Shane Raynor 5/13/26 Shane Raynor 5/13/26

Wed. evening May 13

Opening response

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!

Your throne has been established from of old;
you are from everlasting. Alleluia.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth, to you be glory and praise forever. From the darkness of death you have raised your Christ to the right hand of your majesty on high. The pioneer of our faith, his passion accomplished, has opened for us the way to heaven and sends on us the promised Spirit. May we be ready to follow the Way and so be brought to the glory of his presence where songs of triumph forever sound:

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.

That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and forever.
Amen.

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

I Will Make the Darkness Light

Words and Music: Charles P. Jones (1916)
Our Great Redeemer’s Praise (#476)

I will make the darkness light before thee,
what is wrong I’ll make it right before thee,
all thy battles I will fight before thee,
and the high place I’ll bring down.

With an everlasting love I’ll love thee,
though with trials deep and sore I’ll prove thee,
but there’s nothing that can hurt or move thee,
and the high place I’ll bring down.

I will make the darkness light before thee,
I will make the crooked straight before thee,
I will spread my wings protecting o’er thee,
and the high place I’ll bring down.

When thou walkest by the way I’ll lead thee,
on the fatness of the land I’ll feed thee,
and a mansion in the sky I’ll deed thee,
and the high place I’ll bring down.

Confession of Sin

Seek the LORD while He may be found,
call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
and let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him,
and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

cf Isaiah 55

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

Lord God, I have sinned against you; I have done what is evil in your sight. I am sorry and repent. Have mercy on me according to your lovingkindness. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Renew a right spirit within me, and restore unto me the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ my 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.

Blessed be the LORD,
because He has heard the voice of my supplications.
Therefore my heart rejoices,
and with my song I will thank Him.

cf Psalm 28:7,9

Psalm 15

𝙍: In the abundance of Your mercy I will enter Your house.

LORD, who will abide in Your tabernacle?
Who will dwell in Your holy hill?

He who walks uprightly,
and does righteousness,
and speaks truth in his heart;
he who does not slander with the tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the LORD;
he who swears against harm and does not change;
he who does not put his money out to usury,
nor takes a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things
will never be moved.

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: In the abundance of Your mercy I will enter Your house.

Psalm prayer

Lord, lead us to our heavenly home by single steps of self-restraint and deeds of righteousness; through the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.

Old Testament reading

2 Samuel 23:1-5

Now these are the last words of David:

The oracle of David the son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man who was raised on high,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
and the favorite psalmist of Israel:

The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,
and His word was on my tongue.
The God of Israel said,
the rock of Israel spoke to me:
He who rules over man justly,
who rules in the fear of God,
is like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
a morning with no clouds,
gleaming after the rain
like grass from the land.

Is not my house like this with God?
For He made an everlasting covenant with me,
ordered in all things and secure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire;
will He not make it flourish?

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Colossians 2:20-3:4

Therefore, if you died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you subject yourself to legalistic rules? “Do not touch! Do not taste! Do not handle!” These all are to perish with use and are aligned with the commandments and teachings of men. These things have indeed a show of wisdom in self-imposed worship and humility and neglecting of the body, but are worthless against the indulgence of the flesh.

If you then were raised with Christ, desire those things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then you also shall appear with Him in glory.

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:

God’s royal priesthood, for empowerment by the Spirit
Those who wait on God, that they may find renewal
All people, that they may acknowledge the kingdom of the ascended Christ
The earth, for productivity and for fruitful harvests
All who are struggling with broken relationships

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

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens, so we in heart and mind may also ascend and with him continually dwell; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Looking for the coming of his kingdom, 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 has opened the kingdom of heaven, bring us to reign with him in glory.
Amen.

Shane Raynor 5/12/26 Shane Raynor 5/12/26

Tue. evening May 12

Opening response

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!

In your resurrection, O Christ,
let heaven and earth rejoice. Alleluia.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Sovereign Lord, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to you be glory and praise forever. From the deep waters of death, you brought your people to new birth by raising your Son to life in triumph. Through him, dark death has been destroyed, and radiant life is everywhere restored. As you call us out of darkness into his marvelous light, may our lives reflect his glory and our lips repeat the endless song.

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.

