Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, November 30, 2023)

Welcome to All Hallows.

This coming Sunday begins the Season of Advent. During the Advent Season Christians in a number of traditions prepare not only for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ but also for his second coming. One of the ways that Christians observe the Advent Season is the lighting of an Advent wreath. It was originally a Lutheran practice, which spread to other Christian traditions. You can learn more about construction and history of the Advent wreath by googling “Advent wreath.”

GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME

A lamp or a candle may be lit.

God is our light and our salvation,
Our refuge and our stronghold.
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
we praise your name, O God.
For with you is the fountain of life,
and in your light we see light.

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

Open this link in a new tab to hear Keith Duke’s “Sun of Our Night.”

Light of the world in grace and beauty
Mirror of God’s eternal face
Transparent fame of love’s free duty
You bring salvation to our race
Now as we see the lights of evening
We raise our voice in hymns of praise
Worthy are you of endless blessing
Sun of our night, lamp of our day

[Instrumental interlude]

Light of the world in grace and beauty
Mirror of God’s eternal face
Transparent fame of love’s free duty
You bring salvation to our race
Now as we see the lights of evening
We raise our voice in hymns of praise
Worthy are you of endless blessing
Sun of our night, lamp of our day

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!
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,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God for ever!

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

Silence

Blessed are you, Lord our God,
our creator and sustainer:
In the darkness we look to your light
and we place ourselves and all your household
under your protection through the night.
Blessed be God for ever! Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Kiran Young Wimberley’s “I Lift My Eyes Up to the Hills (Psalm 121).”

I lift my eyes up to the hills, where does my help come from?
I lift my eyes up to the hills, where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord of all, the Lord of heaven and earth
The one who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep

[Instrumental Interlude]

The Lord who watches over Israel is your shade at your right hand
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon harm you by night
The Lord will keep you from all harm and will watch over your life
Watch over you as you come and go now and forevermore

[Instrumental Interlude]

The Lord will keep you from all harm and will watch over your life
Watch over you as you come and go now and forevermore
now and forevermore

Silence

Lord, ever watchful and faithful,
we look to you to be our defense
and we lift up our hearts to know your help;
through Jeus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Carey Landry’s Only a Shadow-Isaiah 49 Medley.”

The love we have for you, O Lord
Is only a shadow of your love for us
Only a shadow of your love for us
Your deep abiding love.

Our own belief in you, O Lord
Is only a shadow of your faith in us
Only a shadow of your faith in us
Your deep and lasting faith.

Our lives are in your hands,
Our lives are your hands;
Our love for you will grow, O God;
Your light in us will shine.

You will never forget us, your people
You have carved us on the palm of your hand
You will never forget us
You will not leave us orphaned
You will never forget your own

Like a father who loves his children
Or a mother the ones she brought to birth
You will never forget us
You will draw us ever closer
You will bring us home to live in peace

Our lives are in your hands,
Our lives are your hands;
Our love for you will grow, O God;
Your light in us will shine.

Till we meet face to face

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

Almighty God,
we thank you for the gift of your holy word.
May it be a lantern to our feet,
a light to our paths
and strength to our lives,
in the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A reading from the New Testament (Ephesians 3: 6, 12, 14-21)

And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Silence

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

Open this link in a new tab to hear Kate Bluett’s paraphrase of the Magnificat, “Mary’s Hymn of Praise.”

1 My soul proclaims God’s greatness,
rejoicing in the Lord
who looks upon my meekness,
as ages will behold.
Now God does great things for me,
and holy is God’s name.
My spirit sings God’s wonders,
and oh! my soul proclaims!

2 In every generation
God pours such mercy down,
shows might before the nations,
and scatters all the proud.
God lifts up all the humble,
casts princes down in shame.
My spirit sings God’s wonders,
and oh! my soul proclaims!

3 Rejoice now in God’s promise
to Sarah and Abraham
and all of their descendants,
to keep us in God’s hand.
God fills the poor and hungry
and sends the rich away.
My spirit sings God’s wonders,
and oh! my soul proclaims!

Praying for the Spiritual Growth of Our Fellow Believers

In this evening’s reading, the apostle Paul, a prisoner in chains, prays for the believers who form the church at Ephesus to whom he is writing. He prays for their spiritual growth. It is clearly a heartfelt prayer. The prison in which Paul spent his last days was a loathsome place. Paul was in all likelihood kept in darkness for most of the time. Yet his thoughts were not for himself but for the group of believers at Ephesus, for their spiritual wellbeing.

