EVENING PRAYER for EASTER
Vespers
(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
We are illumined by the brightness of his rising.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Death has no more dominion over us.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Joyous light of glory:
of the immortal Father;
heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.
We have come to the setting of the sun,
and we look to the evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit:
You are worthy of being praised
with pure voices forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life:
The universe proclaims your glory.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night: Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ; may his Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are merciful, and you love your whole creation, and we, your creatures, glorify you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord,
and guard the door of my lips.
Let not my heart incline to any evil thing;
let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers.
But my eyes are turned to you, Lord God;
in you I take refuge. Strip me not of my life.
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.
Let my prayer rise before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Silence for meditation.
Let the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your lovingkindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify you forever and ever.
Amen
Psalm 124
1 If the Lord had not been | on our side,*
let Isra- | el now say;
2 if the Lord had not been | on our side,*
when enemies rose | up against us,
3 then would they have swallowed us | up alive*
in their fierce | anger toward us;
4 then would the waters have | overwhelmed us*
and the torrent gone | over us;
5 then would the | raging waters*
have gone right | over us.
6 Blessed | be the Lord!*
He has not given us over to be a prey | for their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare | of the fowler;*
the snare is broken, and we | have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name | of the Lord,*
the maker of heav- | en and earth.
The proper psalm prayer is said, to which the congregation responds: Amen
Lord Jesus, you foretold that your disciples would be despised on account of your name, yet you number the very hairs of their heads. In times of persecution, defend and revive us by the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit, so that we can be freed from our enemies and praise your saving help now and forever.
Hymn Welcome, Happy Morning!
1 “Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say;
“Hell today is vanquished, heav’n is won today!”
Christ, once dead, is living, God forevermore!
Him, their true creator, all his works adore.
“Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say.
2 Maker and redeemer, life and health of all,
God from heav’n beholding human nature’s fall,
you, the true and only Son of God above,
died as mortal man to save us by your love.
“Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say.
3 Source of all things living, you came down to die,
plumbed the depths of hell to raise us up on high.
Come then, true and faithful; come, fulfill your word;
this is your third morning: rise, O buried Lord!
“Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say.
4 Free the souls long prisoned, bound with Satan’s chain;
all that once had fallen raise to life again;
show your face in brightness, shine in ev’ry land
as in Eden’s garden when the world began.
“Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say.
Text: Venantius Honorius Fortunatus, 530-609; tr. John Ellerton, 1826-1893, adapt.
Reading
13Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; 16yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. 17For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 19in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. 21And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.
Silence for meditation.
Response
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.
The GOSPEL CANTICLE is sung.
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
The LITANY is sung.
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 your unworthy servant; 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.
Alleluia.
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.
O God, from whom all good things come: Lead us by the inspiration of your Spirit to think those things which are right, and by your goodness help us to do them; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen
Most gracious God, according to your wisdom the deep waters are opened up and clouds drop gentle moisture. We praise you for the return of planting and harvest seasons, for the fertility of the soil, for the harvesting of the crops, and for all other blessings which you in your generosity pour on this nation and people. Give us a full understanding of your mercy, and lives which will be respectful, holy, and obedient to you throughout all our days; through 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
Watch, dear Lord, with those who wake or watch or weep, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, rest the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous. In your love, give us all this, through 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.
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 Now All The Woods Are Sleeping
Lutheran Book of Worship 276
The text of this hymn may not be reproduced here.
Sermon
Prayer and Benediction
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