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

Ask Ye What Great Thing I Know

Words: Johann C. Schwedler (1741); trans. Benjamin H. Kennedy (1863)
Music: Henri A. Cesar Malan (1827); harm. Lowell Mason (1841)
Our Great Redeemer’s Praise (#107)

Ask ye what great thing I know
that delights and stirs me so?
What the high reward I win?
Whose the name I glory in?
Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

Who defeats my fiercest foes?
Who consoles my saddest woes?
Who revives my fainting heart,
healing all its hidden smart?
Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

Who is life in life to me?
Who the death of death will be?
Who will place me on His right,
with the countless hosts of light?
Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

This is that great thing I know;
this delights and stirs me so:
faith in Him who died to save,
Him who triumphed o'er the grave:
Jesus Christ, the Crucified.

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 128

𝙍: How great is Your goodness, O God.

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in His ways.
For you shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.

𝙍: How great is Your goodness, O God.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house,
your children like olive plants
around your table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the LORD.

𝙍: How great is Your goodness, O God.

The LORD bless you from Zion,
and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
Indeed, may you see your children’s children.
Peace be upon Israel!

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: How great is Your goodness, O God.

Psalm prayer

O Christ, our true vine, may we your branches be ever fruitful in your service, and share your love and peace with all your children, in the power of the Spirit and to the glory of the Father.

Psalm 129

𝙍: The LORD redeems the life of His servants.

“Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth—”
let Israel now say —
“Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth;
yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
The LORD is righteous;
He has cut the cords of the wicked.

𝙍: The LORD redeems the life of His servants.

Let all those who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward.
Let them be like grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
with which the reaper does not fill his hand,
nor the binder of sheaves his arms;
nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the LORD be upon you;
we bless you in the name of 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: The LORD redeems the life of His servants.

Psalm prayer

Jesus our redeemer, you bore the cut of the lash for us and our salvation; help us to bear our sufferings and to share in the affliction of all who suffer for your holy name.

Psalm 130

𝙍: My soul waits for the Lord.

Out of the depths have I cried unto You, O LORD.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!

If you, LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with You,
so that You may be feared.

𝙍: My soul waits for the Lord.

I wait for the LORD; my soul does wait,
and in His word do I hope.
My soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning;
indeed, more than those who watch for the morning.

𝙍: My soul waits for the Lord.

O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the Lord there is mercy,
and with Him is abundant redemption.
And He will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

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 soul waits for the Lord.

Psalm prayer

Father, we commend to your faithful love those who are crying from the depths; help them to watch and pray through their time of darkness, in sure hope of the dawn of your forgiveness and redemption; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 131

𝙍: O Israel, hope in the LORD.

LORD, my heart is not haughty,
nor my eyes lofty.
Neither do I involve myself in great matters,
nor in things too profound for me.
Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with his mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore.

Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be forever. Amen.

𝙍: O Israel, hope in the LORD.

Psalm prayer

Eternal God, calm and quiet our souls; keep us humble and full of wonder and trusting as we live in your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Old Testament reading

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

Now it will be, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I am commanding you today, then the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings will come on you and overtake you if you listen to the voice of the LORD your God.

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field.

Your offspring will be blessed, and the produce of your ground, and the offspring of your livestock, the increase of your herd and the flocks of your sheep.

Your basket and your kneading bowl will be blessed.

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

The LORD will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

The LORD will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you set your hand to do, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He swore to you, if you will keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. All people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. The LORD will make you overflow in prosperity, in the offspring of your body, in the offspring of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.

The LORD will open up to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. The LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you will only be above and you will not be beneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today, to observe and to do them. Also, you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I am commanding you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

1 Peter 4:12-19

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings, so that you may rejoice and be glad also in the revelation of His glory. If you are reproached because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or even as a busybody. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God because of it. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God, and if it begins first with us, what shall the end be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And

“If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

So then, let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good.

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be forever. Amen.

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 people of God, that they may proclaim the risen Lord
God’s creation, that the peoples of the earth may meet their responsibility to care
Those in despair and darkness, that they may find the hope and light of Christ
Those in fear of death, that they may find faith through the resurrection
Prisoners and captives

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

God our redeemer, you have delivered us from the power of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your Son: grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy; 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

Rejoicing in God’s new creation, as our Savior taught us, so we pray

Conclusion

May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life.
Amen.

