All Hallows Evening Prayer for Sunday Evening (August 1, 2021)
Evening Prayer
The Service of LightJesus Christ is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can extinguish.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael John Trotta’s choral arrangement of “O Gracious Light.”
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 behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises, O God:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times
to be praised,
You are worthy at all times
to be praise,
You are worthy at all times,
worthy to be praised,
praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, Giver of light,
you are worthy to be glorified
through all the worlds.
O gracious Light,
O gracious Light,
pure brightness
of the everliving Father in heaven.
O Jesus, Christ, holy and blessed!
O gracious Light, gracious Light,
pure brightness
of the everliving Father in heaven.
Jesus, Christ, holy and blessed!
Holy and blessed!
Holy and blessed!
Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
our light and our salvation,
eternal creator of day and night,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
Now, as darkness is falling,
hear the prayer of your faithful people.
As we look for your coming in glory,
wash away our transgressions,
cleanse us by your refining fire
and make us temples of your Holy Spirit.
By the light of Christ,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
and make us ready to enter your kingdom,
where songs of praise for ever sound.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever. Amen.
Psalm 141 is sung and incense may be burned.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Peter Inwood’s responsorial setting of Psalm 141, “O Lord, Let My Prayer Rise Before You Like Incense.”
O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.
1 Lord, I am calling:
hasten to help me.
Listen to me as I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.
O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.
2 Lord, set a guard at my mouth,
keep watch at the gate of my lips.
Let my heart not turn to things that are wrong,
to sharing the evil deeds done by the sinful.
No, I will never taste their delights.
O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.
3 The good may reprove me,
in kindness chastise me,
but the wicked shall never anoint my head.
Ev’ry day I counter their malice with prayer.
O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.
4 To you, Lord, my God, my eyes are turned:
in you I take refuge;
do not forsake me.
Keep me from the traps they have set for me,
from the snares of those who do evil.
O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.
5 Praise to the Father, praise to the Son,
all praise to the life-giving Spirit.
As it was, is now and shall always be
for ages unending. Amen.
O Lord, let my prayer rise before you as incense,
my hands like an evening offering.
Silence is kept.
Let the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your loving kindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify you forever and ever. Amen.
The Psalms
Open this link in a new tab to hear David Ashley White’s choral arrangement of Carl P. Daw Jr’s paraphrase of Psalm 23, “The Lord My Shepherd Guards Me Well.”
The Lord my Shepherd guards me well,
and all my wants are fed:
amid green pastures made to lie,
beside still waters led.
My careworn soul
grows strong and whole
when God's true path I tread.
Though I should walk in darkest ways
through valleys like the grave,
no evil shall I ever fear;
your presence makes me brave.
On my behalf
your rod and staff
assure me you will save.
For me a table has been spread
where all my foes can see;
you bathe my head with fragrant oil
to soothe and honor me.
My heart and cup
are both filled up
with joyful ecstasy.
Your steadfast love will follow me
to shield me all my days
and bring me to your holy house,
redeemed from error's ways,
my whole life long
to join the song
of those who sing God's praise.
Silence is kept.
O God, our sovereign and shepherd,
who brought again your Son Jesus Christ
from the valley of death,
comfort us with your protecting presence
and your angels of goodness and love,
that we also may come home
and dwell with him in your house for ever. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear David Lasky’s choral arrangement of
Henry Alford’s hymn, “We Walk by Faith, and Not by Sight.”
1 We walk by faith, and not by sight;
no gracious words we hear
from one who spoke as none e’er spoke,
but we believe him near.
2 We may not touch his hands and side,
nor follow where he trod,
yet in his promise we rejoice,
and cry, “My Lord and God!”
3 Help then, O Lord, our unbelief,
and may our faith abound
to call on you when you are near,
and seek where you are found:
4 that when our life of faith is done,
in realms of clearer light
we may behold you as you are
in full and endless sight.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Reading
John 6: 22-35 The Bread from Heaven
The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there. They also saw that Jesus had not got into the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Then some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Silence is kept.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory
The Homily
“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” Doesn’t sound too difficult, does it? Just believe in Jesus.
What then does it mean to believe in Jesus?
First, believing in Jesus means believing that he existed. He was not a mythical character as some who do not believe in Jesus contend today. He was real.
Believing in Jesus means believing that God exists. God is not a figment of our imagination, a creation of our own minds, an invisible friend who embodies an idealized father figure and provides guidance, comfort, and protection. God is real. God is not just a supreme being but is the supreme being. God created us, quickened us to life, and sustains us. It is essentially accepting what is Jesus’ view of God.
Believing in Jesus means believing that Jesus was whom he said that he was—the Son of God. It means believing that he was indeed sent by God. He was God’s apostle, his messenger who bore witness to God’s love for us. It means believing what Jesus preached, taught, and practiced came from God. His words were not his alone but God’s. His deeds were an expression of God’s love for us.
