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I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall. Psalm 16:7,8
Confession of Sin Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbour.
Silence may be kept.
Leader and People (together): Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk-in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Leader: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.
The Invitatory and Psalter
Leader: O God, make speed to save us.
People: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
O Gracious Light Phos hilaron (together)
O gracious light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of Life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.
Today’s Appointed Psalm and Lessons
Psalm 18: Part II Et retribuet mihi (read responsively) 21 The Lord rewarded me because of my righteous dealing; * because my hands were clean he rewarded me; 22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord *and have not offended against my God;
23 For all his judgments are before my eyes, * and his decrees I have not put away from me;
24 For I have been blameless with him *and have kept myself from iniquity;
25 Therefore the Lord rewarded me according to my righteous dealing, * because of the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
26 With the faithful you show yourself faithful, O God; * with the forthright you show yourself forthright.
27 With the pure you show yourself pure, * but with the crooked you are wily.
28 You will save a lowly people, * but you will humble the haughty eyes.
29 You, O Lord, are my lamp; * my God, you make my darkness bright.
30 With you I will break down an enclosure; * with the help of my God I will scale any wall.
31 As for God, his ways are perfect; the words of the Lord are tried in the fire; * he is a shield to all who trust in him.
32 For who is God, but the Lord? *who is the Rock, except our God? 33 It is God who girds me about with strength *and makes my way secure. 34 He makes me sure-footed like a deer *and lets me stand firm on the heights. 35 He trains my hands for battle *and my arms for bending even a bow of bronze. 36 You have given me your shield of victory; *your right hand also sustains me; your loving care makes me great. 37 You lengthen my stride beneath me, *and my ankles do not give way. 38 I pursue my enemies and overtake them; *I will not turn back till I have destroyed them. 39 I strike them down, and they cannot rise; *they fall defeated at my feet. 40 You have girded me with strength for the battle; *you have cast down my adversaries beneath me; you have put my enemies to flight. 41 I destroy those who hate me; they cry out, but there is none to help them; *they cry to the Lord, but he does not answer. 42 I beat them small like dust before the wind; *I trample them like mud in the streets. 43 You deliver me from the strife of the peoples; *you put me at the head of the nations. 44 A people I have not known shall serve me; no sooner shall they hear than they shall obey me; * strangers will cringe before me.
45 The foreign peoples will lose heart; *they shall come trembling out of their strongholds. 46 The Lord lives! Blessed is my Rock! *Exalted is the God of my salvation! 47 He is the God who gave me victory *and cast down the peoples beneath me. 48 You rescued me from the fury of my enemies; you exalted me above those who rose against me; *you saved me from my deadly foe. 49 Therefore will I extol you among the nations, O Lord, *and sing praises to your Name. 50 He multiplies the victories of his king; *he shows loving-kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The First Lesson: A Reading from Job 8:1-10, 20-22 (Edwina)
8Then Bildad the Shuhite answered: 2 ‘How long will you say these things, and the words of your mouth be a great wind? 3 Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty* pervert the right? 4 If your children sinned against him, he delivered them into the power of their transgression. 5 If you will seek God and make supplication to the Almighty,* 6 if you are pure and upright, surely then he will rouse himself for you and restore to you your rightful place. 7 Though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great. 8 ‘For inquire now of bygone generations and consider what their ancestors have found; 9 for we are but of yesterday, and we know nothing, for our days on earth are but a shadow. 10 Will they not teach you and tell you and utter words out of their understanding?
20 ‘See, God will not reject a blameless person, nor take the hand of evildoers. 21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouts of joy. 22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.’
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
The Song of Mary Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55 (together) My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
The Second Lesson: A Reading from the Book of Acts 10:17-33 (Esabel)
17 Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon’s house and were standing by the gate. 18They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there. 19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Look, three* men are searching for you. 20Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them.’ 21So Peter went down to the men and said, ‘I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?’ 22They answered, ‘Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.’ 23 So Peter* invited them in and gave them lodging.
The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers* from Joppa accompanied him. 24 The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 On Peter’s arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshipped him. 26 But Peter made him get up, saying, ‘Stand up; I am only a mortal.’ 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; 28 and he said to them, ‘You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?’
30 Cornelius replied, ‘Four days ago at this very hour, at three o’clock, I was praying in my house when suddenly a man in dazzling clothes stood before me. 31He said, “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is called Peter; he is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.” 33Therefore I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. So now all of us are here in the presence of God to listen to all that the Lord has commanded you to say.’
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
A Reading from the Gospel of John 7:14-36 (Rick)
14 About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. 15The Jews were astonished at it, saying, ‘How does this man have such learning,* when he has never been taught?’ 16Then Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. 17Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. 18Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him.
19 ‘Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you looking for an opportunity to kill me?’ 20The crowd answered, ‘You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?’ 21Jesus answered them, ‘I performed one work, and all of you are astonished. 22Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of course, not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on the sabbath. 23If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man’s whole body on the sabbath? 24Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement.’
25 Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, ‘Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? 26And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah?* 27Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah* comes, no one will know where he is from.’ 28Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, ‘You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. 29I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.’ 30Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, ‘When the Messiah* comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?’*
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. 33Jesus then said, ‘I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.’ 35The Jews said to one another, ‘Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36What does he mean by saying, “You will search for me and you will not find me” and, “Where I am, you cannot come”?’
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Song of Simeon Nunc Dimittis, Luke 2:29-32 (together)
Lord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people 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 for ever. Amen.
The Apostles' Creed (together)
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 power of 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.
The Prayers
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Let us pray.
Leader and People (together)
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, for ever and ever. Amen.
Suffrage A
V. Show us your mercy, O Lord; R. And grant us your salvation. V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy. V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world; R. For only in you can we live in safety.
V. Lord, keep this nation under your care; R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth. V. Let your way be known upon earth; R. Your saving health among all nations. V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. V. Create in us clean hearts, O God; R. And sustain us by your Holy Spirit.
(Leader) A Collect for Peace: Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgements, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.
(Leader) A Collect for Aid against Perils: Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Leader) A Collect for Protection: O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Leader) A Collect for the Presence of Christ: Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.
Leader: O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
**Friends, who can we pray for tonight? Let us offer up our intercessions and thanksgivings**
The General Thanksgiving (together)
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
(Leader) A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Leader: May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13
Praying God’s blessings upon you and your family.
Have a restful night and stay safe.
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