The Great Fifty Days
A SERVICE OF EVENING PRAYER
May 26, 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 97
1The LORD is king! Let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
2Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3Fire goes before him,
and consumes his adversaries on every side.
4His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
6The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
and all the peoples behold his glory.
7All worshipers of images are put to shame,
those who make their boast in worthless idols;
all gods bow down before him.
8Zion hears and is glad,
and the towns of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O God.
9For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
10The LORD loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful;
he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
11Light dawns for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
12Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!
Psalm 1
1Blessed are those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2but their delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
4The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
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 17:20-26
20I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. 26I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."
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 Rise, O Sun of Righteousness
ELW 657 (v. 1, 2, 5)
Rise, O Sun of righteousness;
with your might creation bless.
Shine upon your church today,
showing all your gentle way.
Have mercy, Lord.
Rouse our hearts from slumber deep;
may your word within us leap.
Give us voices to proclaim
praises to your holy name.
Have mercy, Lord.
Honor, praise, and glory be
to the holy Trinity!
May your gracious will be done:
make us one, as you are one.
Have mercy, Lord.
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.
Rise, O Sun of Righteousness, Text: Christian David, et al.; tr. Frank W. Stoldt, b. 1958. Text © 2003 Augsburg Fortress. Text reprintedand/or streamed with permission under OneLicense #A-722274. All rights reserved. Music: Bohemian Brethren, Kirchengeseng, 1566. Public domain.
