Mon. evening Sep. 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
Jesus Paid It All
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 4
𝙍: I will both lie down in peace and sleep.
Answer me when I call,
O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress;
have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
O people, how long will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love vanity and seek after lies?
Know that the LORD set apart the faithful for Himself;
the LORD hears when I call to Him.
Tremble in awe, and do not sin.
Meditate within your own heart on your bed,
and be still.
𝙍: I will both lie down in peace and sleep.
Offer sacrifices of righteousness,
and trust in the LORD.
There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?”
Lord, let the light of Your countenance shine upon us.
You have placed gladness in my heart,
more than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will both lie down in peace and sleep;
for You, LORD,
make me dwell safely and securely.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be forever. Amen.
𝙍: I will both lie down in peace and sleep.
Psalm prayer
Give us today, O God, a glad heart and a clear conscience, that when we come to this day’s end, we may rest in peace with Christ our Lord.
Psalm 7
𝙍: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
O LORD my God, in You I put my trust;
save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me,
lest they tear my soul like a lion,
rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
O LORD my God, if I have done this,
if there is iniquity in the palms of my hands,
if I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,
or have delivered my adversary without cause,
then may the enemy pursue my life and overtake me;
may my enemy trample my life to the ground,
and lay my honor in the dust.
𝙍: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
Arise, O LORD, in Your anger;
rise up because of the rage of my adversaries,
and awaken Yourself for me; You have commanded justice.
So shall the congregation of the peoples surround You;
For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
The LORD will judge the peoples;
grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness,
and according to my integrity within me.
May the evil of the wicked come to an end;
may You vindicate the righteous;
You are a righteous God who examines the minds and hearts.
𝙍: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
My defense depends on God,
who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
and God has indignation every day.
If a man does not repent,
God will sharpen His sword;
He has bent His bow and made it ready.
He has prepared for Himself deadly weapons;
He makes His arrows flaming shafts.
𝙍: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
Behold, the wicked man writhes in pain of iniquity;
he has conceived mischief and brought forth falsehood.
He who digs a hole and hollows it
will then fall into his own pit.
His mischief will return on his own head;
his violence will descend on the crown of his own head.
I will thank the LORD according to His righteousness,
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
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: Grant me justice, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity within me.
Psalm prayer
Lord, your justice turns evil on itself: move us to examine our hearts and repent of all duplicity; for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Judge and righteous Savior.
Old Testament reading
Zechariah 4
And the angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me up like a man who is roused from his sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?”
And I said, “I see a completely golden lampstand and a bowl at its top, with seven lights on it, and seven pipes on it for each lamp in order to light them. And there are two olive trees next to it, one on the right of the bowl and one on the left.”
So I answered and I asked the angel speaking with me, “What are these, my lord?”
Then the angel speaking with me responded, “Do you really not know what these are?”
And I said, “No, my lord.”
And he said to me: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel, saying: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.
“Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will be made level ground, and he will bring out the top stone amidst shouting of ‘Grace! Grace to the stone!’ ”
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “The hands of Zerubbabel have established the foundation of this house, and they will even complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent Me to all of you.
“For who has despised the day of small things? These seven will rejoice and see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the eyes of the LORD, which survey to and fro throughout the earth.”
Then I answered and I asked, “What are these two olives trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”
And I asked a second time, “What are these two branches of the olive trees that are next to the two golden pipes from which they pour out the gold oil?”
And he asked me, “Do you not know what these are?”
I responded, “No, my lord.”
He answered, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of all the earth.”
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 9:38-50
John answered Him, “Teacher, we saw one who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.”
But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who does a miracle in My name can quickly speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us. Truly I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, will not lose his reward.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched, where
‘their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched, where
‘their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire, where
‘their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’
Everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.
“Salt is good. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”
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, whose only Son has opened for us a new and living way into your presence: give us pure hearts and steadfast wills to worship you in spirit and in truth; 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.
Sun. evening Sep. 6
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
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
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 104
𝙍: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, You are very great!
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
covering Yourself with light as with a garment,
stretching out the heavens like a curtain.
He lays the beams of His upper chambers on the waters;
He makes the clouds His chariot;
He walks upon the wings of the wind;
He makes His angels spirits,
His ministers a flaming fire.
𝙍: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
You laid the earth on its foundations,
so that it should never be moved.
You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
At Your rebuke they fled;
at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
The mountains rose;
the valleys sank down
to the place which You established for them.
You set a boundary that they may not pass over,
that they may not return to cover the earth.
𝙍: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
You send the springs into the valleys;
they flow between the hills.
They give drink to every beast of the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
By them the birds of the heavens have their habitation;
they sing among the branches.
You water the mountains from Your upper chambers;
the earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.
𝙍: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
You cause the grass to grow for the cattle,
and vegetation for the cultivation of man,
that he may bring forth food from the earth,
and wine that makes glad the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine,
and bread which strengthens man’s heart.
The trees of the LORD are full of sap,
the cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
where the birds make their nests;
the stork has its home in the fir trees.
The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
𝙍: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
He made the moon for the seasons;
the sun knows its place for setting.
You make darkness, and it is night,
in which all the beasts of the forest creep about.
The young lions roar after their prey,
and seek their food from God.
When the sun rises, they gather together
and lie down in their dens.
Man goes out to his work
and to his labor until the evening.
𝙍: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
O LORD, how manifold are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all.
The earth is full of Your possessions.
