is to be square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns must be of one piece. Overlay with pure gold the top and all the sides and horns, and make a molding of gold around it. And make two gold rings below the molding on opposite sides to hold the poles used to carry it. Make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.

Place the altar in front of the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony —before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony—where I will meet with you. And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps. When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come. On this altar you must not offer unauthorized incense or a burnt offering or grain offering; nor are you to pour a drink offering on it.

Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.”

Then the LORD said to Moses, “When you take a census of the Israelites to number them, each man must pay the LORD a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will come upon them when they are numbered. Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD.

Everyone twenty years of age or older who crosses over must give this offering to the LORD. In making the offering to the LORD to atone for your lives, the rich shall not give more than a half shekel, nor shall the poor give less. Take the atonement money from the Israelites and use it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. It will serve as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD to make atonement for your lives.”

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Philippians 1:12-30

Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And most of the brothers, confident in the Lord by my chains, now dare more greatly to speak the word without fear.

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. The former, however, preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can add to the distress of my chains.

What then is the issue? Just this: that in every way, whether by false motives or true, Christ is preached. And in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, because I know that through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, my distress will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have complete boldness so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know. I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed. But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my coming to you again your exultation in Christ Jesus will resound on account of me.

Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a clear sign of their destruction but of your salvation, and it is from God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, since you are encountering the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

𝙍: You have mercy on those who fear you, from generation to generation.

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 have mercy on those who fear you, from generation to generation.

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:

All who are sick in body, mind or spirit
Those in the midst of famine or disaster
Victims of abuse and violence, intolerance and prejudice
Those who are bereaved
All who work in the medical and healing professions

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

The Lord’s Prayer

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

Conclusion

May Christ, who sends us to the nations, give us the power of his Spirit.
Amen.