Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, December 21, 2023)

Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

In the Churches of the West Christians have traditionally celebrated the birth of our Lord for twelve days. In the Anglican tradition Christmastide, the Twelve Days of Christmas, begins at sunset on the evening of Christmas Day and concludes on the Feast of the Epiphany, which recalls the day that the nativity story tells us that the magi, or wisemen, visited the infant Jesus. With this Thursday evening’s service All Hallows is winding down its observance of the Advent Season. This year the last Sunday of Advent is also Christmas Eve.

GATHERING IN GOD’S NAME

A lamp or a candle may be lit.

The Spirit and the church cry out:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
All those who await his appearance pray:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
The whole creation pleads:
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

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 flame 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 flame 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

The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, Sovereign God, creator of light and darkness!
As evening falls, you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
May your word be a lantern to our feet
and a light upon our path,
that we may behold your glory coming among us.
Strengthen us in our stumbling weakness
and free our tongues to sing your praise,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever!

Open this link in a new to hear Timothy Dudley-Smith’s “Come Quickly, Lord (Psalm 141).”

1 Come quickly, Lord, and hear the cries
my heart and hands uplifted raise;
and let my prayer as incense rise,
an evening sacrifice of praise.
Guard now the lips that speak your Name,
lest they, and I, be put to shame.

2 And if my steps should go astray
and from the path of truth I move,
restore me to your narrow way
and in your mercy, Lord, reprove;
from love of self my soul defend,
and wound me as a faithful friend.

*3 When at the last, O Lord our God,
we look to you alone to save,
the plough of judgment breaks the clod,
and bones are scattered from the grave:
our Rock, our Refuge and our Tower,
protect us in the final hour.

4 We fix our eyes upon you, Lord,
and tune our ears to hear your voice;
our hearts by faith receive your word
and in your promises rejoice.
Till morning breaks and night is gone,
in God we trust, and journey on.

*Omitted in the video.

Silence

Lord God, our protector and guide,
who made us knowing both good and evil:
receive our prayer and, by your wisdom,
help us to discern and desire all that is good,
that the offering of our lives may be acceptable to you;
through Jesus Christ,
who suffered the darkness of torment and trial
and now is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s responsorial setting of Psalm 113, “Blessed Be the Name.”

Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the LORD
for ever!

Praise, O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD!
May the name of the LORD be blest
both now and forevermore!

Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the LORD
for ever!

From the rising of the sun to its setting,
praised be the name of the LORD!
High above all nations is the LORD,
above the heavens his glory.

Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the LORD
for ever!

Who is like the LORD, our God,
who dwells on high,
who lowers himself to look down
upon heaven and earth?

Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the LORD
for ever!

From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from the ash heap he raises the poor,
to set them in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of his people.

Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the LORD
for ever!

Silence

From the rising of the sun to its going down,
your Name is praised, O Lord,
for you have raised us from the dust and set before us
the vision of your glory.
As you bestowed upon us the dignity of a royal priesthood,
lift up our hearts as we celebrate your praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s “My Soul in Stillness Waits.”

For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits,
Truly my hope is in you.

O Lord of Light, our only hope of glory,
Your radiance shines in all who look to you,
Come, light the hearts of all in dark and shadow.

For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits,
Truly my hope is in you.

O Spring of Joy, rain down upon our spirits,
Our thirsty hearts are yearning for your Word,
Come, make us whole, be comfort to our hearts.

For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits,
Truly my hope is in you.

O Root of Life, implant your seed within us,
And in your advent draw us all to you,
Our hope reborn in dying and in rising.

For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits,
Truly my hope is in you.

O Key of Knowledge, guide us in our pilgrimage,
We ever seek, yet unfulfilled remain,
Open to us the pathway of your peace.

For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits,
Truly my hope is in you.

Come, let us bow before the God who made us,
Let every heart be opened to the Lord,
For we are all the people of his hand.

For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits,
Truly my hope is in you.

Here we shall meet the Maker of the heavens,
Creator of the mountains and the seas,
Lord of the stars and present to us now.

For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits,
Truly my hope is in you.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

A reading from the New Testament (Romans 16: 25-27)

Let us give glory to God! He is able to make you stand firm in your faith, according to the Good News I preach about Jesus Christ and according to the revelation of the secret truth which was hidden for long ages in the past. Now, however, that truth has been brought out into the open through the writings of the prophets; and by the command of the eternal God it is made known to all nations, so that all may believe and obey.

To the only God, who alone is all-wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever! Amen.

Silence

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

Open this link in a new tab to hear David Haas’ “Holy Is His Name (Magnificat).”

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!

“…so all may believe and obey.”

In this evening’s reading the apostle Paul closes his letter to the Romans with a doxology, a prayer of praise, which affirms that the good news of Jesus Christ is not just for one nation, the descendants of the people of Israel, but for all nations, for all humanity. As John Wesley observes in his Notes on the Epistle to the Romans, it is not to be made known to the nations so that they may barely know it, but “so that all may believe and obey.”