Shane Raynor 5/11/26 Shane Raynor 5/11/26

Mon. evening May 11

Opening response

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!

In your resurrection, O Christ,
let heaven and earth rejoice. Alleluia.

Prayer of thanksgiving

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.

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

Sweet Hour of Prayer

Words: William W. Walford (1772-1850)
Music: William B. Bradbury (1816-1868)
Our Great Redeemer’s Praise (#440)

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father's throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter's snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I'll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

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 121

𝙍: The LORD will keep you from all evil.

I will lift up my eyes to the hills;
from whence comes my help?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

𝙍: The LORD will keep you from all evil.

The LORD is your keeper;
the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.

Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be forever. Amen.

𝙍: The LORD will keep you from all evil.

Psalm prayer

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

Psalm 122

𝙍: How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD of Hosts!

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem!

Jerusalem is built as a city
that is firmly joined together,
to which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
For there were set thrones for judgment,
the thrones of the house of David.

𝙍: How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD of Hosts!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
“May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls|
and prosperity within your palaces.”
For the sake of my brothers and companions,
I will now say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your good.

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: How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD of Hosts!

Psalm prayer

God of our pilgrimage, bring us with joy to the eternal city founded on the rock, and give to our earthly cities the peace that comes from above; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 123

𝙍: Our eyes wait upon the LORD our God.

Unto You do I lift up my eyes,
O You who are enthroned in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God,
until He has mercy upon us.

𝙍: Our eyes wait upon the LORD our God.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease,
and with the contempt of the proud.

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: Our eyes wait upon the LORD our God.

Psalm prayer

Sovereign God, enthroned in the heavens, look upon us with your eyes of mercy, as we look on you with humility and love, and fill our souls with your peace through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Old Testament reading

Deuteronomy 26

And it must be, when you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, and you possess it, and dwell in it, that you shall take from the first of all the produce of the ground which you shall bring from your land that the LORD your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. You shall go to the priest in office at that time and say to him, “I profess this day to the LORD your God that I have come into the land which the LORD promised to our fathers to give us.” The priest will take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the LORD your God. Then you must answer and say before the LORD your God, “A wandering Aramean was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with only a few in number, but there he became a great, mighty, and populous nation. However, the Egyptians mistreated and afflicted us, and laid upon us harsh labor. And when we cried to the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, our labor, and our oppression. And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with great terror, and with signs and wonders. Then He brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land that flows with milk and honey. And behold, now I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which You, O LORD, have given me.” Then you shall set it before the LORD your God and worship before the LORD your God. You shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD your God has given to you and your house, you, and the Levite, as well as the foreigner who is among you.

When you have finished tithing all the tithes of your income the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow, that they may eat within your towns and be satisfied, then you shall say before the LORD your God, “I have removed the sacred things out of my house and also have given them to the Levite, and to the foreigner, to the orphan, and to the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me. I have not transgressed Your commandments or forgotten them. I have not eaten anything when in mourning, nor have I removed anything while unclean, nor offered anything to the dead. I have listened to the voice of the LORD my God and have done according to all that You have commanded me. Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us, as You swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Today the LORD your God has commanded you to do these statutes and judgments. You must therefore keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have affirmed today that the LORD is your God and vowed to walk in His ways, and to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and to listen to His voice. And the LORD has affirmed today that you are His special people, just as He has promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments. He will exalt you above all nations which He has made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that you may be a holy people to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

1 Peter 4:1-11

Therefore, since Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh serving human desires, but the will of God. For in earlier times of our lives it may have sufficed us to do what the Gentiles like to do, when we walked in immorality: lusts, drunkenness, carousing, debauchery, and abominable idolatries. They are surprised that you do not join them in the same excess of wild living, and so they speak evil of you. They will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, so that even though they might be judged according to men in the flesh, they might live according to God in the spirit.

The end of all things is near. Therefore be solemn and sober so you can pray. Above all things, have unfailing love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without complaining. As everyone has received a gift, even so serve one another with it, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone serves, let him serve with the strength that God supplies, so that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be forever. Amen.

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

In faith we pray
We pray to you, our God.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

The Lord’s Prayer

Rejoicing in God’s new creation, as our Savior taught us, so we pray

Conclusion

May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life.
Amen.