The order of service is below. (Click on 'Click here to read the whole post.') It helps to have a Lutheran Book of Worship for the musical settings, but you do not need one.
We rejoice to be together at the same time, singing the same songs, hearing the same Scripture, and praying the same prayers as we come ever closer to the celebration of the mystery of our salvation.
EVENING PRAYER
Vespers
The Service of Light is omitted during Holy Week.
O God, come to my assistance.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
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 141
In you, O Lord GOD, I take refuge.
1 O Lord, I call to you; come | to me quickly;*
hear my voice when I | cry to you.
2 Let my prayer be set forth in your | sight as incense,*
the lifting up of my hands as the | evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door | of my lips;*
let not my heart incline to any | evil thing.
4 Let me not be occupied in wickedness with | evildoers,*
nor eat of | their choice foods.
5 Let the righteous smite me in friendly rebuke;
let not the oil of the unrighteous a- | noint my head;*
for my prayer is continually against their | wicked deeds.
6 Let their rulers be overthrown in | stony places,*
that they may know my | words are true.
7 As when a plowman turns over the | earth in furrows,*
let their bones be scattered at the mouth | of the grave.
8 But my eyes are turned to | you, Lord GOD;*
in you I take refuge; do not strip me | of my life.
9 Protect me from the snare which they have | laid for me*
and from the traps of the | evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into | their own nets,*
while I my- | self escape.
In you, O Lord GOD, I take refuge.
Psalm 70
Be pleased, O God, to deliver me.
1 Be pleased, O God, to de- | liver me;*
O Lord, make | haste to help me.
2 Let those who seek my life be ashamed and altogeth- | er dismayed;*
let those who take pleasure in my misfortune
draw back and | be disgraced.
3 Let those who say to me "Aha!" and gloat over | me turn back,*
because they | are ashamed.
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be | glad in you;*
let those who love your salvation say forever, "Great | is the Lord!"
5 But as for me, I am | poor and needy;*
come to me speedi- | ly, O God.
6 You are my helper and | my deliverer;*
O Lord, | do not tarry.
Be pleased, O God, to deliver me.
Hymn Ah, Holy Jesus Lutheran Book of Worship 123
1 Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended
that man to judge thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.
2 Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee;
I crucified thee.
3 Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
the slave hath sinnèd, and the Son hath suffered;
for man’s atonement, while he nothing heedeth,
God intercedeth.
4 For me, kind Jesus, was thine incarnation,
thy mortal sorrow, and thy life’s oblation;
thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
for my salvation.
5 Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee;
think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
not my deserving.
Text: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647; tr. Robert Bridges, 1844-1930, alt.
Reading:
21Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; 24Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” 28Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
31When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.”
31When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.”
In many and various ways God spoke to his people of old by the prophets.
But now in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.
LBW Canticle 6 My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord
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 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
11. The LITANY is sung or said.
In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all who offer today their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For Dan, our bishop; for all pastors in Christ, for all servants of the Church, and for all the people, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our public servants, for the government and those who protect us, that they may be upheld and strengthened in every good deed, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who work to bring peace, justice, health, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who bring offerings, those who do good works in this congregation, those who toil, those who sing, and all the people here present who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the faithful who have gone before us and are at rest, let us give thanks to the Lord.
To you, O Lord.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Silence for meditation.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of all the saints, let us commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ, our Lord.
To you, O Lord.
Almighty God, your Son our Savior suffered at human hands and endured the shame of the cross. Grant that we may walk in the way of his cross and find it the way of life and peace; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
We pray to you, almighty God, in this time of pandemic. You are our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Do not let us fail in the face of these events. Uphold us with your love, and give us the strength we need. Help us in our confusion, and guide our actions. Heal the sick, console the bereaved and afflicted, protect the innocent and helpless, and deliver all who are in peril; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever.
Amen
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
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 and ever. Amen
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn O Christ, You Are the Light and Day LBW 273
1 O Christ, you are the light and day;
you drive the gloom of night away;
grant, Light of light, your word to show
the light of heav’n to us below.
2 Arise, O God, our shield, repel
the darts and subtleties of hell;
let your right hand, outstretched above,
guard those who serve the Lord they love.
3 All-holy Lord, in humble prayer
we ask tonight your watchful care
and pray that our repose may be
a quiet night, from perils free.
4 To God the Father and the Son
and Holy Spirit, Three in One,
be glory in the highest giv’n
by all on earth and all in heav’n!
Text: Latin hymn, 6th cent., sts. 1-3; Isaac Watts, 1674-1748, st. 4; tr. William J. Copeland, 1804-1885, sts. 1-3, alt.
Sermon
Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you.
Amen
