Mon. evening Feb. 9
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Opening response
Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!
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.
Worship SONG
Way Maker
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 26
𝙍: LORD, I love the place where Your glory dwells.
Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD;
therefore I will not waver.
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me;
try my mind and my heart.
For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,
and I have walked in Your truth.
I have not sat with the worthless,
nor will I consort with hypocrites.
𝙍: LORD, I love the place where Your glory dwells.
I have hated the assembly of evildoers,
and will not sit with the wicked.
I will wash my hands in innocence;
thus will I go around Your altar, O LORD,
that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
and tell of all Your wondrous works.
LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house,
and the place where Your glory dwells.
𝙍: LORD, I love the place where Your glory dwells.
Do not gather my soul with sinners,
nor my life with murderers,
in whose hands is wickedness,
and whose right hand is full of bribes.
But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
redeem me and be gracious to me.
My foot stands on level ground;
in the congregations I will bless the LORD.
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, I love the place where Your glory dwells.
Psalm prayer
Have mercy on us and redeem us, Lord, for our merits are your mercies, and in your judgment is our salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Psalm 28
𝙍: The LORD is my strength and my shield.
To You will I cry, O LORD my rock;
do not be silent to me,
lest, if You are silent to me,
I become like those who go down to the pit.
Hear the voice of my supplications
when I cry to You,
when I lift up my hands
toward Your most holy place.
𝙍: The LORD is my strength and my shield.
Do not take me away with the wicked
and with the workers of iniquity,
who speak peace with their neighbors
while mischief is in their hearts.
Repay them according to their deeds,
and according to the wickedness of their endeavors;
repay them according to the work of their hands;
render to them their due reward.
𝙍: The LORD is my strength and my shield.
Because they do not regard the works of the LORD,
nor the work of His hands,
He will destroy them
and not build them up.
Blessed be the LORD,
because He has heard the voice of my supplications.
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusted in Him, and I was helped;
therefore my heart rejoices,
and with my song I will thank Him.
𝙍: The LORD is my strength and my shield.
The LORD is the strength of His people,
and He is the saving refuge of His anointed.
Save Your people
and bless Your inheritance;
shepherd them and bear them up 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: The LORD is my strength and my shield.
Psalm prayer
Hear us, Shepherd of your people, forgive us our sins and, in a world of pretenses, make us true in heart and mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Psalm 29
𝙍: The LORD will bless His people with peace.
Ascribe to the LORD, O you mighty ones,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;
worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders;
the LORD is over many waters.
𝙍: The LORD will bless His people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is powerful;
the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes them skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a wild ox.
𝙍: The LORD will bless His people with peace.
The voice of the LORD divides
the flames of fire.
The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;
the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth,
and strips the forests bare;
and in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
The LORD sat enthroned over the flood;
and the LORD sits as King forever.
The LORD will give strength to His people;
the LORD will bless His people with peace.
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 bless His people with peace.
Psalm prayer
Open our ears, glorious Lord Christ, to hear the music of your voice above the chaos of this world; open our eyes to see the vision of your glory, for you are our King, now and forever.
Old Testament reading
2 Chronicles 9:1-12
The queen of Sheba heard a report of Solomon, and she came to Jerusalem with a very impressive retinue—with camels carrying spices, an abundance of gold, and precious stones—to test Solomon with riddles. When she came to Solomon she shared with him everything that was on her heart. Solomon declared to her everything that she asked, and there was not any matter concealed from Solomon that he did not declare to her. When the queen of Sheba had observed the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his valets, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit left in her.
Then she said to the king, “True was the report that I heard in my land concerning your words and wisdom. But I did not believe their reports until I came and my eyes saw; and behold, half the greatness of your wisdom was not declared to me. You have exceeded the report that I heard. How happy your men must be! How happy these servants, those who are continually before you listening to your wisdom. May the LORD your God be blessed, who has delighted in you, to set you as king on the throne of the LORD your God. Your God has loved Israel to establish them continually and has set you as king over them to perform justice and righteousness.”
Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold and a great abundance of spices and precious stones. And there were no spices like those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
Moreover, the servants of Hiram and Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones. And the king used the algum wood for steps for the house of the LORD and the palace of the king, even for lyres and harps for the singers. And there had not been anything seen like these in the land of Judah.
And King Solomon gave everything to the queen of Sheba in which she had pleasure, even what she asked for in addition to what she brought to the king. Then she turned and left for her own land with her servants.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
John 19:1-16
Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged Him. The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put a purple robe on Him. They said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they hit Him with their hands.
