Shane Raynor 10/5/26 Shane Raynor 10/5/26

Tue. morning Oct. 6

Opening response

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Sovereign God, creator of all, to you be glory and praise forever. You founded the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands. In the fullness of time, you made us in your image, and in these last days you have spoken to us in your Son Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. As we rejoice in the gift of your presence among us, let the light of your love always shine in our hearts, your Spirit ever renew our lives, and your praises ever be on our lips.

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

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and forever.
Amen.

Hymn

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

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 87

𝙍: The LORD has chosen Zion for himself.

His foundation is in the holy mountains.
The LORD loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.

Glorious things are spoken of you,
O city of God.
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon
to those who know Me;
behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush:
“This one was born there.”
And of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her,”
for the Most High Himself will establish her.
The LORD will record when He registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.”

The singers and the players of instruments say,
“All my springs are in you.”

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 has chosen Zion for himself.

Psalm prayer

Lord, as you call us to your city founded on the rock of ages, let the springs of living water rise within us to eternal life; in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 89:1-18

I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever;
with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said, “Mercy will be built up forever;
Your faithfulness will be established in the heavens.”
You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
‘I will establish your descendants forever,
and build up your throne for all generations.’ ”

Let the heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD,
Your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around Him.
O LORD God of Hosts, who is as mighty as You, O LORD?
Your faithfulness surrounds You.

You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, You still them.
You crushed Rahab like one who is slain;
You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
The heavens are Yours; the earth also is Yours;
the world and all that is in it, You have founded them.
The north and the south, You have created them;
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.
You have a mighty arm;
strong is Your hand, and exalted is Your right hand.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
mercy and truth go before Your presence.
Blessed are the people who know the joyful shout.
They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.
In Your name they rejoice all day long,
and in Your righteousness they are exalted.
For You are the glory of their strength;
by Your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the LORD,
and our king to the Holy One of 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.

Psalm prayer

As we sing of your love, O Lord, anoint us with the Spirit’s seal, that we may praise your faithfulness and proclaim your truth from age to age; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Old Testament reading

2 Kings 6:1-23

Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we are living with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan and take from there one beam per man, and let us make for ourselves a place to live there.”

And Elisha said, “Go.”

Then one of them said, “Please come with your servants.”

And he said, “I will come.” So he went with them.

And they came to the Jordan and cut down trees. But as one was cutting down a tree, the axe head fell into the water. He cried, “Ah, master! It was borrowed.”

Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and he made the iron float. So Elisha said, “Pick it up.” And he reached out his hand and took it.

Then the king of Aram was fighting against Israel, and he took counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place will be my camp.”

But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, saying, “Take care not to pass through this place, for the Arameans are marching down there.” The king of Israel sent word to the place of which the man of God spoke. He warned him and was on his guard there more than once.

The mind of the king of Aram was troubled by this, so he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not tell me who among us sides with the king of Israel?”

Then one of his servants said, “No one, my lord, O king. Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”

He said, “Go and see where he is, so that I may send for him and take him.” And it was told to him, “Behold, he is in Dothan.” So he sent horses, chariots, and a great army there. They came by night and surrounded the city.

When a servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots surrounded the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What will we do?”

And he said, “Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than with them.”

Then Elisha prayed, “LORD, open his eyes and let him see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.

When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Strike this people with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and let me bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria.

When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “LORD, open the eyes of these men and let them see.” So the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw, and behold, they were in the middle of Samaria.

The king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”

And he said, “You shall not kill them. Did you capture with your sword and with your bow those whom you want to kill? Set bread and water before them, and let them eat and drink and then go to their master.” So he prepared for them a great banquet. When they had eaten and had drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the Aramean raiders did not enter into the land of Israel again.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Acts 26:24-32

So as he made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are mad. Much learning is turning you to madness.”

Paul said, “I am not mad, most excellent Festus. I speak the words of truth and reason. The king, before whom I also speak freely, knows about these things. For I am persuaded that none of this is hidden from him, for this was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to be a Christian.”

