All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (June 4, 2022)
One or more candles may be lit.
God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5
EVENING HYMN
Open this link in a new tab to hear the Liturgical Folk’s setting of the Phos hilaron, “O Gracious Light.”
O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
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 thy praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Thou art worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
thou art worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We praise and thank you, O God our Father,
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him you have enlightened us
by revealing the light that never fades,
for dark death has been destroyed
and radiant life is everywhere restored.
What was promised is fulfilled:
we have been joined to God,
through renewed life in the Spirit of the risen Lord.
Glory and praise to you, our Father,
through Jesus your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Spirit,
in the kingdom of light eternal,
for ever and ever. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY
Open this link to hear Tom Colvin’s “God Sends Us the Spirit.”
God sends us the Spirit to befriend and help us,
Recreate and guide us,
Spirit-Friend.
Spirit who enlivens, sanctifies, enlightens,
Sets us free, is now our
Spirit-Friend.
Spirit of our Father, Spirit-Friend.
Spirit of our Jesu, Spirit-Friend.
Spirit of God's people, Spirit-Friend.
Darkened roads are clearer, heavy burdens lighter,
When we're walking with our
Spirit-Friend.
Now we need not fear the powers of the darkness,
None can overcome our
Spirit-Friend.
Spirit of our Father, Spirit-Friend.
Spirit of our Jesu, Spirit-Friend.
Spirit of God's people, Spirit-Friend
Now we are God's people, bonded by His presence,
Agents of His purpose,
Spirit-Friend.
Lead us forward ever, slipping backward never,
To your remade world, our
Spirit-Friend.
Spirit of our Father, Spirit-Friend.
Spirit of our Jesu, Spirit-Friend.
Spirit of God's people, Spirit-Friend
SCRIPTURE
Acts: 2: 1-21 The Holy Spirit Comes
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.
They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.
But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.
And I will cause wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below—
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
The sun will become dark,
and the moon will turn blood red
before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.
But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.’
Silence is kept.
May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory
HOMILY
You Shall Receive Power….
Luke’s Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, while they appear separately in modern translations of the Bible, are actually a single narrative. The Acts of the Apostles is a continuation of the narrative that Luke began in his gospel. In the closing passages of his Gospel Luke records the last instruction of the risen Jesus to his disciples before he ascends into heaven:
“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” (Luke 24: 49 NLT)
Today’s reading, Acts 2: 1-21, finds all the believers meeting in one place on the Feast of Pentecost, Shavuot, which was celebrated 50 days after Passover. Originally the Feast of Pentecost was primarily a thanksgiving for the first fruits of the wheat harvest. During the festival an offering of the new wheat was presented to God. In later times, however, it became associated with a remembrance of the Law given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.
Suddenly the gathering heard a sound like the roaring of the wind before a storm, first in the heavens and then in the room in which the believers were gathered. If you live on or near the top of a hill here in Kentucky and you have trees growing close to your house, the wind will roar through the branches of the trees, tossing them about and sending leaves flying, when a thunderstorm approaches. It is a telltale sign that a storm is coming.
Now if you have heard that sound, imagine it in a room with a low ceiling. If you have seen paintings and drawings of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon this gathering, the room in which the believers are gathering is depicted as having a high ceiling and to even cathedral-like in its appearance. In some cases, it resembles the choir of a medieval church.
None of these paintings and drawing accurately depict the kind of room in which the believers were gathered. The sound would have been quite deafening. Those gathered in the room would have been startled.
Something even more surprising happens next. What looks like flames or tongues of fire appear out of nowhere and envelop everyone present. They begin to speak in languages that they did not learn at any time in their lives, talking in unfamiliar words about the wonderful things God had done.
The noise attracts a crowd of Jews who came from other countries but are living in Jerusalem. They are amazed to hear them speaking in so many different languages, languages they themselves understand.
As they grew older, Jews who lived in the Diaspora, the various places that the Jews lived outside of Judaea and Jerusalem, moved to Jerusalem so they could be close to the Temple and be buried in a cemetery at Jerusalem upon their death. There would also have been Jews from the Diaspora who had businesses in Jerusalem.
The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the believers at Jerusalem was a one-time event. Despite what some folks would have you believe, nothing extraordinary like what happened to the believers in Jerusalem usually happens when we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. So how do we know that we have received the gift of God’s indwelling presence?
The believers in Jerusalem were given the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower them to be witnesses to Jesus, to energize them to continue Jesus’ mission in the world. God gives that gift to all believers for the same purpose.
How do we as believers witness to Jesus?
Among the ways that we witness to Jesus is to live our lives according to his teaching and example. We share the good news of Jesus with others. We have spiritual conversations with them and point them to Jesus. If they repent from their sins and turn to Jesus, we disciple them. The Holy Spirit empowers and energizes us to do all those things. Indeed, we could do none of them without the help of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus himself compared the Holy Spirit with the wind. The wind is invisible to human eye. What we do see is scudding clouds, tossing branches, rippling grass, whirling fallen leaves, the effects of the wind. The same is true with the Holy Spirit. We see the effects of the Holy Spirit—a growing devotion to Jesus, transformed lives, those manifestations of the Spirit which the apostle Paul called the gifts of the Spirit, those changes in character that he called the fruit of the Spirit.
