Wed. evening Aug. 5
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
Holy, Holy, holy
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 59
𝙍: You, O God, are my fortress.
Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
and save me from bloodthirsty men.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
the mighty gather against me,
not for my transgression nor for my sin, O LORD.
For no fault of mine, they run and prepare themselves.
Awake to help me, and take notice!
You, O LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel,
awake to punish all the nations;
do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors.
𝙍: You, O God, are my fortress.
They return at evening,
howling like dogs,
prowling around the city.
Behold, they bellow with their mouth;
swords are in their lips;
for they say, “Who hears us?”
But You, O LORD, shall laugh at them;
You shall have all the nations in derision.
O my strength, I will wait for You;
for You, O God, are my fortress.
My God in His lovingkindness will go before me;
God will cause me to look in triumph on my enemies.
𝙍: You, O God, are my fortress.
Do not slay them,
lest my people forget;
scatter them by Your power,
and bring them down, O Lord our shield.
For the sin of their mouths
and the words of their lips,
let them be taken in their pride,
and for the cursing and lies that they utter.
Consume them in wrath,
consume them that they may be no more;
and let them know that God rules in Jacob
to the ends of the earth.
𝙍: You, O God, are my fortress.
They return at evening,
howling like dogs,
prowling around the city.
They roam around for food,
and growl if they are not satisfied.
But I will sing of Your power;
I will sing aloud of Your lovingkindness in the morning,
for You have been my defense
and a refuge in the day of my trouble.
To You, O my strength, will I sing,
for God is my defense, the God who shows me lovingkindness.
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 God, are my fortress.
Psalm prayer
Strong and merciful God, stand with the oppressed against the triumph of evil and the complacency of your people, and establish in Jesus Christ your new order of generosity and joy, for he is alive and reigns now and forever.
Psalm 60
𝙍: Restore us, O God of our salvation.
O God, You have rejected us; You have broken our defenses;
You have been displeased; oh, restore us.
You have made the earth tremble; You have split it open;
heal its breaches, for it is shaking.
You have shown Your people hardship;
You have given us wine to drink that makes us stagger.
You have given a banner to those who fear You,
that they may flee to it from the bow.
That Your beloved may be delivered,
save with Your right hand and answer us!
𝙍: Restore us, O God of our salvation.
God has spoken in His holiness:
“With exultation will I divide Shechem,
and measure out the Valley of Sukkoth.
Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine;
Ephraim also is My helmet;
Judah is My scepter;
Moab is My wash basin;
upon Edom will I cast My shoe;
Philistia, shout in triumph because of Me.”
𝙍: Restore us, O God of our salvation.
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
Have You not rejected us, O God?
And will You not go forth with our armies, O God?
O grant us help against the adversary,
for vain is the help of man.
With God we shall do valiantly,
for it is He who will tread down our enemies.
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: Restore us, O God of our salvation.
Psalm prayer
Risen Christ, you claim your own among the nations; mend what is broken in us, loving Savior; do not forsake us when we fail, but in your service grant us daring and love; for your name’s sake.
Psalm 67
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make His face to shine upon us,
that Your way may be known on earth,
Your salvation among all nations.
Let the peoples praise You, O God;
let all the peoples praise You.
Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
For You will judge the people righteously,
and guide the nations upon the earth.
Let the peoples praise You, O God;
let all the peoples praise You.
Then will the earth yield its produce,
and God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear Him.
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.
Psalm prayer
In the face of Jesus Christ, your light and glory have blazed forth, O God of all the nations; with all your people, may we make known your grace and walk in the ways of peace; for your name’s sake.
Old Testament reading
Jeremiah 38:1-13
Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jukal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malkijah heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people, saying: Thus says the LORD: He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. But he who goes out to the Chaldeans shall live, for he shall have his life as plunder, and shall live. Thus says the LORD: This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, and he will capture it.
Therefore the officials said to the king, “We beseech you, let this man be put to death, for he thus weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them, for this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm.”
Then Zedekiah the king said, “Behold, he is in your hand, for the king cannot do anything against you.”
Then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malkijah the son of Hammelech that was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with cords. And in the cistern there was no water, only mud, so Jeremiah sank in the mud.
