Leader: O God, come to our aid
All: O Lord, make haste to help us. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen. Alleluia!
Tonight’s hymn, ‘Where there is love’, please join in the refrain if you wish.
(Refrain) Where there is love, there is God. The love of God has gathered us together, alleluia!
Love is patient, love is kind; never jealous, never proud;
Never seeking for oneself, love never leads to anger. (refrain)
Love is gracious & forgiving, taking no delight in wrong,
Love rejoices in the truth; love will endure. (refrain)
Many things will pass away. There are but three things that last:
Faith, hope & love – the greatest of these is love. (refrain)
Please say the first psalm & its antiphon as indicated.
All: The Lord will give victory to his anointed one.
Side I: The Lord answer you in time of distress; the name of the God
of Jacob defend you! May He grant you what is in your heart
and fulfil your every plan.
Side 2: Now I know that God has given victory to his anointed, that
he has answered him from his holy heaven with the strength
of his victorious right hand.
Side 1: Some are strong in chariots; some in horses; but we are strong
in the name of the Lord. O Lord grant victory to the king,
and answer us when we call upon you.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen.
All: The Lord will give victory to his anointed one.
Please sing the 2nd psalm as indicated.
Cantors: We shall sing
And praise your power.
Side 1: 0 Lord, in your strength the king is glad;
In your victory how greatly he rejoices!
Side 2: You have granted him his heart’s desire;
You refused not the wish of his lips.
Side 1: For you welcomed him with godly blessings,
You placed on his head a crown of purest gold.
Side 2: He asked life of you:
You gave him length of days forever & ever.
Side 1: Great is his glory in your victory;
Majesty & splendour you conferred upon him.
Side 2: For you made him a blessing for ever;
You gladdened him with the joy of your presence.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be:
World without end, Amen.
All: We shall sing
And praise your power.
Reading: 1 John 3 1&2
Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; & that is what we are. My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.
Silent reflection.
Leader: You will give me the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.
All: You will give me the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.
Leader: I will find happiness at your right hand for ever.
All: You will give me the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.
Leader: Glory be to the Father & to the Son & to the Holy Spirit.
All: You will give me the fullness of joy in your presence, O Lord.
Please stand to sing the Magnificat & its antiphon.
Cantors: My spirit exults
In the Lord God, my saviour.
Side 1: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.
Side 2: For he has looked with favour on his lowly handmaid,
And from this day all generations will call me blessed.
Side 1: The Almighty has done great things for me:
Holy is his name.
Side 2: He has mercy on those who fear him
In every generation
Side 1: He has shown the strength of his arm;
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.
Side 2: He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
And has lifted up the lowly.
Side 1: He has filled the hungry with good things,
And has sent the rich away empty.
Side 2: He has come to the help of his servant Israel
For he has remembered his promise of mercy.
Side 1: The promise he made to our fathers,
To Abraham, Sarah and their children for ever.
All: Give praise to the Father Almighty,
To his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
To the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,
Both now and for ever, Amen.
All: My spirit exults
In the Lord God, my saviour.
Intercessions:
Reader: That this evening may be holy, good & peaceful ……. pause …… In trust,
All: we pray to you, O Lord.
Reader: That we may use fully the opportunities that will come our way in the next months……. pause …… In trust,
All: we pray to you, O Lord.
Reader: That we will be led to those who have most need of the joy & hope of the resurrection……. pause …… In trust,
All: we pray to you, O Lord.
Reader: That there may be peace in our local areas, in our Church & in the whole world……. pause …… In trust,
All: we pray to you, O Lord.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today & for those who will die tonight. We also remember in prayer those whose anniversaries occur tomorrow, remembering especially:
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any further intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father….
Leader: We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty, for bringing us safely to the evening of this day; we humbly ask that the prayer we make with uplifted hands may be an offering pleasing in your sight. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.
All: Amen. As we leave this place to take up again our ordinary
lives of prayer and service in Community, let us ask the
Lord Jesus Christ, his Father & his Spirit to be near us to
defend us, within us to refresh us, around us to protect us,
before us to guide & challenge us, behind us to encourage us
& above us to bless us. Amen.
We conclude by listening to David Hass’s hymn ‘At Evening’.
Now it is evening, lights of the city bid us remember, Christ is our Light.
Many are lonely, who will be neighbour? Where there is caring,
Christ is our Light.
Now it is evening, little ones sleeping bid us remember
Christ is our Peace.
Some are neglected, who will be neighbour? Where there is caring,
Christ is our Peace.
Now it is evening, food on the table bids us remember
Christ is our Life.
Many are hungry, who will be neighbour? Where there is sharing,
Christ is our Life.
Now it is evening, here in our meeting may we remember,
Christ is our Friend.
Some may be strangers, who will be neighbour?
Where’s there’s a welcome
Christ is our Friend.