All Hallows Evening Prayer for Saturday Evening (August 27, 2022)

 

PROCLAMATION OF THE LIGHT

One or more candles may be lit.

Let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips that confess his name. Hebrews 13:15

EVENING HYMN

Open this link in a new tab to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s evening hymn, “O Light Whose Splendor Thrills and Gladdens.”

O Light whose splendor thrills and gladdens
with radiance brighter than the sun,
pure gleam of God's unending glory,
O Jesus, blest Anointed One;

as twilight hovers near at sunset,
and lamps are lit, and children nod,
in evening hymns we lift our voices
to Father, Spirit, Son: one God.

In all life's brilliant, timeless moments,
let faithful voices sing your praise,
O Son of God, our Life-bestower,
whose glory lightens endless days.

PRAYER OF 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.

HYMN OF THE DAY

Open this link in a new tab to hear Brian Hoare’s “Born in Song!”

1 Born in song!
God's people have always been singing.
Born in song!
Hearts and voices raised.
So today we worship together;
God alone is worthy to be praised.

2 Praise to God!
For he is the one who has made us.
Praise to God!
We his image bear.
Heaven and earth are full of his glory;
let creation praise him everywhere.

3 Christ is King!
He left all the glory of heaven.
Christ is King!
Born to share in our pain;
crucified, for sinners atoning,
risen, exalted, soon to come again.

4 Sing the song!
God's Spirit is poured out among us.
Sing the song!
He has made us anew.
Every member part of the Body;
given his power, his will to seek and do.

5 Tell the world!
All power to Jesus is given.
Tell the world!
He is with us always.
Spread the word, that all may receive him;
every tongue confess and sing his praise.

6 Then the end!
Christ Jesus shall reign in his glory.
Then the end
of all earthly days.
Yet above the song will continue;
all his people still shall sing his praise.

SCRIPTURE

Hebrews 13:1–8, 15–16 Closing Words

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”

So we can say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”

Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

Silence

May your word live in us
and bear much fruit to your glory

HOMILY

Sacrifices That Please God

Today’s reading, Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16 is taken from the letter’s conclusion. Based on the numerous references to the practices of the Jewish religion in the letter those to whom the letter was written were most likely a group of Jewish Christians. In the passage the author of Hebrews gives them several instructions. These instructions are fairly self-explanatory. He ends the passage with a reminder and an exhortation.

He reminds those to whom he is writing that Jesus is unchanging and changeless so they should not let themselves be mislead by “strange new ideas” such as rules about food, which have nothing to do with the grace God has shown them. He further reminds them that Jesus has made them holy by his own blood through his suffering and death on the cross. He also reminds them that this world is only their temporary home. They are looking forward to a home yet to come. They should not be concerned about the embarrassment and loss of respect that Jesus’ crucifixion has caused them as his followers but rather they should embrace it.

The author of Hebrews goes on to exhorts those to whom he is writing with these words, “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.” He has made it quite plain earlier in the letter that Jesus’ offering of himself once for all time on the cross has made unnecessary the need to keep offering animal sacrifices to show God that they are sorry for the bad things that they have done. Jesus’ self-offering has put things right with God permanently. The only offerings that they now need to make to God is to offer him their thanks and praise through the only mediator that they need—Jesus himself, and to proclaim their allegiance to his name. As used in this passage, God’s name refers to his whole character, not the names and titles for God used in the Holy Scriptures. They are to show their loyalty and support for everything that God is. Along with doing good and helping the needy, they are the offerings that please God.

These offering are the same offerings with which we can please God too. We offer thanks and praise to God and proclaim our loyalty and support to him, not just in our services of public worship but in our daily lives, by the way that we live, honoring God and respect him in everything that we say and do; emulating his kindness, forgiveness, and goodness; taking to heart the teaching and example of Jesus and patterning our lives upon them.. We seek to do as much good as can to whoever we can while we can. We are not begrudging or ungenerous in the help we give to the poor, the needy, and the disadvantaged. We encourage others to do likewise.

The good things that we do, however, cannot put us right with God no matter how great an effort we make. Only “when they spring out of a true and lively faith” are they "acceptable and pleasing to God in Christ” as we are reminded by Article X of the Methodist Articles of Religion, John Wesley’s abridgement and adaptation of the Church of England’s Articles of Religion for Methodists in North America. Just as the fruit that it produces is evidence of what kind of tree, a tree is, so are the good things that we do evidence of the kind of faith that we have. We are put right with God only by the merits of Jesus, by faith, and not for the good things that we do or for any good qualities that we might have. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus.

Among the fruits of faith, “acceptable and pleasant to God,” is fulfilling the Great Commission that Jesus gave to his disciples and to us to make disciples of all people groups, people different from us as well as people like ourselves. As important as feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the prisoner are, we cannot in ministering to these needs, neglect their souls. We cannot truly say that we love others if we address their physical needs while paying no attention to their emotional, relational, directional, and spiritual needs any more than we can if we do the opposite. We must minister to the whole person as did Jesus himself.

Silence

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

Let us affirm our faith in the words of the Apostles Creed.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His 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 into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall 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 life everlasting. Amen.

SONG OF PRAISE

Open this link in a new tab to hear David Haas’ adaptation of the Magnificat, “Holy Is His Name.”

My soul is filled with joy
as I sing to God my savior;
you have looked upon your servant,
you have visited your people.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

I am lowly as a child,
but I know from this day forward
that my name will be remembered,
for all will call me blessed.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

I proclaim the pow’r of God,
you do marvels for your servants;
though you scatter the proud hearted
and destroy the might of princes.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

To the hungry you give food,
Send the rich away empty;
In your mercy you are mindful
of the people you have chosen.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

In your love you now fulfill
what you promised to your people
I will praise you, Lord my savior
everlasting is your mercy.

And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

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

Almighty God,
every good thing comes from you.
Fill our hearts with love for you,
increase our faith,
and by your watchful care
keep safe the kindness and good
you have nourished in us.
This we ask in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ,.
our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

RESPONSE

Open this link in a new tab Fernado Ortaga’s setting of the Trisagion, “Holy God.”

Holy God,
holy and mighty,
holy immortal one
have mercy
have mercy on us.

Holy God,
holy and mighty,
holy immortal one
have mercy
have mercy on us.

Holy God,
holy and mighty,
holy immortal one
have mercy
have mercy
have mercy

have mercy
have mercy on us.

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 blessing of God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
remain with us always. Amen.