So is this great and wide sea,
which is full of innumerable creatures,
living things both small and great.
There the ships sail along;
and there is Leviathan, which You have made to play in it.
These all wait upon You,
that You may give them their food in due season.
You give to them;
they gather it up;
You open Your hand,
they are filled with good.
You hide Your face;
they are troubled;
You take away their breath;
they die and return to their dust.
You send forth Your Spirit;
they are created,
and You renew the face of the ground.
𝙍: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD rejoice in His works.
He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
May my meditation be sweet to Him;
I will be glad in the LORD.
May sinners be consumed from the earth,
and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
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: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.
Psalm prayer
Creator God, send your Holy Spirit to renew this living world, that the whole creation, in its groaning and striving, may know your loving purpose and come to reflect your glory; in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Ezekiel 47:1-12
Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was flowing out from under the threshold of the temple eastward, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing down from under from the right side of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces east; and behold, the water flowed out on the south side.
When the man who had the line in his hand went eastward, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the water; the water reached the ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the water. The water reached the knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the water. The water reached the loins. Afterward he measured one thousand. And it was a river that I could not pass over, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be passed over. He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”
Then he brought me and caused me to return to the brink of the river. When I had returned I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. Then he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. Every living creature that swarms, wherever the rivers go, will live. And there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come there and the others become fresh. Thus everything shall live wherever the river comes. It shall come to pass that the fishermen shall stand upon it. From En-gedi even to En-eglaim there shall be a place to spread out nets. Their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the Mediterranean Sea, exceedingly many. But its miry places and its marshes shall not be healed. They shall be given to salt. By the river upon its bank, on this side and on that side, shall grow all kinds of trees for food, whose leaf shall not fade nor shall its fruit fail. They shall bring forth fruit according to their months, because their water issues out of the sanctuary. And their fruit shall be for food and their leaves for medicine.”
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Revelation 22:1-5
Then he showed me a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street. On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bore twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There shall be no more curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. Night shall be no more. They need no lamp nor the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
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
In faith we pray
We pray to you, our God.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Holy and eternal God, you are the Maker of heaven and earth, you are the Word through whom all things were made, and you are the Spirit, the giver of life: draw us into the mystery of your love, that with all creation we may proclaim your praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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 Sep. 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
And Can It Be
Confession of Sin
Let us admit to God the sin which always confronts us.
A time of silence and self-examination may be kept.
Almighty God, patient and of great goodness: I confess to you, I confess with my whole heart my neglect and forgetfulness of your commandments, my wrong doing, thinking, and speaking; the hurts I have done to others, and the good I have left undone. O God, forgive me, for I have sinned against you; and raise me to newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
May the God of love and power forgive us and free us from our sins, heal and strengthen us by his Spirit, and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Psalm 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.
Psalm 149
𝙍: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth!
Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
and His praise in the congregation of the saints.
Let Israel rejoice in his maker;
let the sons of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise His name in the dance;
let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.
For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;
He will beautify the meek with salvation.
𝙍: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth!
Let the saints be joyful in glory;
let them sing for joy on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
and a two-edged sword in their hand,
to execute vengeance on the nations,
and punishment on the peoples;
to bind their kings with chains,
and their nobles with fetters of iron;
to execute on them the judgment written!
This honor have all His saints.
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: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth!
Psalm prayer
Glorious and redeeming God, give us hearts to praise you all our days and wills to reject the world’s deceits, that we may bind the evils of our age and proclaim the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Psalm 150
𝙍: Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
𝙍: Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
praise Him with the harp and lyre!
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
praise Him with stringed instruments and flute!
𝙍: Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
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: Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Psalm prayer
God of life and love, whose Son was victorious over sin and death, make us alive with his life, that the whole world may resound with your praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
Zechariah 3
Then he showed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the LORD, and the Adversary standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the LORD said to the Adversary, “The LORD rebuke you, Adversary! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebukes you! Is this not a burning brand taken out of the fire?”
Now Joshua had on filthy garments and was standing before the angel. And he said to those standing before him, “Take off his filthy garments.”
Then he said, “Behold, I have removed from you your iniquity, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
And I said, “Let them place a pure turban on his head.” So they put a pure turban on his head and garments on him. And the angel of the LORD was standing by.
And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the LORD of Hosts: If you walk in My ways and keep My charge, then you will judge My house and guard My courts, and I will give to you access to these who are standing here.
“Hear this, O Joshua the high priest, you and your friends sitting before you, for these men are a sign: Behold, I will bring My servant, the Branch. The stone that I have set before Joshua, on that single stone are seven eyes. And I will engrave an inscription, says the LORD of Hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of this land in one day.
“On that day, says the LORD of Hosts, each of you will invite your companion to come and sit under the vine and under the fig tree.”
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 9:30-37
They departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. For He was teaching His disciples, saying, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. After He is killed, He will rise the third day.” But they did not understand the teaching and were afraid to ask Him.
He came to Capernaum. And being in the house, He asked them, “What was it that you disputed among yourselves on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had disputed among themselves who was the greatest.
He sat down and called the twelve. And He said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
He took a child and set him in their midst. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one of these children in My name receives Me. And whoever receives Me receives not Me, but Him who sent Me.”
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
God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Holy and eternal God, you are the Maker of heaven and earth, you are the Word through whom all things were made, and you are the Spirit, the giver of life: draw us into the mystery of your love, that with all creation we may proclaim your praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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.