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 Light
1The Lord is my light
and my salvation;
whom then shall I fear? ♦
The Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom then shall I be afraid?
2Though a host encamp
against me,
my heart shall not be afraid, ♦
and though there rise up war against me,
yet will I put my trust in him.
3One thing have I asked
of the Lord
and that alone I seek: ♦
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
4To behold the fair beauty
of the Lord ♦
and to seek his will in his temple.
5For in the day of trouble
he shall hide me in his shelter; ♦
in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me
and set me high upon a rock.
6Therefore will I offer
in his dwelling an oblation
with great gladness; ♦
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Psalm 27.1, 3-6, 8
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: Behold
our defender, O God,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
1 My heart is astir with gracious words; ♦
as I make my song for the king,
my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2 You are the fairest of men; ♦
full of grace are your lips,
for God has blest you for ever.
3 Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one; ♦
gird on your majesty and glory.
4 Ride on and prosper in the cause of truth ♦
and for the sake of humility and righteousness.
5 Your right hand will teach you terrible things; ♦
your arrows will be sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies,
so that peoples fall beneath you. R
6 Your throne is God’s throne, for ever; ♦
the sceptre of your kingdom is the sceptre of righteousness.
7 You love righteousness and hate iniquity; ♦
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
8 All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes and cassia; ♦
from ivory palaces the music of strings makes you glad.
9 Kings’ daughters are among your honourable women; ♦
at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir. R
10 Hear, O daughter; consider and incline your ear; ♦
forget your own people and your father’s house.
11 So shall the king have pleasure in your beauty; ♦
he is your lord, so do him honour.
12 The people of Tyre shall bring you gifts; ♦
the richest of the people shall seek your favour.
13 The king’s daughter is all glorious within; ♦
her clothing is embroidered cloth of gold.
14 She shall be brought to the king in raiment of needlework; ♦
after her the virgins that are her companions.
15 With joy and gladness shall they be brought ♦
and enter into the palace of the king.
16 ‘Instead of your fathers you shall have sons, ♦
whom you shall make princes over all the land.
17 ‘I will make your name to be remembered through all generations; ♦
therefore shall the peoples praise you for ever and ever.’
Refrain: Behold
our defender, O God,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
Lord our God,
bring your bride, your holy Church,
with joy to the marriage feast of heaven,
and unite us with your anointed Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 God is our refuge and strength, ♦
a very present help in trouble;
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, ♦
and though the mountains tremble in the heart of the sea;
3 Though the waters rage and swell, ♦
and though the mountains quake at the towering seas.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, ♦
the holy place of the dwelling of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her;
therefore shall she not be removed; ♦
God shall help her at the break of day.
6 The nations are in uproar and the kingdoms are shaken, ♦
but God utters his voice and the earth shall melt away.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us; ♦
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
8 Come and behold the works of the Lord, ♦
what destruction he has wrought upon the earth.
9 He makes wars to cease in all the world; ♦
he shatters the bow and snaps the spear
and burns the chariots in the fire.
10 ‘Be still, and know that I am God; ♦
I will be exalted among the nations;
I will be exalted in the earth.’
11 The Lord of hosts is with us; ♦
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
God of Jacob,
when the earth shakes
and the nations are in uproar,
speak, and let the storm be still;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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.
After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred and ten years old. They buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the Lord did for Israel.
The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the portion of ground that Jacob had bought from the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of money; it became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.
Eleazar son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of his son Phinehas, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.
A Song of God’s Love, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 53 (page 606), may be said
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.
‘I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!
Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!
From now on, five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three;
they will be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’
He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, “It is going to rain”; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat”; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
‘And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? Thus, when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case, or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.’
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
Your salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
AllYour salvation is near
to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
AllThat glory may dwell
in our land.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllYour salvation is near
to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
from Psalm 85
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or A Song of Praise (page 627)
may be said
Refrain:
All
Those who keep and teach the commandments
will be considered great in heaven. 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
Those who keep and teach the commandments
will be considered great in heaven. 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
¶ Our homes, families, friends and all whom
we love
¶ Those whose time is spent caring for others
¶ Those who are close to death
¶ Those who have lost hope
¶ The worship of the Church
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
Lord, you have taught us
that all our doings without love are nothing worth:
send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ's sake,
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.