Leader: I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after
night. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I
shall not fall. Psalm 16:7,8
THE CONFESSION OF SIN
Leader: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
All: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in
thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have
left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not
loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly
repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and
forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to
the glory of your Name. Amen.
Leader: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord
Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy
Spirit keep us in eternal life.
All: Amen.
THE INVITATORY AND PSALTER
Leader: O God, make speed to save us.
All: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in
the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.
Please recite together.
O GRACIOUS LIGHT: PHOS HILARON
O gracious light, pure brightness of the ever living 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.
PSALM 37: Part II Novit Dominus
19 The Lord cares for the lives of the godly, *
and their inheritance shall last for ever.
20 They shall not be ashamed in bad times, *
and in days of famine they shall have enough.
21 As for the wicked, they shall perish, *
and the enemies of the Lord, like the glory of
the meadows, shall vanish;
they shall vanish like smoke.
22 The wicked borrow and do not repay, *
but the righteous are generous in giving.
23 Those who are blessed by God shall possess the land, *
but those who are cursed by him shall be destroyed.
24 Our steps are directed by the Lord; *
he strengthens those in whose way he delights.
25 If they stumble, they shall not fall headlong, *
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
26 I have been young and now I am old, *
but never have I seen the righteous forsaken,
or their children begging bread.
27 The righteous are always generous in their lending, *
and their children shall be a blessing.
28 Turn from evil, and do good, *
and dwell in the land for ever.
29 For the Lord loves justice; *
he does not forsake his faithful ones.
30 They shall be kept safe for ever, *
but the offspring of the wicked shall be destroyed.
31 The righteous shall possess the land *
and dwell in it for ever.
32 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, *
and their tongue speaks what is right.
33 The law of their God is in their heart, *
and their footsteps shall not falter.
34 The wicked spy on the righteous *
and seek occasion to kill them.
35 The Lord will not abandon them to their hand, *
nor let them be found guilty when brought to trial.
36 Wait upon the Lord and keep his way; *
he will raise you up to possess the land,
and when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
37 I have seen the wicked in their arrogance, *
flourishing like a tree in full leaf.
38 I went by, and behold, they were not there; *
I searched for them, but they could not be found.
39 Mark those who are honest;
observe the upright; *
for there is a future for the peaceable.
40 Transgressors shall be destroyed, one and all; *
the future of the wicked is cut off.
41 But the deliverance of the righteous comes from the Lord; *
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
42 The Lord will help them and rescue them; *
he will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them,
because they seek refuge in him.
THE FIRST LESSON: A READING FROM THE BOOK OF AMOS 9:1-10
9I saw the LORD standing beside*
the altar, and he said:
Strike the capitals until the thresholds shake,
and shatter them on the heads of all the people;*
and those who are left I will kill with the sword;
not one of them shall flee away,
not one of them shall escape.
2 Though they dig into Sheol,
from there shall my hand take them;
though they climb up to heaven,
from there I will bring them down.
3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,
from there I will search out and take them;
and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea,
there I will command the sea-serpent, and it shall bite them.
4 And though they go into captivity in front of their enemies,
there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them;
and I will fix my eyes on them
for harm and not for good.
5 The Lord, GOD of hosts,
he who touches the earth and it melts,
and all who live in it mourn,
and all of it rises like the Nile,
and sinks again, like the Nile of Egypt;
6 who builds his upper chambers in the heavens,
and founds his vault upon the earth;
who calls for the waters of the sea,
and pours them out upon the surface of the earth—
the LORD is his name.
7 Are you not like the Ethiopians*
to me,
O people of Israel? says the LORD.
Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt,
and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir?
8 The eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom,
and I will destroy it from the face of the earth
—except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,
says the LORD.
9 For lo, I will command,
and shake the house of Israel among all the nations
as one shakes with a sieve,
but no pebble shall fall to the ground.
10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword,
who say, ‘Evil shall not overtake or meet us.’
