Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, September 7, 2023)

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

It is an ancient custom of the Church to light a lamp and to sing a hymn in praise of Christ as the Light as dusk settles over the community and the lights of evening begin to shine. Lighting a lamp or candle at the beginning of a time of prayer can be a symbolic act, setting apart that particular time of the day for prayer. After we have concluded our devotions, the lamp or candle can then be extinguished. Such acts help us to focus our attention on God.

WE GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

A lamp or candle may be lit.

You, O Lord, are my lamp;
my God, you make my darkness bright.

The light and peace of Jesus Christ be with you
and also with you.

As this evening hymn is sung, more lamps and candles may be lit.

Open this link in a new tab to hear The Braeded Cord’s arrangement of the Lutheran Service Book’s translation of the Phos hilaron. “Joyous Light of Glory of the Immortal Father.”

Joyous light of glory of the immortal Father.
Heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ.
You are worth of being praised with pure voices
forever.
You are worth of being praised with pure voices
forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
The universe declares your glory.
We have come to the setting of the sun
And we look to the evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worth of being praised with pure voices
forever.
You are worth of being praised with pure voices
forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
The universe declares your glory.
The universe declares your glory.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1.8,9

Let us confess our sins to almighty God.

Silence

Heavenly Father,
you have loved us with an everlasting love,
but we have often gone our own way,
and rejected your will for our lives.
We are sorry for our sins
and turn away from them.
For the sake of your Son who died for us,
forgive us, cleanse us, and change us.
By your Holy Spirit, enable us to live for you,
and to please you in every way,
for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Lord of mercy,
grant us your pardon and peace;
that cleansed from our sins
and with peace in our hearts,
we may be free to serve you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of the First Song of Isaiah, “Surely It Is God Who Saves Me.”

Surely it is God who saves me;
I shall trust and have no fear.
For the Lord defends and shields me
and his saving help is near.
So rejoice as you draw water
from salvation's healing spring;
in the day of your deliverance
thank the Lord, his mercies sing.

Make God's deeds known to the peoples:
tell out his exalted Name.
Praise the Lord, who has done great things;
all his works God's might proclaim.
Zion, lift your voice in singing;
for with you has come to dwell,
in your very midst the great and
Holy One of Israel.

The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.

Let us pray.

Silence

God of unchangeable power,
our strength at all times;
guard us from all dangers
and support us in all difficulties
that we may live victoriously now and forever;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

A reading from the New Testament (Matthew 8: 23-27)

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

Silence

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

Jesus Calms the Storm

Jesus’ teaching took a variety of forms—instruction as in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel and the Sermon on the Plain in Luke’s Gospel; parables, or stories, he told; conversations he had; and remarks he made. In today’s reading, in Matthew’s account of Jesus calming the storm, Jesus in his response to the disciples’ terror at the fierceness of the storm gives us a good idea of what attitude to take toward Jesus in a difficult time. It is an attitude of trust. Implicit in his response to the disciples is that they had nothing to fear. He was with them. While he may have been sleeping, they were safe in his care.

Jesus then got up and rebuked the wind and the waves and the storm immediately died away. A great calm settled on the lake. One minute the wind was whipping the waves into foam, the boat was violently pitching back and forth, and waves were breaking over its sides, swamping the boards underneath the disciples’ feet, and seconds later, the surface of the lake was like a sheet of glass, with not even a tiny ripple disturbing it.

What the disciples expected Jesus to do when they cried out to him for help, we do not know. But I imagine that they were so amazed at what he did, they were gobsmacked, speechless! When they regained their voices all they could say to each other was, “Who is this man?!” “Even the winds and waves obey him!!”

What happened immediately afterwards, the gospel narrative does not tell us. Did Jesus go back to sleep while the disciples huddled at the other end of the boat? We can only guess. These details are not essential to the account.

As well as remembering Jesus’ actions, one or more of the disciples must also have remembered Jesus’ words. Otherwise, they would not be a part of the account.