Paul sets a good example for us. Despite the adverse circumstances in which he finds himself, he exhibits concern for others. He is not preoccupied with his own plight. He also practices what he urges his fellow believers to do—never stop praying.

In this evening’s reading Paul prays that Christ will live in the innermost selves of the believers at Ephesus. Christ will become a part of them through the power of the Holy Spirit and their faith in him. They will become very strongly and firmly fixed in love. They will come to understand the magnitude of Christ’s love and they will know for themselves—in the sense of experiencing for themselves, Christ’s love, a love which exceeds our ability to fully comprehend it. Paul further prays that God himself will fill their whole being.

Whether it was Paul’s intention to model for the Ephesian believers and us how to pray for our fellow believers, new believers and those who have been walking with Christ for many years, he certainly provides a model for us. Like Paul, we can pray that Christ will dwell in their hearts. We can pray that they become rooted and established in love. We can pray that they will grasp how much Christ loves them and experience for themselves his love. We can also pray that they will know that his love is greater than knowledge and ask that they will be filled with the fullness of God.

When we pray for our fellow believers, we are giving expression to our love for them. Circumstances may not permit us to express our love for them in other ways. We can, however, always pray for them and show our love for them in that way.

Silence

Open this link in a new tab to play Daniel Justice Snoke’s metrical version of the Apostles Creed, “I Believe in God the Father.”

I believe in God the Father,
maker of all heav’n and earth.
And in Jesus Christ our Saviour,
God’s own Son of matchless worth;
By the Spirit was conceived,
of the virgin, Mary born,
He in whom I have believed,
God almighty, three in one.

Suffered under Pontius Pilate.
crucified for me he died.
Laid within the grave so silent,
gates of hell he opened wide;
For the stone-sealed tomb was empty;
on the third day he arose;
Into heaven made his entry,
mighty conquer’r of his foes.

At God’s right hand he is seated,
till his coming as he said;
Final judgment will be meted
to the living and the dead;
I confess the Holy Spirit,
who was sent through Christ the Son
To apply salvation’s merit:
God the Spirit Three in One.

I believe the church of Jesus,
universal e’er remains;
We are one through all the ages
In communion of the saints.
I believe sins are forgiven,
that our bodies will be raised
To eternal life in glory,
ever let his name be praised.

THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER

One or more persons leads the prayers, using the following form.

Let us join in prayer with God’s faithful people throughout the world, saying “God of Love: hear our prayer.”

We pray for the unity of your church, that our life may reflect the love you have shown us.
God of love: Hear our prayer.

We ask your grace for all pastors, elders, and deacons and for all who minister in word and in deed, that we may bear faithful witness to your good news.
God of love: Hear our prayer.

We seek your justice and peace in our world, our country, and our community, that the needy may never be forgotten.
God of love: Hear our prayer.

We ask your blessing on our homes, our friends and family, and on those who live alone, that we may know your presence ever near us.
God of love: Hear our prayer.

We name before you all whom you have given us to pray for [especially….], knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can ask or imagine.
God of love: Hear our prayer.

We commend to you all who have died [especially….], that our trust in you may deepen, knowing that you are a just and merciful God.
God of love: Hear our prayer.

We offer our thanks and praise for all you have done for us, rejoicing in the knowledge that you are with us always.
God of love: Hear our prayer.

We look for your purposes to be accomplished and ask you to fill us with the strength and vision to carry out your will.
God of love: Hear our prayer.

Additional intercessions, petitions and thanksgivings may be offered in silence or aloud.

Stir up, we pray, O Lord,
the wills of your faithful people,
that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,
may by you be plenteously rewarded;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray,
and in your great mercy defend us from all perils
and dangers of this night; for the love of your only
Son our Savour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Joining our prayers with those of Christians everywhere,
let us 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.

THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE

Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

May God bless and keep us. Amen.
May God’s face ever shine upon us. Amen.
May God grant us peace for all our days. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Keith Duke’s “Christ Before Me.”

Christ before
Christ behind me
Christ above me
Christ below me
Christ to left
And Christ to right
Christ within
Both day and night

[Instrumental interlude]

Christ before
Christ behind me
Christ above me
Christ below me
Christ to left
And Christ to right
Christ within
Both day and night

[Instrumental interlude]

Christ before
Christ behind me
Christ above me
Christ below me
Christ to left
And Christ to right
Christ within
Both day and night

Those present may share a sign of peace

The peace of the Lord
And also with you.