Come join us as we close the day and welcome the evening in this devotional time.
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A SERVICE OF EVENING PRAYER
PRELUDE
When Peace Like a River ELW 785
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul.
Lord, hasten the day when our faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trumpet shall sound and the Lord shall descend
Even so it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul.
Beautiful Savior ELW 838
Beautiful Savior, King of creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I'd love thee, truly I'd serve thee,
Light of my soul, my joy, my crown.
Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be thine!
DIALOGUE
Jesus Christ is the light of the world
The light no darkness can overcome.
Stay with us Lord, for it is evening,
And the day is almost over.
Let your light scatter the darkness
And illumine your church.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Holy and gracious God,
I confess that I have sinned against you this day.
Some of my sin I know – the thoughts and words and deeds of which I am ashamed – but some is known only to you. In the name of Jesus Christ I ask forgiveness. Deliver and restore me, that I may rest in peace.
By the mercy of God we are united with Jesus Christ, in whom we are forgiven. We rest now in the peace of Christ and rise in the morning to serve.
THANKSGIVING FOR LIGHT
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning you called light into being, and you set lights in the sky to govern night and day.
In a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night you led your people into freedom.
Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ; may your Word be a lamp to our feet and light to our path; for you are merciful, and you love your whole creation, and with all your creatures we give you glory, through your Son Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
COLLECT
Let us pray. Grant us O Lord, the lamp of charity which never fails, that it may burn in us and shed its light on those around us, and that by its brightness we may have a vision of that Holy City, where dwells the true and never-failing Light, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
PSALM 4 (together)
1Answer me when I call, O God of my right! You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.
2How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies?
Selah
3But know that the LORD has set apart the faithful for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him.
4Tremble, then, and do not sin; speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.4When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent.
Selah
5Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.
6There are many who say, "O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face shine on us, O LORD!"
7You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound.
8I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety.
Psalm 147 (together)
1Praise the LORD! How good it is to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
2The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
4He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
5Great is our LORD, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
6The LORD lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground.
7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre.
8He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow on the hills.
9He gives to the animals their food, and to the young ravens when they cry.
10His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
11but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
12Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
13For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.
14He grants peace within your borders; he fills you with the finest of wheat.
15He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
16He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.
17He hurls down hail like crumbs — who can stand before his cold?
18He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
19He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
20He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the LORD!
READING AND REFLECTION
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness.
Philippians 3:4b-14
4beven though I, too, have reason for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Word of God. Word of Life.
GOSPEL CANTICLE (together)
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for you, Lord, have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me bless’d:
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me
and holy is your name.
You have mercy on those who fear you,
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the aid of your servant Israel,
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
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,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come 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.
PRAYERS
Let us pray.
For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For this holy house, and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For the health of the creation, for abundant harvests that all may share, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For public servants, the government, and those who protect us; for those who work to bring peace, justice, healing, and protection in this and every place, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For those who travel, for those who are sick and suffering, particularly Alena, Jenna, Louis, Julie, Jean, John, Michael, Philip, JoAnn, Sandy, Beth, Johnny, Betty, Ron, Dione, Maria, Theresa, Margaret, Susan, Don, Tim, Mary, Ann Joyce, Greg, & Shelby, and for those who are in captivity, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For deliverance in the time of affliction, wrath, danger, and need, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
For all servants of the church, for this assembly, and for all people who await from the Lord great and abundant mercy, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
A brief silence for additional petitions.
Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
Giving thanks for all who have gone before us and are at rest, rejoicing in the communion of all the saints, we commend ourselves, one another, and our whole life to you, through Christ our Lord.
To you, O Lord.
O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our 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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
BLESSING
Go in peace
for you cannot go where God is not.
Go in love
for only love endures.
Go with conviction
and God will honor your dedication.
The blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit
be with us and remain with us forever.
Let us go then in peace
Amen
POSTLUDE
I Love to Tell the Story ELW 661
I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story, because I know it's true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else would do.
I love to tell the story; 'twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.
I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
I'll sing the old, old story that I have loved so long.
I love to tell the story; 'twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.