I believe that we can safely say that the Holy Spirit at some point must have brought them back to mind and that is why they form a part of the account. They reveal who Jesus is as much as his mastery over the wind and waves and his calming of the storm. Implicit in Jesus’ words is the same assurance as that expressed in a verse in the Book of Isaiah, an assurance that came from God himself.

Do not be afraid—I am with you!
I am your God—let nothing terrify you!
I will make you strong and help you;
I will protect you and save you. (Isaiah 41:10 GNT)

Unspoken but only too evident is that God is present with them in the person of Jesus. They are safe in God’s care.

A major theme that run through the Hebrew Bible, our Old Testament is God’s faithfulness. Although the people of Israel are faithless, whoring after other gods, God is firm and not changing in his friendship with them. While he at times withdrew his protection from the people of Israel and permitted them to suffer the consequences of their unfaithfulness, he nonetheless does not abandon them. He sends prophets to call them back to himself and finally sends his own Son. It is in his Son, in Jesus, God himself fulfills a promise to send a messiah, an anointed one, to be their king but also come himself and teach them to be his disciples.

While Jesus’ disciples have heard his teaching and witnessed his healing of the sick, his exorcism of demons, and his other miracles, they have not at this stage grasped who he is. This is evident from their words, “Who is this man?!” “Even the winds and waves obey him!!” Because Jesus does not fit their preconceptions of how the messiah will act, they have yet to wrap their minds around the idea that he is indeed God’s anointed one, much less that he is God enrobed in human flesh. It would take Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection to fully convince them.

Unlike the disciples, we have not heard Jesus’ teaching for ourselves. We have heard and read only what has been passed down to us. We have not witnessed the miracles. We have heard and read only second-hand accounts of them. The risen Jesus has not spoken to us in the garden, nor has he joined us on the road to Emmaus or shown us the wounds in his hands and side. Yet the same Jesus invites us to trust him, to trust God’s friendship to us as shown in him. He does not promise us that everything will be hunky-dory, that things will go as we hoped. But he does promise to be with us. Whatever the outcome, we are safe in his keeping.

Silence

WE RESPOND

Open this link in a new tab to hear Esther Mui’s “Fear Not for I Have Redeemed You.”

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel,
For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel,
your Savior,
your Savior.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel,
For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel,
your Savior,
and your Savior.

When you come through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.

For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel,
For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel,
your Savior,
your Savior.

WE PRAY FOR GOD’S WORLD

Let us pray for all people and for the Church throughout
the world.

The names of particular persons or needs may be added to the several petitions: 
other similar petitions may also be added.

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ has promised that
you will hear: us when we ask in faith: receive the prayers
we offer.

We pray for the peace of the world and the welfare of your
holy Church.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our pastor N, and for all the clergy and
people.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the President of the United States. for the leaders
of the nations, and for all in authority.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the people in the path of Hurricane Lee.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the families and individuals who lost love ones
in the severe rainstorms and flooding in Greece, Turkey,
and Bulgaria and those who were forced from their homes.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the aged and the infirm, for widows and
orphans, and for the sick and suffering.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the poor and oppressed, for prisoners and
captives, and for all who care for them.

Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for ourselves and for each other.

Lord, in your mercy, 

hear our prayer.

We praise you, Lord God, for the communion of saints, and
for the glorious hope of the resurrection to eternal life.

Accept our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who taught us to 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, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

WE GO FORTH TO SERVE

Open this link in a new tab to hear a West Gallery Music arrangement of “How Firm a Foundation.”

1 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
you who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

2 Fear not, he is with thee, O be not dismayed,
for he is thy God and will still give thee aid;
he'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand
upheld by his righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 When through the deep waters he calls thee to go,
the rivers of grief shall not thee overflow;
for he will be with thee, in troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

4 When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
his grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; his only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

5 The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
he will not, he cannot desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
he will never leave, he will never forsake.

Those present may exchange a sign of peace.

The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.