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 74 Ut quid, Deus?
1 O God, why have you utterly cast us off? why is your wrath so hot against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation that you purchased long ago, the tribe you redeemed to be your inheritance, and Mount Zion where you dwell.
3 Turn your steps toward the endless ruins; the enemy has laid waste everything in your sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries roared in your holy place; they set up their banners as tokens of victory.
5 They were like men coming up with axes to a grove of trees; they broke down all your carved work with hatchets and hammers.
6 They set fire to your holy place; they defiled the dwelling-place of your Name and razed it to the ground.
7 They said to themselves, "Let us destroy them altogether." * They burned down all the meeting-places of God in the land.
8 There are no signs for us to see; there is no prophet left; there is not one among us who knows how long.
9 How long, O God, will the adversary scoff? will the enemy blaspheme your Name for ever?
10 Why do you draw back your hand? why is your right hand hidden in your bosom?
11 Yet God is my King from ancient times, victorious in the midst of the earth.
12 You divided the sea by your might and shattered the heads of the dragons upon the waters;
13 You crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave him to the people of the desert for food. 14 You split open spring and torrent; you dried up ever-flowing rivers.
15 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you established the moon and the sun.
16 You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.
17 Remember, O Lord, how the enemy scoffed, how a foolish people despised your Name. 18 Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; never forget the lives of your poor. 19 Look upon your covenant; the dark places of the earth are haunts of violence.
20 Let not the oppressed turn away ashamed; let the poor and needy praise your Name.
21 Arise, O God, maintain your cause; remember how fools revile you all day long.
22 Forget not the clamor of your adversaries, * the unending tumult of those who rise up against you.
THE FIRST LESSON: A READING FROM THE BOOK OF Genesis 23:1-20
23Sarah lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years; this was the length of Sarah’s life. 2And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3Abraham rose up from beside his dead, and said to the Hittites, 4‘I am a stranger and an alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying-place, so that I may bury my dead out of
my sight.’ 5The Hittites answered Abraham, 6‘Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead.’ 7Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8He said to them, ‘If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar, 9so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying-place.’ 10Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, 11‘No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.’ 12Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. 13He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, ‘If you only will listen to me! I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there.’ 14Ephron answered Abraham, 15‘My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.’ 16Abraham agreed with Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.
17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, passed 18to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, in the presence of all who went in at the gate of his city. 19After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham’s possession as a burying-place.
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 Hebrews 11:32-12:2
32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. 36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two,* they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— 38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40since God had provided something better so that they would not, without us, be made perfect.
12Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,* and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of* the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
A READING FROM THE GOSPEL OF John 6:60-71
60 When many of his disciples heard it, they said, ‘This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?’ 61But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, ‘Does this offend you? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But among you there are some who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. 65And he said, ‘For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.’
66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ 68Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’* 70Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.’ 71He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot,* for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
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 Dr. John Abraham, Generosa Aceveda, Jim Adams, Bernard Anderson, Cathy Aviolla, Harold Carrington, Lauren Carrington, Matthew Cassone, Gweneth Chase, Trevor Chase, Juli Collazo, Ondeene Collymore, Carole Cramer, George Cramer, Paul DeFelice, Michael DeLuca, Jr., Francine Densieski, Rosemarie Dundon, Arthur Elwell, Anthony Esposito, Dillon Gonzalez, Henrietta Gowac, Dice Grigg, Christopher Guarente, Dan Italiano, Teresa Jankowska, Pauline Johnson, Chris Kilpert, David Kline, Robert Lane, 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!