All Hallows Evening Worship for Wednesday (December 14, 2022)

THE PREPARATION

The leader may greet the other participants.

THE LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH

Jesus said, ‘No one more important than
John the Baptist has ever been born;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he.’
Amen. Come soon, Lord Jesus!

The third candle is lit and this response is used

Jesus is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can ever put out.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Mark Earey’s “Advent Candles Tell Their Story.”

Advent candles tell their story
as we watch and pray,
longing for the Day of Glory,
‘Come, Lord, soon,’ we say.
Pain and sorrow, tears and sadness,
changed for gladness
on that Day.

Prophet voices loudly crying,
making pathways clear;
glimpsing glory, self-denying,
calling all to hear.
Through their message - challenged, shaken –
hearts awaken: God is near!

John the Baptist, by his preaching
and by water poured,
brought to those who heard his teaching
news of hope restored:
‘Keep your vision strong and steady,
and be ready
for the Lord.’

Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise.
Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom,
thanksgiving and honor, power and might,
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Zachary Hicks’ adaptation of F. Bland Tucker’s translation of the Phos Hilaron, “O Gracious Light.”

1 O Gracious Light, Lord Jesus Christ,
In you the Father’s glory shone.
Immortal, holy, blest is he,
And blest are you, his holy Son.

2 Now sunset comes, but light shines forth,
the lamps are lit to pierce the night.
Praise Father, Son, and Spirit: God
Who dwells in the eternal light.

Light of the world, shine on our darkness,
Holy and blest are you.

3 Worthy are you of endless praise,
O Son of God, Life-giving Lord;
Wherefore you are through all the earth
And in the highest heaven adored.

Light of the world, shine on our darkness,
Holy and blest are you.
Light of the world, shine on our darkness,
Holy and blest are you.
Light of the world, shine on our darkness,
Holy and blest are you.

Hear these words of scripture.

Love one another,
for love is of God,
and whoever loves is born of God and knows God.
Spirit of God, search our hearts.

Let us bow our heads and, in silence,
remember our need for God’s forgiveness.

Silence

Let us confess our sins to God.

Almighty and merciful God,
we have sinned against you,
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with all our heart.
We have not loved others
as our Savior Christ loves us.
We are truly sorry.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways,
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Almighty God, you pardon all who truly repent,
forgive us sins, strengthen us by the Holy Spirit,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

Open this link in a new tab to hear Andrea Sandefur’s setting of Psalm 134, “Come, All Your Servants of the Lord.”

Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord
Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord

Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord

May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)
May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)

Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord

Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord

Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s setting of Psalm 25, “To You, O Lord."

To you, O Lord, I lift my soul,
To you, I lift my soul.

Lord, make me know your ways,
teach me your paths
and keep me in the way of your truth,
for you are God, my Savior.

To you, O Lord, I lift my soul,
To you, I lift my soul.

For the Lord is good and righteous,
revealing the way to those who seek God,
gently leading the poor and the humble.

To you, O Lord, I lift my soul,
To you, I lift my soul.

To the ones who seek you, Lord,
who look to your Word,
who live your love,
you will always be ear,
you will show them your mercy.

To you, O Lord, I lift my soul,
To you, I lift my soul.

The Reading from the Old Testament: Isaiah 39

Soon after this, Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent Hezekiah his best wishes and a gift. He had heard that Hezekiah had been very sick and that he had recovered. Hezekiah was delighted with the Babylonian envoys and showed them everything in his treasure-houses—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the aromatic oils. He also took them to see his armory and showed them everything in his royal treasuries! There was nothing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.

Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did those men want? Where were they from?”

Hezekiah replied, “They came from the distant land of Babylon.”

“What did they see in your palace?” asked Isaiah.

“They saw everything,” Hezekiah replied. “I showed them everything I own—all my royal treasuries.”

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Listen to this message from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: ‘The time is coming when everything in your palace—all the treasures stored up by your ancestors until now—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says the Lord. ‘Some of your very own sons will be taken away into exile. They will become eunuchs who will serve in the palace of Babylon’s king.’”

Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “This message you have given me from the Lord is good.” For the king was thinking, “At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime.”

Silence follows the reading.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Ruth Duck’s adaptation of the Magnificat, “My Heart Sings Out with Joyful Praise.”

My heart sings out with joyful praise
to God who raises me,
Who came to me when I was low
and changed my destiny.
The Holy One, the Living God,
is always full of grace
To those who seek their Maker’s will
in every time and place.

The arm of God is strong and just
to scatter all the proud.
The tyrants tumble from their thrones
and vanish like a cloud.
The hungry all are satisfied;
the rich are sent away.
The poor of earth who suffer long
will welcome God’s new day.

[Instrumental interlude]

The promise made in ages past
at last has come to be,
for God has come in power to save,
to set all people free.
Remembering those who wait to see
salvation’s dawning day,
Our Savior comes to all who weep
to wipe their tears away.

An Instrument of God’s Grace

In this evening’s reading from the Old Testament, Isaiah 39, King Hezekiah, the king of the southern kingdom of Judah, foolishly shows all his treasures and weapons of war to visiting envoys from the son of the ruler of Babylon. Hezekiah had recovered from a serious illness and the son had sent envoys with his good wishes and a gift to Hezekiah.

