Evening Prayer in the Anglican Tradition

Compiled From the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer – Rite II, Episcopal Enriching Our Worship I, and the New Zealand Anglican Prayer Book.

(All stand, as they are able, when the officiant stands)

Opening Sentences

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

Seek the one who made the Pleiades and Orion,
and turns deep darkness into the morning,
and darkens the day into night;
Who summons the waters of the sea,
and pours them out on the surface of the earth
this one’s name is the Lord.
(Amos 5:8)

Confession

L: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

(All sit, as they are able; silence is kept)

L: God of all mercy,
P: we confess that we have sinned against you,
opposing your will in our lives.
We have denied your goodness in each other,
in ourselves, and in the world you have created.
We repent of the evil that enslaves us,
the evil we have done
and the evil done on our behalf.
Forgive, restore, and strengthen us
through our Savior Jesus Christ,
that we may abide in your love
and serve only your will. Amen.

Absolution

+ Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

The Invitatory and Psalter

(Candles are lit, all stand as they are able)

Versicle

O God, be not far from us.
Come quickly to help us, O God.

Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

The Phos Hilaron

L: O gracious Light,
P: pure brightness of the ever-living Creator 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, holy, holy, holy.

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Psalm 119:81-96 (CEB)

81 My whole being yearns for your saving help!
I wait for your promise.
82 My eyes are worn out looking for your word.
“When will you comfort me?” I ask,
83 because I’ve become like a bottle dried up by smoke,
though I haven’t forgotten your statutes.
84 How much more time does your servant have?
When will you bring my oppressors to justice?
85 The arrogant have dug pits for me—
those people who act against your Instruction.
86 All your commandments are true,
but people harass me for no reason.
Help me!
87 They’ve almost wiped me off the face of the earth!
Meanwhile, I haven’t abandoned your precepts!
88 Make me live again according to your faithful love
so I can keep the law you’ve given!

89 Your word, Lord,
stands firm in heaven forever!
90 Your faithfulness extends from one generation to the next!
You set the earth firmly in place, and it is still there.
91 Your rules endure to this day
because everything serves you.
92 If your Instruction hadn’t been my delight,
I would have died because of my suffering.
93 I will never forget your precepts
because through them you gave me life again.
94 I’m yours—save me
because I’ve pursued your precepts!
95 The wicked wait for me,
wanting to kill me, but I’m studying your laws.
96 I’ve seen that everything,
no matter how perfect, has a limit,
but your commandment is boundless.

P: Praise to the holy and undivided Trinity, one God:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

(All may be seated, except the reader)

The Lessons

Job 42:1-17 (MSG)

One: Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people
All: Thanks be to God

(Silence is kept)
(All stand, as they are able, when the officiant stands)

Canticle Q – Song of Christ’s Goodness (Anselm of Canterbury)

L: Jesus as a mother you gather your people to you;
P: you are gentle with us as a mother with her children
Often you weep over our sins and our pride,
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds,
in sickness you nurse us and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying, we are born to new life;
by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness;
through your gentleness, we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead,
your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy, heal us;
in your love and tenderness, remake us.
In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness,
for the beauty of heaven, may your love prepare us.

(All may be seated)

Matthew 4:18-25 (CEB)

One: Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people
All: Thanks be to God

(Silence is kept)
(All stand, as they are able, when the officiant stands)

Canticle S – A song of Our True Nature (Julian of Norwich)

L: Christ revealed our frailty and our falling,
P: our trespasses and our humiliations.
Christ also revealed his blessed power,
his blessed wisdom and love.
Christ protects us as tenderly and as sweetly when we are in greatest need;
he raises us in spirit and turns everything to glory and joy without ending.
God is the ground and the substance, the very essence of nature;
God is the true father and mother of natures.
We are all bound to God by nature,
and we are all bound to God by grace.
And this grace is for all the world,
because it is our precious mother, Christ.
For this fair nature was prepared by Christ for the honor and nobility of all,
and for the joy and bliss of salvation.

Devotional Thought on the Scriptures

The Reverend Asa David Coulson,
Associate Rector at Grace Episcopal Church, Madison

(All Stand, as they are able)

A New Creed – The United Church of Canada

We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

The Prayers

L: Hear our Cry, O God.
P: And listen to our prayer
L: Let us pray

Sung Prayer of Jesus

Our God in heaven
Holy is your name
Your reign come
Your will done
On earth as in heaven

Give us today our daily bread
And help us forgive as we have been forgiven
In the time of trial
Lead us into life
For yours is the kindom and the power and the glory
For ever!

Our God in heaven
Holy is your name, holy is your name.

(All may be seated, as they are able)

Suffrages – Form B

That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may depart this life in your faith and fear,and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.
That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of Mary, Matthew, Anselm, Julian, and all your saints,entrusting one another and all our life to Christ,
We entreat you, O Lord.

Collects

Lord,
it is night.
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.
It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.
The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives
rest in you.
The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us,
and all who have no peace.
The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day,
new joys,
new possibilities.
In your name we pray.
Amen.

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night,
and give your angles charge over those who sleep.
Tend the sick, Lord Christ;
give rest to the weary, bless the dying, sooth the suffering,
pity the afflicted, shield the joyous;
and all for your love’s sake
Amen

General Thanksgiving

Almighty God,
maker of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Savior Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up ourselves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

(All stand, as they are able)

L: Let us bless the Lord
P: Thanks be to God

(Candles are extinguished)

Closing Sentences

+ Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus forever and ever.
Amen.