The Great Fifty Days
A SERVICE OF EVENING PRAYER
May 19, 2022
Welcome
Prelude
Dialogue
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
We are illumined by the brightness of his rising.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Death has no more dominion over us.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Thanksgiving for Baptism
Holy God, holy and merciful, holy and mighty, you are the river of life, you are the everlasting wellspring, you are the fire of rebirth.
Glory to you for oceans and lakes, for rivers and streams. Honor to you for cloud and rain, for dew and snow. Your waters are below us, around us, above us: our life is born in you. You are the fountain of resurrection.
Praise to you for your saving waters: Noah and the animals survive the flood, Hagar discovers your well. The Israelites escape through the sea, and they drink from your gushing rock. Naaman washes his leprosy away, and the Samaritan woman will never be thirsty again.
At the font, holy God, we pray: Praise to you for the water of baptism and for your Word that saves us in this water. Breathe your Spirit into all who are gathered here and into all creation. Illumine our days. Enliven our bones. Dry our tears. Wash away the sin within us and drown the evil around us.
Satisfy all our thirst with your living water, Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
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 a 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.
Prayer
We are your people, O God – the sheep of your pasture,
the flock you have gathered. Lead us beside still waters;
teach us the way of righteousness; and feed us at your table;
through Jesus Christ, our good shepherd. Amen.
Psalm 67
1May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
Selah
2that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
Selah
5Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
6The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us.
7May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.
Psalm 68
1Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
let those who hate him flee before him.
2As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
let the wicked perish before God.
3But let the righteous be joyful;
let them exult before God;
let them be jubilant with joy.
4Sing to God, sing praises to his name;
lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds —
his name is the LORD —
be exultant before him.
5Father of orphans and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
6God gives the desolate a home to live in;
he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,
but the rebellious live in a parched land.
7O God, when you went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
Selah
8the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain
at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
9Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;
you restored your heritage when it languished;
10your flock found a dwelling in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.
11The LORD gives the command;
great is the company of those who bore the tidings:
12"The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!"
The women at home divide the spoil,
13though they stay among the sheepfolds —
the wings of a dove covered with silver,
its pinions with green gold.
14When the Almighty scattered kings there,
snow fell on Zalmon.
15O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;
O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!
16Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,
at the mount that God desired for his abode,
where the LORD will reside forever?
17With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,
thousands upon thousands,
the LORD came from Sinai into the holy place.
18You ascended the high mount,
leading captives in your train
and receiving gifts from people,
even from those who rebel against the Lord GOD's abiding there.
19Blessed be the LORD,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation.
Selah
20Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the LORD, belongs escape from death.
21But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.
22The LORD said,
"I will bring them back from Bashan,
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,
23so that you may bathe your feet in blood,
so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe."
24Your solemn processions are seen, O God,
the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary —
25the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them girls playing tambourines:
26"Bless God in the great congregation,
the LORD, O you who are of Israel's fountain!"
27There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,
the princes of Judah in a body,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
28Summon your might, O God;
show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings bear gifts to you.
30Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
Trample under foot those who lust after tribute;
scatter the peoples who delight in war.
31Let bronze be brought from Egypt;
let Ethiopia hasten to stretch out its hands to God.
32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
sing praises to the LORD,
Selah
33O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;
listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
34Ascribe power to God,
whose majesty is over Israel;
and whose power is in the skies.
35Awesome is God in his sanctuary,
the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God!
Gloria Patri
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be. Amen.
John 14:23-29
23Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Reflection
Response
Jesus said, “ I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness.”
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 thronesand 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, to remember the promise of mercy, the promise made to our forebears, to Abraham and his children forever.
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
With boldness, let us offer our prayers
to the shepherd of our souls, saying,
God of goodness and mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the church in every place …
Gather us together and make us one,
one in ministry and mission to the world,
so that there will be one flock, one shepherd.
God of goodness and mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the nations of the world …
Anoint all leaders with your wisdom
so that they will use their power
to help the poor and defend the vulnerable.
God of goodness and mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for this community …
Strengthen those who work each day
to heal the sick, welcome the outcasts,
and help sisters and brothers in need.
God of goodness and mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for friends and loved ones …
Comfort all who are suffering;walk with them through dark valleys
and restore them, body, mind, and soul.
God of goodness and mercy, hear our prayer.
Loving God, by the power of your Spirit,
help us to keep your commandments
and to love one another with the love of Jesus,
in whose holy name we pray. Amen.
Luther’s Evening Prayer
We give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have graciously protected today. We ask you to forgive us all our sins, where we have done wrong, and graciously to protect us tonight. Into your hands we commend ourselves: our bodies, our souls, and all that is ours. Let your holy angels be with us, so that the wicked foe may have no power over us. 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
Benediction
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
Postlude
Liturgical Text and Music, from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, © 2006 and 2020 Augsburg Fortress, Reprinted and/or streamed with permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies License #SAS016761. All rights reserved.