Again Pilate went out and said to them, “Look, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”
When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.”
The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God!”
When Pilate heard these words, he was more afraid, and entered the Praetorium again, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to release You, and power to crucify You?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all over Me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
From then on, Pilate tried to release Him. But the Jews cried out, “If you release this Man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar!”
When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement (which in Hebrew is Gabbatha). It was the Day of Preparation of the Passover and about the sixth hour.
He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”
But they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”
The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”
Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified.
Silence may be kept.
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)
Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to 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.
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 media and the arts
Farming and fishing
Commerce and industry
Those whose work is unfulfilling, stressful, or fraught with danger
All who are unemployed
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
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, 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.
Sun. evening Feb. 8
Support Methodist Prayer with a one-time or monthly gift!
Opening response
Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!
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
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Words: Robert Robinson (1758)
Music: Wyeth’s Repository of Sacred Music, Part II (1813)
Our Great Redeemer’s Praise (#37)
Come, thou Fount of every blessing;
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above;
praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of God’s unchanging love!
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I’m come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
seal it for thy courts above.
Confession of Sin
The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor recompensed us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his mercy toward those who fear Him.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Holy God,
Holy and strong,
Holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children,
so the LORD pities those who fear Him.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits.
Psalm 148
𝙍: O praise the name of the LORD.
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels;
praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon;
praise Him, all you stars of light!
Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for He commanded and they were created.
He has also established them forever and ever;
He has made a decree which shall not pass away.
𝙍: O praise the name of the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures, and all the depths;
fire and hail, snow and clouds;
stormy wind, fulfilling His word;
mountains and all hills;
fruitful trees and all cedars;
beasts and all cattle;
creeping things and flying fowl;
kings of the earth and all peoples;
princes and all judges of the earth;
both young men and maidens;
old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
He has exalted the horn for His people,
praise for all His saints,
for the Israelites, a people near to Him.
Praise the LORD!
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: O praise the name of the LORD.
Psalm prayer
Glorious God, your whole creation sings your marvelous work; may heaven’s praise so echo in our hearts that we may be good stewards of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Proverbs 8:1, 22-31
Does not wisdom cry out
and understanding raise her voice?
“The LORD created me at the beginning of His work,
before His works of old.
Ages ago I was established,
at the beginning, before the earth existed.
When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
Before the mountains were settled,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
before He had made the earth or the fields
or the first dust of the world.
When He established the heavens, I was there;
when He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
when He made firm the skies above,
when He established the fountains of the deep,
when He assigned to the sea its boundary,
so that the waters might not transgress His command,
when He marked out the foundations of the earth,
then I was beside Him, like a master workman,
and I was daily His delight,
rejoicing always in His presence,
rejoicing in His inhabited world
and delighting in the sons of men.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Revelation 4
After this I looked. And behold, there was an open door in heaven. The first voice I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” Immediately I was in the Spirit. And behold, there was a throne set in heaven with One sitting on the throne! And He who sat there appeared like a jasper and a sardius stone. There was a rainbow around the throne, appearing like an emerald. Twenty-four thrones were around the throne. And I saw twenty-four elders sitting on the thrones, clothed in white garments. They had crowns of gold on their heads. Lightnings and thunderings and voices proceeded from the throne. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. Before the throne was a sea of glass like crystal.
In the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures had six wings each, and they were covered with eyes all around. All day and night, without ceasing, they were saying:
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
When the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and worship Him, who lives forever and ever. Then they cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
“You are worthy, O Lord,
to receive glory and honor and power;
for You have created all things,
and by Your will they exist
and were created.”
Silence may be kept.
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)
Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to 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.
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:
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
Lord, hear your people
and answer our prayers.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, 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.
Sat. evening Feb. 7
Opening response
Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!
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
Wonderful Words of Life
Words and Music: Philip P. Bliss (1874)
Our Great Redeemer’s Praise (#429)
Sing them over again to me,
wonderful words of life;
let me more of their beauty see,
wonderful words of life;
words of life and beauty,
teach me faith and duty.
Refrain:
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
wonderful words of life.
Christ, the blessed one, gives to all
wonderful words of life;
sinner, list to the loving call,
wonderful words of life;
all so freely given,
wooing us to heaven. [Refrain]
Sweetly echo the gospel call,
wonderful words of life;
offer pardon and peace to all,
wonderful words of life;
Jesus, only Savior,
sanctify forever. [Refrain]
Confession of Sin
When we cry to the LORD in our trouble,
He will save us from our distress.