Paul said, “I pray to God that not only you, whether in a short or long time, but all who hear me this day, might become what I am, except for these chains.”

When he had said this, the king rose, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them. When they had gone aside, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing deserving death or imprisonment.”

And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Silence may be kept.

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)

Luke 1:68-79

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for He has visited and redeemed His people,
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,
as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of long ago,
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us,
to perform the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember His holy covenant,
the oath which He swore to our father Abraham,
to grant us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
might serve Him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
for you will go before the presence of the Lord to prepare His ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to His people
by the remission of their sins,
through the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise from on high has visited us;
to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.

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

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.

Intercession and thanksgiving

Prayers may be offered for:

the day and its tasks
the world and its needs
the church and her life

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

Lord, hear your people
and answer our prayers.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us your gift of faith that, forsaking what lies behind and reaching out to that which is before, we may run the way of your commandments and win the crown of everlasting 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

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 Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.

Shane Raynor 10/4/26 Shane Raynor 10/4/26

Mon. morning Oct. 5

Opening response

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

Prayer of thanksgiving

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

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and forever.
Amen.

Hymn

And Can It Be

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 80

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
You who lead Joseph like a flock;
You who are enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth!
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up Your strength,
and come and save us!

Restore us, O God,
and cause Your face to shine,
and we shall be saved!

O LORD God of Hosts,
how long will You be angry
with the prayers of Your people?
You have fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them tears to drink in great measure.
You have made us a source of contention to our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of Hosts,
and cause Your face to shine,
and we shall be saved.

You have brought a vine out of Egypt;
You have cast out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
The mountains were covered with its shadow
and the mighty cedars with its branches.
It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the Euphrates River.

Why have You broken down its walls,
so that all those who pass by the way pluck its fruit?
The boar from the woods ravages it,
and the insects of the field devour it.
Return, we beseech You, O God of Hosts;
look down from heaven and see;
have regard for this vine,
the shoot that Your right hand planted,
and for the son whom You made strong for Yourself.

It is burned with fire, it is cut down;
they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,
the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.
Then we will not turn back from You;
give us life, and we will call upon Your name.

Restore us, O LORD God of Hosts;
cause Your face to shine,
and we shall be saved!

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

Faithful shepherd of your people, as we look for the light of your countenance, restore in us the image of your glory and graft us into the risen life of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Old Testament reading

2 Kings 5

Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man before his master and held favor because by him the LORD had given deliverance to Aram. He was also a mighty warrior, but he had leprosy.

The Arameans had gone out raiding and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel, and she waited on the wife of Naaman. She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were before the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would take away his leprosy from him.”

So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” 5The king of Aram said, “Go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothes. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “Now when this letter comes to you, know that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may take away from him his leprosy.”

When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to give life, that this man sends a man to me to take away his leprosy? But consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”

But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came with his horses and chariot and stood at the entrance to the house of Elisha. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be returned and cleansed.”

But Naaman became angry and went away and said to himself, “Behold, he could have come out, and stood and called on the name of the LORD his God, and waved his hand over the infected area, and taken away the leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

But his servants approached and spoke to him, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more when he said to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh returned like the flesh of a little boy, and he was clean.

Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company. He came and stood before him, and he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the land, except in Israel. Now take a gift from your servant.”

But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take no gift.” He urged him to take it, but he refused.

Then Naaman said, “If not, let two mule loads of dirt be given to your servant, for your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering or sacrifice to any god, except the LORD. But may the LORD pardon your servant on one account: When my master enters the house of Rimmon to worship, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I do bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the LORD pardon your servant on this one account.”

He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.

Then Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God said, “My master has spared Naaman the Aramean by not taking from his hands what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”

So Gehazi pursued Naaman. Then Naaman saw him running after him, jumped down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is everything all right?”

And he said, “Everything is all right. My master has sent me and says, ‘Even now two servants from Ephraim, from the sons of the prophets, have come to me. Give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’ ”

Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” He urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them before Gehazi. When he came to Ophel, he took them from their hand and put them away in the house. Then he sent the men away, and they departed.