Hezekiah does not appear to have suspected that the son might have ulterior motives. He may have sent the envoys to determine the truth of the story of Hezekiah’s recovery and size up the city of Jerusalem and its defense, the wealth of Judah’s king, and the strength of his army. Impressed by the Babylonian envoys, Hezekiah plays into his hands.

Hezekiah’s response to the prophet Isaiah’s warning from God that one day all the treasures that he showed the envoys the Babylonians would carry off as spoils of war, having captured Jerusalem, and that they would castrate and enslave a number of his sons, extinguishing his royal line, is an attitude that is not uncommon in people in our time. As long as they themselves will not experience any trouble during their lifetimes, they are not concerned what may happen after they have died. This is an attitude that many people take toward the environment, toward climate change, drought, rising sea levels fossil fuels, renewal energy sources, and a range of other concerns.

It is regrettably the attitude that a number of Christians take toward evangelizing their communities and the world and making more disciples.

As long as there are enough people attending their church to keep it going, they give no thought to the future, to the consequences of their neglect of our Lord’s commission to spread the good news and make disciples form all the people groups on the earth. These people groups include the people in their own community.

This past Monday I posted on my blog a link to an article on the Christian Today website. According to the article, “sharing faith is only a priority for around half of UK Christians, while many are unaware of the Great Commission,” a new study released on Monday had found. An earlier study completed in the United States produced similar findings.

The failure of many US Christians to share their faith is one of a number of factors that account for declining church attendance in the United States,

Filling pews on Sunday morning, however, is not what our Lord commissioned his disciples to do. It is not the purpose for which he sent them the Holy Spirit to empower them.

What he commanded them to do, yes, commanded them to do, is to tell other people about him and form them into disciples. This is not just a part of the job description of ordained and licensed pastors and Sunday school teachers. It is a responsibility that our Lord has given to all of his followers, every last one of us. It is not optional.

We can move to the beat of the latest contemporary Christian and praise and worship songs performed by a professional-sounding band. We can listen to inspiring sermons delivered by a celebratory preacher. We can hand out food boxes to the poor and the needy and make a short-term mission trip to an undeveloped country. But these activities do not honor our Lord if we are not obeying his commandments and following his teaching. Our Lord was very clear: those who love him do what he commanded, they follow what he taught, they emulate what he did.

This Advent Season is as good a time as any to get serious about sharing our faith with other people. The best gift we can give someone at Christmas time or any time is to become their friend, to tell them about our Lord, and to be an instrument of his grace to them. An instrument of God's grace.

Sometime in the past someone was an instrument of God’s grace to us. Now it is our turn to be an instrument of God’s grace to someone else. Ask God to show that person to you. And then get cracking.

Silence

Make your ways known upon earth, O God,
your saving power among all peoples.

Renew your Church in holiness,
and help us to serve you with joy.

Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.

Let not the needy, O God, be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

Make us instruments of your peace,
and let your glory be over all the earth.

Heavenly Father,
you have promised to hear when we pray
in the name of your Son.
Therefore in confidence and trust
we pray for the Church:

(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)

Father, enliven the Church for its mission
that we may be salt of the earth and light to the world.

Breathe fresh life into your people.
Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action.

We pray for the world:

(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)

Creator of all,
lead us and every people into ways of justice and peace.
That we may respect one another in freedom and truth.

Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it.
Teach us to care creatively for its resources.

We pray for the community:

(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)

God of truth, inspire with your wisdom
those whose decisions affect the lives of others
that all may act with integrity and courage.

Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours.
May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us.

We pray for those in need:

(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)

God of hope, comfort and restore
all who suffer in body, mind or spirit.
May they know the power of your healing love.

Make us willing agents of your compassion.
Strengthen us as we share in making people whole.

We remember those who have died and those who mourn:

(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)

We remember with thanksgiving those who have died in the faith
of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone.
Father, into your hands we commend them.

Give comfort to those who mourn.
Bring them peace in their time of loss.

We praise you for (N and) all your saints
who have entered your eternal glory.
May their example inspire and encourage us.

We pray for ourselves and our ministries:

(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered and the prayers
conclude with the following.)

Lord, you have called us to serve you.
Grant that we may walk in your presence:
your love in our hearts,
your truth in our minds,
your strength in our wills;
until, at the end of our journey,
we know the joy of our homecoming
and the welcome of your embrace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Terror and doom, and wrath to come,
John your herald preached
to bring us to repentance;
open our eyes, almighty God,
show us our sin, and grant us forgiveness.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen.

Gracious God,
you have given us much today;
grant us also a thankful spirit.
Into your hands we commend ourselves
and those we love.
Be with us still, and when we take our rest
renew us for the service of your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.

In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.

As our Savior Christ has taught us, 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.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Ruth Duck’s “When the Wind of Winter Blows (Warm the Time of Winter).”

1 When the wind of winter blows,
bringing times of solitude,
fill the silent, icy night;
be our hearts’ companion.

Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.
Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.

2 When we shiver in despair,
when the chill of death comes near,
hold us, Spirit, calm our fear,
While the ev’ning deepens.

Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.
Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.

3 When in days of falling snow
change confounds or love burns low,
from the ashes may there rise
phoenix of our growing.

Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.
Holy Light, warm our night;
warm the time of winter.

THE DISMISSAL

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The almighty and merciful God bless us
and keep us now and for ever. Amen.

Go now to love and serve the Lord. Go in peace.
Amen. We go in the name of Christ.