Believing in Jesus means believing that he suffered and died on the cross for our sake. His suffering and death had a purpose. Its purpose was to make things right between God and ourselves.
Believing in Jesus means believing that he rose from the dead. His body was not eaten by dogs. His disciples did not carry it off and secretly bury it somewhere else other than the tomb in which he was laid after he taken down from the cross. It means believing that Mary Magdalene did encounter him in the garden, that the other disciples also saw him, and that after spending time with them, he ascended into heaven.
Believing in Jesus means believing that he is Lord. It means believing that all authority and power has been given to him. He is not someone whose teaching and example we can follow selectively, picking and choosing what we are going to believe and to do. What he taught and practice is binding upon us all regardless of whether we believe in him. Jesus is not one lord among many. He is the one and only Lord who commands our obedience!!
Believing in Jesus means that we believe that he will come again in glory one day to judge the living and the dead. The first time Jesus came as our saviour. The second time Jesus will come as our judge.
Believing in Jesus goes beyond believing in him intellectually, assenting to the foregoing beliefs. Believing in Jesus means believing with our heart as well as our mind.
The Work of God
“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” Doesn’t sound too difficult, does it? Just believe in Jesus.
What then does it mean to believe in Jesus?
First, believing in Jesus means believing that he existed. He was not a mythical character as some who do not believe in Jesus contend today. He was real.
Believing in Jesus means believing that God exists. God is not a figment of our imagination, a creation of our own minds, an invisible friend who embodies an idealized father figure and provides guidance, comfort, and protection. God is real. God is not just a supreme being but is the supreme being. God created us, quickened us to life, and sustains us. It is essentially accepting what is Jesus’ view of God.
Believing in Jesus means believing that Jesus was whom he said that he was—the Son of God. It means believing that he was indeed sent by God. He was God’s apostle, his messenger who bore witness to God’s love for us. It means believing what Jesus preached, taught, and practiced came from God. His words were not his alone but God’s. His deeds were an expression of God’s love for us.
Believing in Jesus means believing that he suffered and died on the cross for our sake. His suffering and death had a purpose. Its purpose was to make things right between God and ourselves.
Believing in Jesus means believing that he rose from the dead. His body was not eaten by dogs. His disciples did not carry it off and secretly bury it somewhere else other than the tomb in which he was laid after he taken down from the cross. It means believing that Mary Magdalene did encounter him in the garden, that the other disciples also saw him, and that after spending time with them, he ascended into heaven.
Believing in Jesus means believing that he is Lord. It means believing that all authority and power has been given to him. He is not someone whose teaching and example we can follow selectively, picking and choosing what we are going to believe and to do. What he taught and practice is binding upon us all regardless of whether we believe in him. Jesus is not one lord among many. He is the one and only Lord who commands our obedience!!
Believing in Jesus means that we believe that he will come again in glory one day to judge the living and the dead. The first time Jesus came as our saviour. The second time Jesus will come as our judge.
Believing in Jesus goes beyond believing in him intellectually, assenting to the foregoing beliefs. Believing in Jesus means believing with our heart as well as our mind.
Believing in Jesus means acting on what we believe. We must live what we believe. We must make twhat we beliebe a part of ourselves. What we believe must not shape only our mindset but also our way of life.
As Jesus himself put it, we must chew him up, swallow him down, and absorb him completely. Our thoughts must reflect his thoughts. Our desires, his desires. Our words, his words, Our deeds, his deeds. This is the work of God—believing in the One whom God sent! Believing in Jesus!
Do you think that we can do that all on our own? Our God, however, is a gracious God. He enables us to believe in Jesus--to believe in Jesus with both our heart and our mind! By his grace God enables us to do the work of God!
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
Open this link in a new tab to hear Dan Schutte’s adaptation of the Nunc Dimittis, “Let Me Go Now in Peace.”
1 Hear the prayer of your servant; let me go now in peace
To the home you have promised where our joys never cease.
I have seen with my eyes what the prophets have foretold.
I have held in my arms God, my Savior
2 I have walked in your temple in the soft morning light
And have knelt in your presence in the still of the night
I have seen with my eyes what the prophets have foretold
I have held in my arms God, my Savior
3 I have worn smooth your pathways that I've loved from the start
As you've carved loving furrows in the stone of my heart
I have seen with my eyes what the prophets have foretold
I have held in my arms God, my Savior
Intercessions
Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For peace from on high and our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the welfare of all churches and for the unity of the human family, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For (name), our bishop, and (name), our pastor, and for all ministers of the Gospel, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For our nation, its government, and for all who serve and protect us, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For this city (town, university, monastery…). For every city and community, and for all those living in them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the good earth which God has given us and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the safety of travelers, the recovery of the sick, the care of the destitute and the release of prisoners, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For an angel of peace to guide and protect us, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For a peaceful evening and a night free from sin, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For a Christian end to our lives and for all who have fallen asleep in Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
In the communion of the Holy Spirit (and of all the saints), let us commend ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ our Lord.