Then he entered and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you come from, Gehazi?”

And he said, “Your servant went here and there.”

He said to him, “Did my heart not go with you when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to take money, and to take garments, olives and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? The leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence, leprous like snow.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Act 26:1-23

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.”

So Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate that today I shall make my defense before you against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are an expert in all customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to patiently listen to me.

“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning in my own nation and at Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They knew me from the beginning and could testify, if they wished, how according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand on trial for hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly serve God day and night. Concerning this hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why is it judged incredible by you that God raises the dead?

“I myself was convinced that I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I locked up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme. And being extremely enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

“So I went to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests. At midday, O King, I saw along the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Aramaic language, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

“I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’

“He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness both of what you have seen and of what I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from your people and from the Gentiles to whom I now send you, to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God and do works proving their repentance. For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore having obtained help from God, I continue to this day, testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen: that the Christ must suffer, that He would be the first who would rise from the dead, and would announce light to His own people and to the Gentiles.”

Silence may be kept.

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)

Luke 1:68-79

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.

Intercession and thanksgiving

Prayers may be offered for:

the day and its tasks
the world and its needs
the church and her life

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

Father, hear our prayer,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Savior taught us, so we pray

Conclusion

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.

Shane Raynor 10/3/26 Shane Raynor 10/3/26

Sun. morning Oct. 4

Opening response

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

Prayer of thanksgiving

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

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and forever.
Amen.

Hymn

It Is Well with My Soul

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 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 134

𝙍: Bless the LORD, O my soul

Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,
who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
and bless the LORD.

May the LORD who made heaven and earth
bless you from Zion!

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: Bless the LORD, O my soul

Psalm prayer

Guard all your household, Lord, through the dark night of faith, and purify the hearts of those who wait on you, until your kingdom dawns with the rising of your Son, Christ, the morning star.

Old Testament reading

Isaiah 49:13-23

Sing, O heavens!
And be joyful, O earth!
And break forth into singing, O mountains!
For the LORD has comforted His people
and will have mercy on His afflicted.

But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me,
and the Lord has forgotten me.”

Can a woman forget her nursing child,
and have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget.
Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
your walls are continually before Me;
your builders hurry;
your destroyers and those who devastated you shall depart from you.
Lift up your eyes and look all around;
all these gather themselves together and come to you.
As I live, says the LORD,
you shall surely put on all of them as ornaments
and bind them on you as a bride does.

For your waste and your desolate places,
and the land of your destruction,
shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants,
and those who swallowed you up shall be far away.
The children whom you shall have,
after you have lost the others,
shall say again in your ears,
“The place is too cramped for me;
make room for me that I may dwell here.”
Then you shall say in your heart,
“Who bore these for me,
since I have lost my children and am barren,
a captive and a wanderer?
And who has brought these up?
Behold, I was left alone;
from where have these come?”

Thus says the Lord GOD:

Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations
and set up My standard to the peoples;
and they shall bring your sons in their arms,
and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders;
kings shall be your foster fathers
and their queens your nursing mothers;
they shall bow down to you with their faces toward the ground
and lick up the dust of your feet.
And you shall know that I am the LORD,
for those who wait for Me shall not be ashamed.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Luke 12:1-12

Meanwhile, when thousands of the crowd were assembled, so as to trample on one another, He began to say to His disciples first, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore what you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. And what you have whispered in the ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that can do no more. But I will warn you whom you shall fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yes, I say to you, fear Him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies ? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear. You are more valuable than many sparrows.

“I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him will the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God. But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

“When they bring you to the synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not be anxious how you will answer or what you will say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Silence may be kept.

The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)

Luke 1:68-79

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.

Intercession and thanksgiving

Prayers may be offered for:

the day and its tasks
the world and its needs
the church and her life

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

Loving God, we look to you.
Receive our prayer.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Savior taught us, so we pray

Conclusion

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life.
Amen.