Leader: The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Please recite together
THE SONG OF SIMEON: NUNC DIMITTIS
Lord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
THE SECOND LESSON: A READING FROM THE BOOK OF Revelation 2:8-17
8 ‘And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the first and
the last, who was dead and came to life:
9 ‘I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you are rich. I know the slander
on the part of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of
Satan. 10Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw
some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have
affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11Let anyone who
has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Whoever conquers will not
be harmed by the second death.
12 ‘And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who
has the sharp two-edged sword:
13 ‘I know where you are living, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you are holding fast to my
name, and you did not deny your faith in me* even in the days of Antipas my witness,
my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan lives. 14But I have a few things
against you: you have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught
Balak to put a stumbling-block before the people of Israel, so that they would eat food
sacrificed to idols and practise fornication. 15So you also have some who hold to the
teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Repent then. If not, I will come to you soon and make war
against them with the sword of my mouth. 17Let anyone who has an ear listen to what
the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give some of the
hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new
name that no one knows except the one who receives it.
Leader: The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
A READING FROM THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 23:13-26
13 ‘But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the
kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you
stop them.* 15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and
land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of
hell* as yourselves.
16 ‘Woe to you, blind guides, who say, “Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by
nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.” 17You
blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold
sacred? 18And you say, “Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever
swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.” 19How blind you are! For
which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20So whoever swears by
the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; 21and whoever swears by the sanctuary,
swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; 22and whoever swears by heaven, swears
by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.
23 ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin,
and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is
these you ought to have practised without neglecting the others. 24You blind guides!
You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
25 ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup
and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26You blind
Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup,* so that the outside also may become clean.
Leader: The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
** REFLECTIONS ON THE READINGS **
Please recite together.
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.
THE PRAYERS
Leader: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Leader: Let us pray.
All: Our 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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and
ever. Amen.
SUFFRAGE A
V. Show us your mercy, O Lord;
R. And grant us your salvation.
V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
R. Let your people sing with joy.
V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
R. For only in you can we live in safety.
V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;
R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
V. Let your way be known upon earth;
R. Your saving health among all nations.
V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;
R. And sustain us by your Holy Spirit.
A PRAYER FOR PROTECTION:
Leader: O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those
who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the
day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night.
Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again
for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ.
All: Amen.
A PRAYER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE:
Leader: Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to
contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may
reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice
in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
All: Amen.
A PRAYER FOR THE HUMAN FAMILY:
All: O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus
your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away
the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls
that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our
struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around
your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Leader: Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night,
and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord
Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the
afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake.
All: Amen.
** Friends, who can we pray for tonight?
Let us offer up our intercessions & thanksgivings **
Prayers for the repose of the souls of all who have died from Covid-19. We pray
for their grieving families, and for all those who may be suffering in mind, body
and spirit Robert Lane, Nancy Larsen, Steven Lemmel, Jonathan Larsen,
Madeleine Marchetti, Brian Orlick, Joan Paravati, Joseph Pignatelli,
Kimberly Phillips, Lynn Phimister, Michael Polito, Kayden Ash Quintana,
Diane Ritching, Robert Ross, Angelina Sacristan, Lindsay Scarangello,
John and Sharon Schrag, Marilyn Shields, Jennifer Sprosty, Christopher
Still, James Sutler, Michael Sutler, Elisse Torchio, Darleene Vesci, Tina
Watson, Rose Wakie-Couchon, and all those
on our prayer list.
• Prayers for all those who may feel alone, hopeless or in despair
• Prayers for all school students, teachers, principals, school staff and parents
during these challenging times.
• Prayers for all who are without a job, source of income or food insecurity
• Prayers for our St. John’s and Canterbury House family
THE GENERAL THANKSGIVING:
All: Almighty God, Father 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 Lord 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 our selves 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.
A PRAYER OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM:
Leader: Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make
our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-
beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you
will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as
may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in
the age to come life everlasting.
All: Amen.
Leader: Let us bless the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Leader: Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can
ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and
in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Ephesians 3:20, 21
All: Amen.
Have a restful night!