O Lord, open our lips
Alland our mouth shall
proclaim your praise.
Your faithful servants bless you.
AllThey make known the
glory of your kingdom. Alleluia.
One or more of the following is said or sung:
this or another prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
ruler and judge of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
In the darkness of this age that is passing away
may the light of your presence which the saints enjoy
surround our steps as we journey on.
May we reflect your glory this day
and so be made ready to see your face
in the heavenly city where night shall be no more.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.
a suitable hymn, or A Song of Trust in God
1As the deer longs for
the water brooks, ♦
so longs my soul for you, O God.
2My soul is athirst for
God, even for the living God; ♦
when shall I come before the presence of God?
3My tears have been my
bread day and night, ♦
while all day long they say to me, ‘Where is now your God?’
4Now when I think on
these things, I pour out my soul: ♦
how I went with the multitude
and led the procession to the house of God,
5With the voice of praise
and thanksgiving, ♦
among those who kept holy day.
6Why are you so full
of heaviness, O my soul, ♦
and why are you so disquieted within me?
7O put your trust in
God; ♦
for I will yet give him thanks,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
Psalm 42.1-7
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
The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.
AllAmen.
The appointed psalmody is said.
Refrain: The Lord is king and has put on glorious apparel.
1 The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, ♦
until I make your enemies your footstool.’
2 May the Lord stretch forth the sceptre of your power; ♦
rule from Zion in the midst of your enemies.
3 ‘Noble are you on this day of your birth; ♦
on the holy mountain, from the womb of the dawn
the dew of your new birth is upon you.’ R
4 The Lord has sworn and will not retract: ♦
‘You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.’
5 The king at your right hand, O Lord, ♦
shall smite down kings in the day of his wrath. R
6 In all his majesty, he shall judge among the nations, ♦
smiting heads over all the wide earth.
7 He shall drink from the brook beside the way; ♦
therefore shall he lift high his head.
Refrain: The Lord is king and has put on glorious apparel.
Lord Jesus, divine Son and eternal priest,
inspire us with the confidence of your final conquest of evil,
and grant that daily on our way
we may drink of the brook of your eternal life
and so find courage against all adversities;
for your mercy’s sake.
Refrain: The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
1 Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, ♦
in the company of the faithful and in the congregation.
2 The works of the Lord are great, ♦
sought out by all who delight in them.
3 His work is full of majesty and honour ♦
and his righteousness endures for ever.
4 He appointed a memorial for his marvellous deeds; ♦
the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. R
5 He gave food to those who feared him; ♦
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He showed his people the power of his works ♦
in giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are truth and justice; ♦
all his commandments are sure. R
8 They stand fast for ever and ever; ♦
they are done in truth and equity.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever; ♦
holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
a good understanding have those who live by it; ♦
his praise endures for ever.
Refrain: The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
Gracious God, you are full of compassion;
may we who long for your kingdom to come
rejoice to do your will
and acknowledge your power alone to save;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Refrain: The righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.
1 Alleluia.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord ♦
and have great delight in his commandments.
2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land, ♦
a generation of the faithful that will be blest.
3 Wealth and riches will be in their house, ♦
and their righteousness endures for ever.
4 Light shines in the darkness for the upright; ♦
gracious and full of compassion are the righteous. R
5 It goes well with those who are generous in lending ♦
and order their affairs with justice,
6 For they will never be shaken; ♦
the righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.
7 They will not be afraid of any evil tidings; ♦
their heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. R
8 Their heart is sustained and will not fear, ♦
until they see the downfall of their foes.
9 They have given freely to the poor;
their righteousness stands fast for ever; ♦
their head will be exalted with honour.
10 The wicked shall see it and be angry;
they shall gnash their teeth in despair; ♦
the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Refrain: The righteous will be held in everlasting remembrance.
Generous God,
save us from the meanness
that calculates its interest and hoards its earthly gain;
as we have freely received,
so may we freely give;
in the grace of 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.
An oracle concerning Egypt.
See, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud
and comes to Egypt;
the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence,
and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.
I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians,
and they will fight, one against the other,
neighbour against neighbour,
city against city, kingdom against kingdom;
the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out,
and I will confound their plans;
they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead
and the ghosts and the familiar spirits;
I will deliver the Egyptians
into the hand of a hard master;
a fierce king will rule over them,
says the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts.