The apostles did not at first recognize that the good news was for everybody, not just Jews like themselves. Jesus had told them that they would be his witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, but they had not fully grasped what he meant.

God would use a number of events to point to their attention that Jesus was not just the savior of the Jews, but he was also the savior of the Samaritans and the Gentiles, the non-Jews. You can read about these events in Luke’s Acts of the Apostles, which is a continuation of his Gospel. It is the fifth book of the New Testament and tells the story of the early Christian church.

If it is God’s command that the good news of Jesus Christ be proclaimed to all peoples so they can believe and obey as Paul says in today’s reading, then we cannot treat one particular group of people differently from the way we treat other people. The good news is for everybody.

As messengers of the good news, we cannot take it upon ourselves to decide who gets to hear the good news. We must make it known to everyone, not barely as Wesley points out but so they can believe and obey.

All who respond to Jesus’ call to follow him become heralds of the good news. They become Jesus’ representatives to the world, They are expected to tell other people about Jesus and what he had done for humankind and to extend to other people Jesus’ invitation to walk humbly as a disciple with him. 

Some, prompted by the Holy Spirit, may travel to far-off lands. Others may never leave their hometown. But wherever they are, the task before them is the same—to witness to Jesus with their words and their lives.

Silence

Open this link to hear Ryan Flannigan’s setting of our Lord’s Summary of the Law, “Jesus Creed.”ether

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.

THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER

United in the company of all the faithful and looking for the
coming of the kingdom, let us offer our prayers to God.

Merciful Lord, strengthen all Christian people by your Holy Spirit, that we may live as a royal priesthood and a holy nation to the praise of Christ Jesus our Saviour.
Lord, have mercy.

Bless..…. our pastor, and all ministers, of your Church, that by
faithful proclamation of your word we may be built on the
foundation of the apostles and prophets into a holy temple in
the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

Empower us by the gift of your Holy and Life-giving Spirit that
we may be transformed into the likeness of Christ from glory
to glory.
Lord, have mercy.

Give to the world and its peoples the peace that comes from
above, that they may find Christ’s way of freedom and life.
Lord, have mercy.

Hold in your embrace all who witness to your love in the
service of the poor and needy; all those who minister to the sick
and dying; and all who bring light to those in darkness.
Lord, have mercy.

Touch and heal al those whose lives are scarred by sin
or disfigured by pain, that, raised from death to life in Christ, their
sorrow may be turned to eternal joy.
Lord, have mercy.

Remember in your mercy those who have gone before us
who have been well-pleasing to you; preserve us who live here
in your faith, guide us to your kingdom and grant us your
peace at all times.
Lord, have mercy.

Hasten the day when those who fear you in every nation will
come from east and west, from north and south, and sit at table
in your kingdom.
Lord, have mercy.

And so we give you thanks for……and for the whole company of
your saints in glory, with whom in fellowship we join our prayers and praises; by your grace may we, like them, be made
perfect in your love.
Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power,
Be to our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Almighty God,
You have made us and all things to serve you:
come quickly to save us,
so wars and violence may end
and your children may live in pace,
honoring one another with justice and love;
through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord,
who lives with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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

Joining our prayers with those of Christians in every time and every place,
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 almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless and keep us now and for ever more. Amen.

Open this link in a new tab to hear The Waking Roots Band’s arrangement of Alfred Henry Burton’s “There Is a Light upon the Mountains.”

1 There’s a light upon the mountains,
And the day is at the spring,
When our eyes shall see the beauty
And the glory of the King:
Weary was our heart with waiting,
And the night-watch seemed so long,
But His triumph day is breaking,
And we hail it with a song.
But His triumph day is breaking,
And we hail it with a song.

2 In the fading of the starlight
We may see the coming morn;
And the lights of men are paling
In the splendors of the dawn;
For the eastern skies are glowing
As with light of hidden fire,
And the hearts of all are stirring
With the throbs of deep desire.
And the hearts of all are stirring
With the throbs of deep desire.

*3 There’s a hush of expectation
And a quiet in the air,
And the breath of God is moving
In the fervent breath of prayer;
For the suffering, dying Jesus
Is the Christ upon the throne,
And the travail of our spirit
Is the travail of His own.
And the travail of our spirit
Is the travail of His own.

4 He is breaking down the barriers,
He is casting up the way;
He is calling for His angels
To build up the gates of day:
But His angels here are human,
Not the shining hosts above;
For the drum beats of His army
Are the heartbeats of our love.
For the drum beats of His army
Are the heartbeats of our love.
For the drum beats of His army
Are the heartbeats of our love.

5 Hark! we hear a distant music,
And it comes with fuller swell;
’Tis the triumph-song of Jesus,
Of our King, Immanuel!
Go ye forth with joy to meet Him!
And, my soul, be swift to bring
All thy sweetest and thy dearest
For the glory of our King!
All thy sweetest and thy dearest
For the glory of our King!

Coda:
Come, thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.
Let us find our rest in thee.
Let us find our rest.

*Omitted in the video.

Those present may share a sign of peace with these words.

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