Evening Prayer, June 24, 2020 - 7:00 pm

EVENING PRAYER for Wednesday after 3 Pentecost

Vespers

(Lutheran Book of Worship, page 142)

 

Jesus Christ is the Light of the World,

The light no darkness can overcome.

Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening,

And the day is almost over.

Let your light scatter the darkness,

And illumine your Church.

 

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 132

 

¹ Lord, re- | member David,*

                and all the hardships | he endured;

² how he swore an oath | to the Lord*

                and vowed a vow to the Mighty | One of Jacob:

³ "I will not come under the roof | of my house,*

                nor climb up in- | to my bed;

⁴ I will not allow my | eyes to sleep,*

                nor let my | eyelids slumber;

⁵ until I find a place | for the Lord,*

                a dwelling for the Mighty | One of Jacob."

 

⁶ "The ark! We heard it | was in Ephratah;*

                we found it in the | fields of Jearim.

⁷ Let us go to God's | dwelling-place;*

                let us fall upon our knees be- | fore his footstool."

⁸ Arise, O Lord, into your | resting-place,*

                you and the ark | of your strength.

⁹ Let your priests be | clothed with righteousness;*

                let your faithful people | sing with joy.

¹⁰ For your servant | David's sake,*

                do not turn away the face of | your anointed.

¹¹ The Lord has sworn an | oath to David;*

                in truth, he | will not break it:

¹² "A son, the fruit | of your body*

                will I set up- | on your throne.

¹³ If your children keep my covenant and my testimonies that | I shall teach them,*

                their children will sit upon your throne for- | evermore."

¹⁴ For the Lord has | chosen Zion;*

                he has desired her for his | habitation:

¹⁵ "This shall be my resting- | place forever;*

                here will I dwell, for I de- | light in her.

¹⁶ I will surely bless | her provisions,*

                and satisfy her | poor with bread.

¹⁷ I will clothe her priests | with salvation,*

                and her faithful people will re- | joice and sing.

¹⁸ There will I make the horn of | David flourish;*

                I have prepared a lamp for | my anointed.

¹⁹ As for his enemies, I will clothe | them with shame;*

                but as for him, his | crown will shine."

 

The proper psalm prayer is said, to which the congregation responds: Amen

 

Lord God, our King, you have chosen the new Zion as your dwelling-place, the Church as your place of rest; you have kindled in it a lamp that will burn brightly forever before Christ, your anointed one. Make our hearts your tabernacle, clothe your people with holiness, and give bread to the poor, that we may rejoice and sing to you now and forever.  (410)

 

 

 

 

 

Hymn                                                                   All Who Believe and Are Baptized

 

1      All who believe and are baptized

        shall see the Lord's salvation;

        baptized into the death of Christ,

        they are a new creation;

        through Christ's redemption they will stand

        among the glorious heav'nly band

        of ev'ry tribe and nation.

 

2      With one accord, O God, we pray,

        grant us your Holy Spirit;

        help us in our infirmity

        through Jesus' blood and merit;

        grant us to grow in grace each day

        by holy baptism, that we may

        eternal life inherit.

 

Text: Thomas H. Kingo, 1634-1703; tr. George T. Rygh, 1860-1943, alt.

 

Reading                                                                        Romans 6:1b-11

 

^1bShould we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? ³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
  ⁵For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For whoever has died is freed from sin. ⁸But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

¹⁰The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

 

The Word of the Lord.                                                 

  Thanks be to God.

 

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, the strength of those who hope in you: Be present and hear our prayers; and, because in the weakness of our mortal nature we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, so that in keeping your commandments we may please you in will and deed, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

Almighty God, by your gracious providence your servant John the Baptist was born to Elizabeth and Zechariah. Grant to your people the wisdom to see your purpose and the openness to hear your will, that the light of Christ may increase in us, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen

 

Almighty God, you have given us this good land as our heritage. Make us always remember your generosity and constantly do your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education, and an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil course of action. Make us who came from many nations with many different languages a united people. Defend our liberties and give those whom we have entrusted with the authority of government the spirit of wisdom, that there might be justice and peace in our land. When times are prosperous, let our hearts be thankful; and, in troubled times, do not let our trust in you fail. We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

 

Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the abundance of this land; 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,

                                    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 and ever. Amen

 

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

 

Hymn              To You Before the Close of Day

Lutheran Book of Worship 277

 

1                      To you before the close of day,

Creator of the world, we pray:

Your grace and peace to us allow

And be our guard and keeper now.

 

2                    From evil dreams defend our sight,

From all the terrors of the night;

From all deluding thoughts that creep

On heedless minds disarmed by sleep.

 

3                     O Father, this we ask be done

Through Jesus Christ, your only Son,

Who, with the Holy Ghost and you

Shall live and reign all ages through. Amen

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