O God, make speed to save us.
AllO Lord, make haste to help us.
The Blessing of Light (page 110) may replace the Preparation at Evening Prayer on any occasion.
One or more of the following is said or sung:
A prayer of thanksgiving (page 110),
Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night:
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As darkness falls you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
By the light of Christ, your living Word,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
that we may walk as children of light
and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
AllBlessed be God for ever.
or a suitable hymn,
or A Song of God’s Descending
1I love you, O Lord my
strength. ♦
The Lord is my crag, my fortress and my deliverer.
2In my distress I called
upon the Lord ♦
and cried out to my God for help.
3He heard my voice in
his temple ♦
and my cry came to his ears.
4He parted the heavens
and came down ♦
and thick darkness was under his feet.
5He rode upon the cherubim
and flew; ♦
he came flying on the wings of the wind.
6He made darkness his
covering round about him, ♦
dark waters and thick clouds his pavilion.
7From the brightness
of his presence, through the clouds ♦
burst hailstones and coals of fire.
8The Lord also thundered
out of heaven; ♦
the Most High uttered his voice
with hailstones and coals of fire.
9For you will save a
lowly people ♦
and bring down the high looks of the proud.
10You also shall light
my candle; ♦
the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be bright.
11As for God, his way
is perfect;
the word of the Lord is tried in the fire; ♦
he is a shield to all who trust in him.
Psalm 18.1, 6, 7 ,10-14, 28, 29, 31
AllGlory 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.
This opening prayer may be said
That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The appointed psalmody is said.
Refrain: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts.
1 I was glad when they said to me, ♦
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’
2 And now our feet are standing ♦
within your gates, O Jerusalem;
3 Jerusalem, built as a city ♦
that is at unity in itself.
4 Thither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, ♦
as is decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 For there are set the thrones of judgement, ♦
the thrones of the house of David. R
6 O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ♦
‘May they prosper who love you.
7 ‘Peace be within your walls ♦
and tranquillity within your palaces.’
8 For my kindred and companions’ sake, ♦
I will pray that peace be with you.
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, ♦
I will seek to do you good.
Refrain: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts.
God of our pilgrimage,
bring us with joy to the eternal city
founded on the rock,
and give to our earthly cities
the peace that comes from above;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Refrain: The Lord
shall keep watch over your going out
and your coming in.
1 Unless the Lord builds the house, ♦
those who build it labour in vain.
2 Unless the Lord keeps the city, ♦
the guard keeps watch in vain.
3 It is in vain that you hasten to rise up early
and go so late to rest, eating the bread of toil, ♦
for he gives his beloved sleep. R
4 Children are a heritage from the Lord ♦
and the fruit of the womb is his gift.
5 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, ♦
so are the children of one’s youth.
6 Happy are those who have their quiver full of them: ♦
they shall not be put to shame
when they dispute with their enemies in the gate.
Refrain: The Lord
shall keep watch over your going out
and your coming in.
Lord, you are ever watchful
and bless us with your gifts;
as you provide for all our needs,
so help us to build only what pleases you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Refrain: How abundant is your goodness, O Lord.
1 Blessed are all those who fear the Lord, ♦
and walk in his ways.
2 You shall eat the fruit of the toil of your hands; ♦
it shall go well with you, and happy shall you be. R
3 Your wife within your house
shall be like a fruitful vine; ♦
your children round your table,
like fresh olive branches.
4 Thus shall the one be blest ♦
who fears the Lord. R
5 The Lord from out of Zion bless you, ♦
that you may see Jerusalem in prosperity
all the days of your life.
6 May you see your children’s children, ♦
and may there be peace upon Israel.
Refrain: How abundant is your goodness, O Lord.
O Christ, our true vine,
may we your branches
be ever fruitful in your service
and share your love and peace with all your children,
in the power of the Spirit and to the glory of the Father.
Each psalm or group of psalms may end with
AllGlory 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.
If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord. Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.
Be silent, all people, before the Lord; for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.
The following, or another suitable canticle, may be said or sung
Refrain:
AllGod’s love was revealed
among us
so that we might live through Jesus. Alleluia.
1Beloved, let us love
one another,
for love is of God; ♦
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
2Whoever does not love
does not know God, ♦
for God is love.
3In this the love of
God was revealed among us, ♦
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through him.
4In this is love,
not that we loved God but that he loved us, ♦
and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.
5Beloved, since God loved
us so much, ♦
we ought also to love one another.
6For if we love one another,
God abides in us, ♦
and God’s love will be perfected in us.
1 John 4.7-11, 12b
AllGlory 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.
AllGod’s love was revealed
among us
so that we might live through Jesus. Alleluia.
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew. They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.” He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.’
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Lord, you will guide me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
For I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
AllAnd afterwards receive
me with glory.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllLord, you will guide
me with your counsel
and afterwards receive me with glory.
from Psalm 73
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or the Nunc dimittis (The Song of
Simeon) (page 613) may be said
Refrain:
All
Mary gave birth to the Word of God;
truly she is the ever-blessed Mother of Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
1My soul proclaims the
greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; ♦
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
2From this day all generations
will call me blessed; ♦
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.
3He has mercy on those
who fear him, ♦
from generation to generation.
4He has shown strength
with his arm ♦
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
5Casting down the mighty
from their thrones ♦
and lifting up the lowly.
6He has filled the hungry
with good things ♦
and sent the rich away empty.
7He has come to the aid
of his servant Israel, ♦
to remember his promise of mercy,
8The promise made to our
ancestors, ♦
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Luke 1.46-55
AllGlory 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.
Refrain:
All
Mary gave birth to the Word of God;
truly she is the ever-blessed Mother of Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
Thanksgiving may be made for the day.
Intercessions are offered
¶ for peace
¶ for individuals and their needs
Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363
¶ The social services
¶ All who work in the criminal justice system
¶ Victims and perpetrators of crime
¶ The work of aid agencies throughout the world
¶ Those living in poverty or under oppression
One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.
These responses may be used
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
(or)
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Silence may be kept.
The Collect of the day is said
Mighty God,
by whose grace Elizabeth rejoiced with Mary
and greeted her as the mother of the Lord:
look with favour on your lowly servants
that, with Mary, we may magnify your holy name
and rejoice to acclaim her Son our Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The Lord’s Prayer is said
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray
AllOur Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
(or)
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
AllOur 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,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
All The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.
©
The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2005
Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from
Church House Publishing.
The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Implemented by Simon Kershaw at
Crucix.
Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002-2021.