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 everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus
Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes
behld 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 EZRA 1:1-11
1In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a herald throughout all his kingdom, and also in a written edict declared:
2 ‘Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. 3Any of those among you who are of his people—may their God be with them!—are now permitted to go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem; 4and let all survivors, in whatever place they reside, be assisted by the people of their place with silver and gold, with goods and with animals, besides freewill-offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.’
5 The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—got ready to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. 6All their neighbours aided them with silver vessels, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with valuable gifts, besides all that was freely offered. 7King Cyrus himself brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8King Cyrus of Persia had them released into the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9And this was the inventory: gold basins, thirty; silver basins, one thousand; knives,* twenty-nine; 10gold bowls, thirty; other silver bowls, four hundred and ten; other vessels, one thousand; 11the total of the gold and silver vessels was five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar brought up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
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 1 CORINTHIANS 16:1-9
16 Now concerning the collection for the saints: you should follow the directions I gave to the churches of Galatia. 2On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come. 3And when I arrive, I will send any whom you approve with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem. 4If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.
5 I will visit you after passing through Macedonia—for I intend to pass through Macedonia— 6and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way, wherever I go. 7I do not want to see you now just in passing, for I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. A READING FROM
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 12:15-21
15 When Jesus became aware of this, he departed. Many crowds* followed him, and he cured all of them, 16and he ordered them not to make him known. 17This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 ‘Here is my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not wrangle or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. 20 He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smouldering wick until he brings justice to victory. 21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.’
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 Nancy Larsen, Jonathan Larsen, Madeleine Marchetti, Brian Orlick, Joan Paravati, Joseph Pignatelli, Kimberly Phillips, Lynn Phimister, Michael Polito, Diane Ritching, Robert Ross, Angelina Sacristan, Lindsay Scarangello, Marilyn Shields, Jennifer Sprosty, Christopher Still, James Sutler, Elisse Torchio, Darleene Vesci, 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!