Evening Prayer



One of these or a shall be said:
 
General Sentences

Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Psalm 141:2

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, let the whole earth tremble before Him. Psalm 96:9

How l rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!" Psalm 122:1-2.

Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace - in peace because they trust in you; for in returning and rest we shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be our strength. Isaiah 26:3 & 30:15

Stay with us Lord, for evening draws on and the day is almost over. Luke 24:29.

Jesus said: "I am the light of the world; whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life." John 8:12

Return O my soul to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. Psalm 116:6

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in your sight, O Lord my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

 
Seasonal Sentences


You know the time has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we first became believers. Romans 13:11


God is love. This how He showed His love among us: He sent his only son into the world that we have life through Him. I John 4:8-9


The Lord has declared his salvation. His righteousness he has openly displayed for all the nations to see. Psalm 98:3


To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness; because we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws. Daniel 9:9-10


God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. Galatians 6:14 or
The spirit of God affirms to our spirit that we are God's children; and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ; but we must share His suffering if we are also to share His glory. Romans 8:16-17


Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 15:57 or
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. I Peter 1:3


Jesus said, I am with you always even to the end of the ages. Alleluia. Matthew 28:20 or
For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Hebrews 9:24


God's love has been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit He has given us. Romans 5.5


Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty who was and is and is to come. Revelation 4:8


With this great cloud of witnesses around us, therefore, we too must throw off every encumbrance and the sin that all too readily restricts us, and run with resolution the race which lies ahead of us, our eyes fixed on Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2


Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: and happy the people he has chosen to be His inheritance. Psalm 33:12


Behold the dwelling of God is with mankind. He will dwell with them and they shall be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. Revelation 21:3

Stand

Either I.

V. Blessed be the Lord our God,

V. Blessed be His Son Jesus Christ,

V. Blessed be the Spirit of God,


Or II

V. Hear us, O Lord,

V. We will exalt you, O God our Saviour,

V. Glory to the Father and to the Son:*

The following prayer may be said by the minister and people:

Father, we come together in the Name of your Son Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, to offer you our worship, praise and thanksgiving. To you belong all power and glory. You are the source of all goodness. Let our worship bear witness to your peace. and saving power. Through your Spirit may we ever rejoice in the abiding presence of our risen and ascended Lord. Amen.

Canticle Of Praise Or Invitatory

One of the following shall be said:

O Gracious Light
Or Glory To You
Or Christ Our Passover
 
O Gracious Light

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.

 
Glory To You

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers;*
you are worthy of praise; glory to you.
Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name;*
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendour of your temple;*
on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.
Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim;*
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths;*
in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit;*
we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

 
Christ Our Passover

I Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22.

Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us:*
so let us celebrate the feast,
not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness:*
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Christ once raised from the dead dies no more:*
death has no more dominion over Him.
In dying He died to sin once for all:*
in living He lives to God.
See yourselves therefore as dead to sin:*
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Christ has been raised from the dead:*
the first fruits of those who sleep.
For as by man came death:*
by man has come also the resurrection of the dead;
for as in Adam all die:*
even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:*
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now:*
and shall be forever. Amen.

The Minister says:

Lord, we pray to you for the forgiveness of our sins.

Silence may be kept.
Minister and people, kneeling, together say:

Have mercy upon us,
most merciful Father;
in your compassion forgive us our sins,
known and unknown,
things done and left undone;
and so uphold us by your Spirit
that we may live
and serve you in newness of life,
to the honour and glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The priest, or bishop if present, standing, shall say one of the following:
(A deacon or lay person leading the service, kneeling, shall use "Grant merciful Lord")

Either

Almighty God, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

or

Grant merciful Lord, to your faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve you with a quiet mind: through Jesus Christ our Lord.
 
Stand

The Office Hymn may follow here or after the First Lesson

The Psalm(s) appointed:

Each psalm or group of psalms ends with:

Glory to the Father, and to the Son:*
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now:*
and shall be forever.

Sit

The First Lesson, from the Old Testament or Apocrypha

The reader says:

A Reading from the Book of _______, Chapter _______, beginning at verse _______.