The waters of the Nile will be dried up,
and the river will be parched and dry;
its canals will become foul,
and the branches of Egypt’s Nile will diminish and dry up;
reeds and rushes will rot away.
There will be bare places by the Nile,
on the brink of the Nile;
and all that is sown by the Nile will dry up,
be driven away, and be no more.
Those who fish will mourn;
all who cast hooks in the Nile will lament,
and those who spread nets on the water will languish.
The workers in flax will be in despair,
and the carders and those at the loom will grow pale.
Its weavers will be dismayed,
and all who work for wages will be grieved.
The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish;
the wise counsellors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel.
How can you say to Pharaoh,
‘I am one of the sages,
a descendant of ancient kings’?
Where now are your sages?
Let them tell you and make known
what the Lord of hosts has planned against Egypt.
The princes of Zoan have become fools,
and the princes of Memphis are deluded;
those who are the cornerstones of its tribes
have led Egypt astray.
The Lord has poured into them
a spirit of confusion;
and they have made Egypt stagger in all its doings
as a drunkard staggers around in vomit.
Neither head nor tail, palm branch nor reed,
will be able to do anything for Egypt.
On that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the Lord of hosts raises against them. And the land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom it is mentioned will fear because of the plan that the Lord of hosts is planning against them.
On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. One of these will be called the City of the Sun.
On that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the centre of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; when they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a saviour, and will defend and deliver them. The Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the Lord on that day, and will worship with sacrifice and burnt-offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing; they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their supplications and heal them.
On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.
On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my heritage.’
A Song of the New Creation, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 28 (page 579), number 46 (page 598) or number 47 (page 599), may be said
Refrain:
AllI will make a way in the
wilderness,
and rivers in the desert. Alleluia.
1‘I am the Lord, your
Holy One, ♦
the Creator of Israel, your King.’
2Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea, ♦
a path in the mighty waters,
3‘Remember not the former
things, ♦
nor consider the things of old.
4‘Behold, I am doing
a new thing; ♦
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
5‘I will make a way in
the wilderness
and rivers in the desert, ♦
to give drink to my chosen people,
6‘The people whom I formed
for myself, ♦
that they might declare my praise.’
Isaiah 43.15, 16, 18, 19, 20c, 21
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.
AllI will make a way in the
wilderness,
and rivers in the desert. Alleluia.
One or more readings appointed for the day are read.
The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.
Jesus said to the twelve, ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.’
A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord,
Allmy lips shall proclaim
your faithfulness.
The heavens bear witness to your wonders;
AllI will sing for ever
of your love, O Lord.
The assembly of your saints proclaims your truth;
Allmy lips shall proclaim
your faithfulness.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
AllI will sing for ever
of your love, O Lord,
my lips shall proclaim your faithfulness.
from Psalm 89
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said,
or the Te Deum Laudamus (A Song
of the Church) (page 636) may be said
Refrain:
AllYou will guide us with your
counsel, O God,
and afterwards receive us with glory.
1Blessed be the Lord
the God of Israel, ♦
who has come to his people and set them free.
2He has raised up for
us a mighty Saviour, ♦
born of the house of his servant David.
3Through his holy prophets
God promised of old ♦
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all that hate us,
4To show mercy to our
ancestors, ♦
and to remember his holy covenant.
5This was the oath God
swore to our father Abraham: ♦
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6Free to worship him
without fear, ♦
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
7And you, child, shall
be called the prophet of the Most High, ♦
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8To give his people knowledge
of salvation ♦
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9In the tender compassion
of our God ♦
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10To shine on those who
dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, ♦
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Luke 1.68-79
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:
AllYou will guide us with your
counsel, O God,
and afterwards receive us with glory.
Intercessions are offered
¶ for the day and its tasks
¶ for the world and its needs
¶ for the Church and her life
Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 364–365
¶ The saints on earth, that they may live as
citizens of heaven
¶ All people, that they may hear and believe
the word of God
¶ All who fear the winter months
¶ All sovereigns and political leaders, that
they may imitate the righteous rule of Christ
¶ All who grieve or wait with the dying
A form of prayer found on page 384 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
Eternal Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ ascended to the throne of heaven
that he might rule over all things as
Lord and King:
keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit
and in the bond of peace,
and bring the whole created order to worship at his feet;
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
Uniting our prayers with the whole company of heaven,
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)
Uniting our prayers with the whole company of heaven,
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.
May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory.
AllAmen.
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.