Now Ebed-melek the Cushite, one of the eunuchs who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern. Now the king was sitting in the Gate of Benjamin. Ebed-melek went forth out of the king’s house and spoke to the king, saying, “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern. And he will die by hunger in the place where he is, for there is no more bread in the city.”
Then the king commanded Ebed-melek the Cushite, saying, “Take thirty men with you from here and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”
So Ebed-melek took the men under his authority and went into the house of the king under the storeroom and took from there worn-out clothes and worn-out rags and let them down by cords into the cistern to Jeremiah. Then Ebed-melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah, “Now put these worn-out clothes and worn-out rags under your armpits under the cords,” so Jeremiah did accordingly. Then they drew Jeremiah up with cords and took him up out of the cistern, and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 1:21-28
They went to Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. They were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. In their synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “Leave us alone! What do You have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are, the Holy One of God.”
Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” When the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, it came out of him.
They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, “What is this? What new teaching is this? With authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” Immediately His fame spread everywhere throughout the region surrounding Galilee.
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 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, hear your people
and answer our prayers.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Almighty God, who sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church: open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace; 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
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.
Tue. evening Aug. 4
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
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
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;
andall that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits.
Psalm 50
𝙍: Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
The Mighty One, God the LORD,
has spoken and summoned the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God has shined forth.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent;
a devouring fire shall precede Him,
and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.
He shall call to the heavens above,
and to the earth, that He may judge His people:
“Gather My faithful ones to Me,
those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
The heavens shall declare His righteousness,
for God Himself is Judge.
𝙍: Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
“Hear, O My people, and I will speak,
O Israel, I will testify against you;
I am God, your God.
Not for your sacrifices will I rebuke you;
your burnt offerings are continually before Me.
I will not accept a young bull from your house,
or goats from your folds.
For every beast of the forest is Mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the mountains,
and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.
If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and all its fullness are Mine.
Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
or drink the blood of goats?
“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and pay your vows to the Most High.
Call on Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will glorify Me.”
𝙍: Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to declare My statutes,
or take My covenant on your lips?
For you hate instruction,
and cast My words behind you.
When you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
and you partake with adulterers.
You give your mouth to evil,
and your tongue frames deceit.
You sit and speak against your brother;
you slander your own mother’s son.
These things have you done, and I kept silent;
you thought that I was indeed like you;
but I will rebuke you
and make a case before your eyes.
“Now consider this, you who forget God,
lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver:
Whoever offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice
glorifies Me;
to him who orders his conduct aright,
I will show the salvation of God.”
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: Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
Psalm prayer
Mighty God, dwelling in unapproachable light, forgive our vain attempts to appease you, and show us your full salvation in Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Jeremiah 37
And King Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Koniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah. But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD, which He spoke through the prophet Jeremiah.
But Zedekiah the king sent Jehukal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “Please pray to the LORD our God for us.”
Now Jeremiah was still coming in and going out among the people, for they had not yet put him into prison. At that time Pharaoh’s army had come out of Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report of them, they departed from Jerusalem.
Then the word of the LORD came to the prophet Jeremiah, saying: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Thus you shall say to the king of Judah who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army which has come out to help you shall return to Egypt, to its own land. The Chaldeans will come again and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.
Thus says the LORD: Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely depart from us,” for they will not depart. For though you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you and there remained but wounded men among them, yet every man would rise up in his tent and burn this city with fire.
Now when the army of the Chaldeans had withdrawn from Jerusalem at the approach of Pharaoh’s army, Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin to take possession of his property there among the people. When he was in the Gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there whose name was Irijah the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah. And he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are falling away to the Chaldeans!”
But Jeremiah said, “It is false! I am not falling away to the Chaldeans,” but he did not listen to him. So Irijah seized Jeremiah and brought him to the officials. Therefore the officials were wrathful with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
For Jeremiah had entered the dungeon, that is, the vaulted cell, and Jeremiah had remained there many days. Then Zedekiah the king sent and took him out; and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, “Is there any word from the LORD?”
And Jeremiah said, “There is!” Then he said, “You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”
Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or against your servants or against this people that you have put me in prison? Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you, nor against this land’? Therefore now please listen, O my lord the king. Please let my supplication be accepted before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.”
Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison and give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was finished. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 1:14-20
After John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.”
