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EVENING PRAYER Vespers
for the Commemoration of Justus Falckner,
First Lutheran Pastor ordained in North America, 1723
(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
The psalmody begins with this prayer for forgiveness and protection:
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. Ps. 141:1-7
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 84
1 How dear to
me is your dwelling, O | Lord of
hosts!*
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of
the Lord;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the | living God.
2 The sparrow
has found her a house
and the swallow a nest
where she may | lay her young,*
by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King | and my God.
3 Happy are
they who dwell | in your house!*
They will always be | praising you.
4 Happy are
the people whose strength | is in you,*
whose hearts are set on the | pilgrims' way.
5 Those who
go through the desolate valley will find it a | place of springs,*
for the early rains have covered it with | pools of
water.
6 They will
climb from | height to height,*
and the God of gods will reveal him- | self in Zion.
7 Lord God of hosts, | hear my prayer;*
hearken, O | God of Jacob.
8 Behold our
defend- | er, O God;*
and look upon the face of | your anointed.
9 For one day
in your courts is better than a thousand in | my own room,*
and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than to dwell in the tents | of the wicked.
10 For the Lord God is both | sun and shield;*
he will give | grace and glory;
11 no good
thing will the | Lord withhold*
from those who walk | with integrity.
12 O | Lord of hosts,*
happy are they who put their | trust in you!
Almighty God, you heard the prayer of Christ, your chosen one, and raised him to the lasting joy of your presence. Help us in our pilgrimage toward you to love your Church and to offer the sacrifice of praise at your altar, that we may hasten to your home and joyfully look upon your glorious splendor, which we have seen in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hymn Rise, O Children of Salvation
1 Rise, O children of salvation,
all who cleave to Christ the head!
Wake, awake, O mighty nation,
lest the foe on Zion tread;
he draws nigh and would defy
all the hosts of God Most High.
2 Saints and martyrs long before us
firmly on this ground have stood;
see their banner waving o’er us,
conqu’rors through the Savior’s blood.
Ground we hold, whereon of old
fought the faithful and the bold.
3 Fighting, we shall be victorious
by the blood of Christ our Lord;
on our foreheads, bright and glorious,
shines the witness of his word;
spear and shield on battlefield,
his great name; we cannot yield.
4 When his servants stand before him,
each receiving his reward;
when his saints in light adore him,
giving glory to the Lord;
“Victory!” our song shall be,
like the thunder of the sea.
Text:
Justus Falckner, 1672-1723; tr. Emma F. Bevan, 1827-1909, alt.
READINGS
After each reading:
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Silence for reflection.
A reading from a letter by Justus Falckner to the Superintendent of Schleswig, concerning the religious condition of Pennsylvania in the year 1701.
Silence for reflection.
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
L Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal,
C have mercy and hear us.
C 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
C 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 into hell.
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
L Show us your mercy, O Lord,
C and grant us your salvation.
L Clothe your ministers with righteousness.
C Let your people sing with joy.
L Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
C for only in you can we live in safety.
L Lord, keep this nation under your care,
C and guide us in the way of justice and truth.
L Let your way be known upon earth;
C your saving health among all nations.
L Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten,
C nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
L Create in us clean hearts, O God,
C and sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
L The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
L Let us pray. . . .
C Amen
6. The final prayer is that appropriate to the time of day:
EVENING
L We give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have this day so graciously protected us. We beg you to forgive us all our sins and the wrong which we have done. By your great mercy defend us from all the perils and dangers of this night. Into your hands we commend our bodies and souls, and all that is ours. Let your holy angels have charge of us, that the wicked one have no power over us.
L Let us bless the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
L The Lord bless us, defend us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
C Amen