At the end of the reading the reader may say:

Either
The Word of the Lord.

Or
Here ends the reading.

The people may respond:
Thanks be to God.

Stand

The Magnificat or another canticle shill be said or sung.

Magnificat: Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Saviour,*
for you have looked with favour on your lowly servant,*
From this day all generations will call me blessed:*
You, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your Name.
You have mercy on those who fear you*
from generation to generation
You have shown strength with your arm*
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones*
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things*
and the rich you have sent away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel,*
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears,*
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 shall be for ever. Amen.


Sit

A Second Lesson may be read

The reader says:

A Reading from the book of _______, chapter _______, beginning
at verse _______.

At the end of the reading the reader says:

The Word of the Lord.

The people may respond:

Thanks be to God.

Stand

A canticle or a suitable hymn shall be said or sung.

A sermon may follow here or after the Prayers.

Stand

The Apostles' Creed

ALL:

The Apostles Creed:

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.

Kneel

THE PRAYERS

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And also with you.

The minister shall say:

Let us pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins

Save us from the time of trial

For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

The Suffrages

The following may be used or one of the sets of suffrages (see pages
43-45)

V. Lord, reveal your love among us;
R. That we may know the joy of your salvation.

V. Grant peace within and among all nations;
R. And teach our leaders wisdom.

V. Endow your Church with faithfulness;
R. And her servants with knowledge and true godliness.

V. Defend, O Lord, the rights of the poor and the oppressed;
R. That your justice may be known among all people.

V. Lord, renew your Spirit within us;
R. That in us and through us your will may be done.

The Collect qf the day shall be said.

One or more of the following prayers shall be said.

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator of day and
night, giving rest to the weary, renewing the strength of those who
are spent, bestowing upon us occasions of song in the evening. As
you have protected us in the day that is past so be with us in the
coming night. Free us from evil, sin and fear; for you are our
light and salvation, and the strength of our life.
To you be glory for endless ages. Amen.

Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray; and in your mercy defend us
from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only
Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
.
O Lord, support us all the day long of this troublous life, until the
shades lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is
hushed, the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then, Lord,
in mercy grant us safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
.
Grant, Lord, that we may be faithful to you without turning aside,
worship you without growing weary, serve you without failing;
diligently seek you; happily find you, and forever possess you, the
one and only God, blessed, for ever and ever. Amen.

Grant to your servants, O God, to be set on fire with your love, to be
strengthened by your power, to be illuminated by your Spirit,
to be filled with your grace, and to move on with your help;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Fridays
Almighty, everlasting God, let our prayer in your sight be as
incense, the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice. Give
us grace to behold you, present in your Word and Sacraments, and
to recognise you in the lives of those around us. Stir up in us the
flame of that love which burned in the heart of your Son as he bore
His passion and let it burn in us to eternal life and to the ages of
ages. Amen.

A Collect for Saturdays
O God, the source of eternal light: shed forth your unending day
upon us who watch for you, that our lips may praise you, our lives
may bless you, and our worship on the morrow give you glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Sundays
O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and rest
we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength:
By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, to your presence, where
we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

At the end of the Prayers, a hymn or anthem may be sung.

A sermon may follow.

A hymn may be sung.

Here may be read the occasional prayers and thanksgivings, or other forms of prayer. (See prayers for Various Occasions pages
75-86)

The Prayer of Dedication may be said.

Prayer of Dedication

Almighty God, we thank you
for the gift of your Holy Word.
May it be a lantern to our feet,
A light to our paths,
And a strength to our lives.
Take us and use us to love and serve all persons
in the power of the Holy Spirit
and in the Name of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Notices and announcements may be given.

The service shall conclude with one of the following endings:

MINISTER:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us evermore. Amen.
II Corinthians 13:13

or

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

or

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can
ask or conceive, by the power which is at work among us, to Him
be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all ages.
Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

MINISTER: The Lord be with you.
PEOPLE: And also with you.

MINISTER: Let us bless the Lord.
PEOPLE: Thanks be to God.

The dismissal from the Holy Eucharist may be used in place of the
above.



M a i n