As He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, his brother, throwing a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.
When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee and John, his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. Immediately He called them. And they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed Him.
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:
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
Almighty God, who sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church: open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace; 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
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.
Mon. evening Aug. 3
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
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Confession of Sin
Come, Holy Spirit of God,
and search our hearts with the light of Christ.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said:
“The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
After a period of reflection
Come, let us return to the Lord and say:
Lord our God, in our sin, we have avoided your call. Our faithfulness is like a morning cloud, and like the early dew, it goes away. Have mercy on us; deliver us from judgment; bind up our wounds and revive us; in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
cf Hosea 6
May Almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring us his pardon and peace, now and forever.
Amen.
Psalm 47
𝙍: Sing praises to God, sing praises.
Clap your hands, all you people!
Shout to God with a voice of triumph.
For the LORD Most High is awesome;
He is a great King over all the earth.
He subdued peoples under us,
and nations under our feet.
He chose our heritage for us,
the excellency of Jacob whom He loves.
𝙍: Sing praises to God, sing praises.
God has gone up with a shout,
the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing praises with understanding.
𝙍: Sing praises to God, sing praises.
God reigns over the nations;
God sits on His holy throne.
The princes of the peoples have assembled
as the people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is greatly exalted.
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: Sing praises to God, sing praises.
Psalm prayer
As Christ was raised by your glory, Father, so may we be raised to new life and rejoice to be called your children, both now and forever.
Psalm 49
𝙍: Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD.
Hear this, all you peoples;
give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
both low and high,
rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak wisdom,
and the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
I will incline my ear to a parable;
I will reveal my riddle with the music of the harp.
𝙍: Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD.
Why should I fear in the days of evil,
when the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,
those who trust in their wealth
and boast in the abundance of their riches?
None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
nor give to God a ransom for him,
for the redemption of their souls is costly;
and it shall cease forever,
that he should live on eternally,
and never see the pit.
For he sees that wise men die;
the fool and the stupid perish,
and leave their wealth to others.
Their graves are their perpetual homes,
their dwelling places to all generations,
though they call their lands by their own names.
Nevertheless man cannot remain in his splendor;
he is like the beasts that perish.
𝙍: Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD.
This is the way of those who are foolish,
and of their posterity who approve their sayings.
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
the upright shall rule over them in the morning;
their form shall waste away in Sheol,
far from their dwelling.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
for He will receive me.
𝙍: Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD.
Do not fear when a man becomes rich,
when the glory of his house is increased,
for when he dies he will take nothing away;
his glory will not descend after him.
Though while he lives he blesses himself —
for men will praise you when you do well for yourself—
he will go to the generation of his fathers;
they will never see light.
A man who is in his splendor, yet without understanding,
is like the animals that perish.
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: Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD.
Psalm prayer
Save us from envy, God our Redeemer, and deliver us from the chains of wealth, that, ransomed through your Son, we may inherit the crown of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Jeremiah 36:19-32
Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go hide, you and Jeremiah, and let no man know where you are.”
Then they went to the king in the court, but they laid up the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king. So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the scroll, and he took it out of Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king and in the ears of all the officials who stood beside the king. Now the king sat in the winter house in the ninth month, and there was a fire burning on the hearth before him. As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor did they tear their garments, neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words. Although Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah entreated the king not to burn the scroll, yet he would not listen to them. But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the LORD hid them.
Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the book and the words which Baruch had written at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying: Take again another scroll and write in it all the former words that were in the first book, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned. You shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah: Thus says the LORD: You have burned this book, saying, Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cause man and beast to cease from here? Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David. And his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. I will also punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity. And I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the men of Judah all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they did not listen.
Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah who wrote in it from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And there were added to them many like words.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 1:1-13
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets:
“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
who will prepare Your way before You.”
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make His paths straight.’ ”
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. The whole region of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist. And he ate locusts and wild honey. He preached saying, “After me is coming One mightier than I, the straps of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I indeed have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Coming up out of the water, He immediately saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, saying, “You are My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
The Spirit immediately drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts. And the angels ministered to Him.
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 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, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Almighty God, who sent your Holy Spirit to be the life and light of your Church: open our hearts to the riches of your grace, that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in love and joy and peace; 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
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.