To you, O Lord.
Free Prayer
In silent or spontaneous prayer all bring before God the concerns of the day.
The Collect
Living God,
whose Son Jesus fed the hungry
with the bread of his life
and the word of his Kingdom:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us with your true and living bread,
Jesus Christ our Lord;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
And now, as our Saviour has taught us,
we are bold to say,
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,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Dismissal
Open this link in a new tab to hear John Newton’s hymn, “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.”
1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
in a believer's ear!
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds,
and drives away our fear.
2 It makes the wounded spirit whole,
and calms the troubled breast;
'tis manna to the hungry soul,
and to the weary, rest.
3 Dear name! the rock on which I build,
my shield and hiding-place,
my never-failing treas'ry filled
with boundless stores of grace.
4 Jesus! my shepherd, brother, friend,
my prophet, priest, and king,
my Lord, my life, my way, my end,
accept the praise I bring.
5 Weak is the effort of my heart,
and cold my warmest thought;
but when I see thee as thou art,
I'll praise thee as I ought.
6 Till then I would thy love proclaim
with ev'ry fleeting breath;
and may the music of thy name
refresh my soul in death.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Let us praise the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Walker’s choral benediction, “May God Bless and Keep You.”
May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.
May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.
[Instrumental interlude]
May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.
May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.
As Jesus himself put it, we must chew him up, swallow him down, and absorb him completely. Our thoughts must reflect his thoughts. Our desires, his desires. Our words, his words, Our deeds, his deeds. This is the work of God—believing in the One whom God sent! Believing in Jesus!
Do you think that we can do that all on our own? Our God, however, is a gracious God. He enables us to believe in Jesus--to believe in Jesus with both our heart and our mind! By his grace God enables us to do the work of God!
Silence is kept.
The Gospel Canticle
Open this link in a new tab to hear Dan Schutte’s adaptation of the Nunc Dimittis, “Let Me Go Now in Peace.”
1 Hear the prayer of your servant; let me go now in peace
To the home you have promised where our joys never cease.
I have seen with my eyes what the prophets have foretold.
I have held in my arms God, my Savior
2 I have walked in your temple in the soft morning light
And have knelt in your presence in the still of the night
I have seen with my eyes what the prophets have foretold
I have held in my arms God, my Savior
3 I have worn smooth your pathways that I've loved from the start
As you've carved loving furrows in the stone of my heart
I have seen with my eyes what the prophets have foretold
I have held in my arms God, my Savior
Intercessions
Let us complete our evening prayer to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For peace from on high and our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the welfare of all churches and for the unity of the human family, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For (name), our bishop, and (name), our pastor, and for all ministers of the Gospel, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For our nation, its government, and for all who serve and protect us, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For this city (town, university, monastery…). For every city and community, and for all those living in them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the good earth which God has given us and for the wisdom and will to conserve it, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For the safety of travelers, the recovery of the sick, the care of the destitute and the release of prisoners, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For an angel of peace to guide and protect us, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For a peaceful evening and a night free from sin, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
For a Christian end to our lives and for all who have fallen asleep in Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord have mercy.
In the communion of the Holy Spirit (and of all the saints), let us commend ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ our Lord.
To you, O Lord.
Free Prayer
In silent or spontaneous prayer all bring before God the concerns of the day.
The Collect
Living God,
whose Son Jesus fed the hungry
with the bread of his life
and the word of his Kingdom:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us with your true and living bread,
Jesus Christ our Lord;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
And now, as our Saviour has taught us,
we are bold to say,
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,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Dismissal
Open this link in a new tab to hear John Newton’s hymn, “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.”
1 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
in a believer's ear!
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds,
and drives away our fear.
2 It makes the wounded spirit whole,
and calms the troubled breast;
'tis manna to the hungry soul,
and to the weary, rest.
3 Dear name! the rock on which I build,
my shield and hiding-place,
my never-failing treas'ry filled
with boundless stores of grace.
4 Jesus! my shepherd, brother, friend,
my prophet, priest, and king,
my Lord, my life, my way, my end,
accept the praise I bring.
5 Weak is the effort of my heart,
and cold my warmest thought;
but when I see thee as thou art,
I'll praise thee as I ought.
6 Till then I would thy love proclaim
with ev'ry fleeting breath;
and may the music of thy name
refresh my soul in death.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
Let us praise the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Walker’s choral benediction, “May God Bless and Keep You.”
May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.
May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.
[Instrumental interlude]
May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.
May God bless and keep you.
May God's face shine on you.
May God be kind to you
and give you peace.
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