God will bring us out of darkness
and out of the shadow of death.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
A time of silence and self-examination may be kept.
May the Father forgive us by the death of his Son, and strengthen us to live in the power of the Spirit all our days.
Amen.
Let us give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to all people!
Let us offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and declare God’s works with rejoicing.
cf Psalm 107
Psalm 24
𝙍: The LORD of Hosts, He is the King of glory.
The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof,
the world, and those who dwell therein.
For He has founded it on the seas,
and established it on the rivers.
𝙍: The LORD of Hosts, He is the King of glory.
Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?
Who may stand in His holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood,
nor sworn deceitfully.
He will receive the blessing from the LORD,
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
who seek Your face.
𝙍: The LORD of Hosts, He is the King of glory.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory will come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of Hosts,
He is the King of glory.
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 of Hosts, He is the King of glory.
Psalm prayer
O LORD of hosts, purify our hearts that the glorious King may come in, your Son, Jesus our Redeemer.
Psalm 25
𝙍: Remember, O LORD, Your mercies and Your lovingkindness.
To You, O LORD,
I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in You;
let me not be ashamed;
let not my enemies triumph over me.
Let no one who waits on You
be ashamed;
let them be ashamed
who transgress without cause.
Show me Your ways, O LORD;
teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
for You are the God of my salvation;
on You I wait all day long.
Remember, O LORD, Your mercies and Your lovingkindness,
for they are from of old.
𝙍: Remember, O LORD, Your mercies and Your lovingkindness.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
or my transgressions;
according to Your lovingkindness remember me,
for Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.
Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in justice,
and teaches the humble His way.
All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth,
for those who keep His covenant and His decrees.
𝙍: Remember, O LORD, Your mercies and Your lovingkindness.
For Your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity,
for it is great.
Who is the man who fears the LORD?
He will teach him the way that he should choose.
He will dwell at ease,
and his descendants will inherit the land.
The secret counsel of the LORD is with those who fear Him,
and He will make His covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for He will pluck my feet out of the net.
𝙍: Remember, O LORD, Your mercies and Your lovingkindness.
Turn to me, and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart have increased;
bring me out of my distresses.
Look on my affliction and my pain,
and forgive all my sins.
Consider my enemies, for they are many,
and with what violent hatred they hate.
Guard my soul, and deliver me;
do not let me suffer shame,
for I take refuge in You.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for You.
Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.
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, O LORD, Your mercies and Your lovingkindness.
Psalm prayer
Free us, God of mercy, from all that keeps us from you; relieve the misery of the anxious and the ashamed and fill us with the hope of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Hosea 14
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,
for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
Take words with you
and return to the LORD.
Say to Him,
“Take away all iniquity,
and accept that which is good;
and we will offer the fruit of our lips!
Assyria will not save us,
we will not ride on horses.
We will no longer say, ‘Our God,’
to the work of our hands.
In You the orphan finds mercy.”
I will heal their backsliding;
I will love them freely,
for My anger has turned away from him.
I will be like the dew to Israel;
he shall grow like the lily
and shall strike his roots
like Lebanon.
His branches will spread out,
and his beauty shall be like the olive tree,
and his fragrance like that of Lebanon.
Those that dwell under his shadow will return,
they will flourish like the grain
and grow as a vine.
Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.
O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?
It is I who answer and look after him.
I am like a green fir tree;
your fruit is found in Me.
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
whoever prudent, let him know them.
For the ways of the LORD are right,
and the just will walk in them;
but the transgressors stumble in them.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
1 Corinthians 16:10-24
Now if Timothy comes, see that he may remain with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, that he may come to me. I am expecting him with the brothers.
As for our brother Apollos, I greatly wanted him to come to you with the brothers. But he was not willing at all to come at this time. However, he will come when he has a convenient time.
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be bold like men, and be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.
You know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. So I ask you, brothers, that you submit yourselves to such people, and to everyone who helps and labors with us. I rejoice at the arrival of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for they supplied what was lacking on your part. They have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge these men.
The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.
If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Come, O Lord!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Silence may be kept.
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)
Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to 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.
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:
Our homes, families, friends, and all whom we love
Those whose time is spent caring for others
Those who are close to death
Those who have lost hope
The worship of the Church
Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads.
Response
In faith we pray
We pray to you, our God.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, 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.