If any trees grow near where you live, take a look at one on a breezy day. Notice how the wind moves the branches at the top of the tree and farther down. Then think about your own life. How have you changed? What is the Holy Spirit doing in you?
Silence is kept.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Open this link to hear the Liturgical Folk’s setting of our Lord’s Summary of the Law, “Jesus Creed.”
Jesus said
The first commandment is this:
Hear O Israel
The Lord our God is the only Lord.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.
Amen.
SONG OF PRAISE
Open this link in a new tab to hear the Liturgical Folk’s setting of the Magnificat, “Song of Mary.”
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Gracious God,
whose Spirit helps us in our weakness
and guides us in our prayers,
we pray for the Church and for the world
in the name of Jesus Christ.
Renew the life and faith of the Church; strengthen our witness;
and make us one in Christ . . .
Grant that we and all who confess that Christ is Lord
may be faithful in your service
and filled with the Spirit,
that the world may be turned to you.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Guide the nations
in the ways of justice, liberty and peace;
and help them to seek
the unity and welfare of all people . . .
Give to all in authority
wisdom to know and strength to do what is right.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Comfort those in sorrow;
heal the sick in body or in mind
and deliver the oppressed . . .
Grant us compassion for all who suffer,
and help us so to carry one another’s burdens
that we may fulfil the law of Christ.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Receive our thanks and praise
for all who have served you faithfully here on earth,
and especially those who have revealed to us your grace in Christ . . .
May we and all your people
share the life and joy of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect
Living God,
eternal Holy Spirit,
let your bright intoxicating energy
which fired those first disciples
fall on us
to turn the world again.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen.
RESPONSE
Open this link to hear Damien Lundy’s “The Spirit Lives to Set Us Free.”
1 The Spirit lives to set us free,
walk, walk in the light.
He binds us all in unity,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
2 Jesus promised life to all,
walk, walk in the light.
The dead were wakened by his call,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
3 He died in pain on Calvary,
walk, walk in the light,
to save the lost like you and me,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
4 We know his death was not the end,
walk, walk in the light.
He gave his Spirit to be our friend,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
5 By Jesus’ love our wounds are healed,
walk, walk in the light.
The Father’s kindness is revealed,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
6 The Spirit lives in you and me,
walk, walk in the light.
His light will shine for all to see,
walk, walk in the light
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
THE LORD’S PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
As our Saviour taught his disciples,
we pray:
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.
BLESSING
The Spirit of truth lead us into all truth,
give us grace to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
and to proclaim the word and works of God;
and the blessing of God,
Spirit, Son and Father,
remain with us always. Amen.
The first commandment is this:
Hear O Israel
The Lord our God is the only Lord.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.
Amen.
SONG OF PRAISE
Open this link in a new tab to hear the Liturgical Folk’s setting of the Magnificat, “Song of Mary.”
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Gracious God,
whose Spirit helps us in our weakness
and guides us in our prayers,
we pray for the Church and for the world
in the name of Jesus Christ.
Renew the life and faith of the Church; strengthen our witness;
and make us one in Christ . . .
Grant that we and all who confess that Christ is Lord
may be faithful in your service
and filled with the Spirit,
that the world may be turned to you.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Guide the nations
in the ways of justice, liberty and peace;
and help them to seek
the unity and welfare of all people . . .
Give to all in authority
wisdom to know and strength to do what is right.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Comfort those in sorrow;
heal the sick in body or in mind
and deliver the oppressed . . .
Grant us compassion for all who suffer,
and help us so to carry one another’s burdens
that we may fulfil the law of Christ.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Receive our thanks and praise
for all who have served you faithfully here on earth,
and especially those who have revealed to us your grace in Christ . . .
May we and all your people
share the life and joy of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Collect
Living God,
eternal Holy Spirit,
let your bright intoxicating energy
which fired those first disciples
fall on us
to turn the world again.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen.
RESPONSE
Open this link to hear Damien Lundy’s “The Spirit Lives to Set Us Free.”
1 The Spirit lives to set us free,
walk, walk in the light.
He binds us all in unity,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
2 Jesus promised life to all,
walk, walk in the light.
The dead were wakened by his call,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
3 He died in pain on Calvary,
walk, walk in the light,
to save the lost like you and me,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
4 We know his death was not the end,
walk, walk in the light.
He gave his Spirit to be our friend,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
5 By Jesus’ love our wounds are healed,
walk, walk in the light.
The Father’s kindness is revealed,
walk, walk in the light.
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
6 The Spirit lives in you and me,
walk, walk in the light.
His light will shine for all to see,
walk, walk in the light
Walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light,
walk in the light of the Lord
THE LORD’S PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
As our Saviour taught his disciples,
we pray:
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.
BLESSING
The Spirit of truth lead us into all truth,
give us grace to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
and to proclaim the word and works of God;
and the blessing of God,
Spirit, Son and Father,
remain with us always. Amen.
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