Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, June 19, 2025)
With this past Sunday, Trinity Sunday, the first Sunday after Pentecost, we began what in some churches is called Trinitytide and in others the Season after Pentecost. This season of the Church Year, with Epiphanytide, or the Season after Epiphany, is also known as the “green season” or “ordinary time.” They are called the “green season” since green is the liturgical color widely used in churches during these seasons. It must be noted that English cathedrals had their own liturgical color schemes and in one of these color schemes red was used in Trinitytide. Whatever liturgical color is used in a church, Trinitytide or the Season after Pentecost is the longest season of the Church Year.
The topic of this evening’s message is perseverance in prayer.
GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear Gordan Young’s Prelude on EVENTIDE.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth
tremble before him. Psalm 96:9
Silence
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins
through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all
goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in
eternal life. Amen.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as
it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Alleluia.
Open this link in a new tab to hear 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.
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.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Kiran Young Wimberly’s “The Lord’s My Shepherd (Psalm 23).”
1 The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want
He lets me rest in pastures green
He leadeth me by waters still
He restores my soul; restores my soul
2 Even though I walk through the darkest vale
I will fear no evil, for you’re with me
Your rod and staff, protect and guide
You comfort me; you comfort me
3 You prepare a table, a feast for me
In the presence of my enemies
You anoint my head with holy oil
My cup overflows; it overflows
4 Surely goodness and God’s mercy great
Shall follow me all my days of life
And I’ll dwell within the house of God
My whole life long; my whole life long
Open this link in a new tab to hear Randy Ferris’ arrangement of the Gloria Patri.
Glory to the Father!
Glory to the Son!
Glory to the Spirit!
Glory to the Lord!
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever,
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever.
Amen!
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke.
Luke 11:1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Jesus told them, “When you pray, say:
‘Father, uphold the holiness of your name.
Bring in your kingdom.
Give us the bread we need for today.
Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who has wronged us.
And don’t lead us into temptation.’”
He also said to them, “Imagine that one of you has a friend and you go to that friend in the middle of the night. Imagine saying, ‘Friend, loan me three loaves of bread because a friend of mine on a journey has arrived and I have nothing to set before him.’ Imagine further that he answers from within the house, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I assure you, even if he wouldn’t get up and help because of his friendship, he will get up and give his friend whatever he needs because of his friend’s brashness. And I tell you: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. To everyone who knocks, the door is opened.
“Which father among you would give a snake to your child if the child asked for a fish? If a child asked for an egg, what father would give the child a scorpion? If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Silence.
Perseverance in Prayer
In this evening’s reading we find one of two parables in Luke’s Gospel which Jesus told to stress the importance of persevering in prayer and not becoming discouraged. It may be described as the parable of the brash neighbor. He had a lot of energy and the confidence to succeed in getting his neighbor to get out of bed, to open the door, and to give him the bread he was asking for. He had an unexpected guest to whom he needed to show hospitality, a guest whom he would not let go hungry. It did not matter that his neighbor had settled in for the night. As Jesus points to our attention, we can approach God in prayer with the same kind of confidence.
The second parable (Luke 18:1-8) is sometimes called the parable of the unjust judge, the persistent widow, or the inopportune widow. In both parables the individual making a request continues to make the request until the request is finally granted. They continue to make the request even though it is annoying to other people.
Now Jesus is not suggesting that the requests we make to God are annoying to God or we can pester God into granting our request. God is perfectly willing to grant our requests. Why then we may ask does God not grant what we are requesting immediately, there on the spot?
There are a number of reasons that God may not grant a particular request right away or at all.
We may be seeking to gratify our own personal desires. What we are requesting does not honor God nor is it aligned with God’s will.
God can foresee what is going to happen if he grants our request and what we are requesting may cause harm to us or to someone else. God gives us an opportunity to come to the realization that what we are asking is not what is best for ourselves or others.
God is testing us to determine whether what we are requesting is truly something that we want to come to pass. Have we fully considered what will happen if God grants our request and are we willing to suffer the consequences of having our request granted.
God has other things in store for us.
God is giving us an opportunity to align our will with God’s.
As we draw near to God in prayer, God will draw near to us.
We may not sense God’s presence but our inability to sense God’s presence does not mean that God is not present.
Scientists estimate that as much as 90% of reality is beyond the range of our senses.
Insects can see colors that we cannot see. Dogs hear sounds that we cannot hear.
We did not realize that the world surrounding us was teeming with microbial life until someone invented the microscope.
William Shakespeare described the limits of our comprehension of our world when he penned these now famous words in Hamlet, "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy…."
One thing to remember: God is eager to hear from us as a loving father is eager to hear from his children.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley Smith’s “Tell Out, My Soul.”
1 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
Tender to me the promise of his word;
In God my Savior shall my heart rejoice
2 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
His mercy sure, from age to age to same;
His holy Name--the Lord, the Mighty One
3 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight
The hungry fed, the humble lifted high
4 Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children's children and for evermore!
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again 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 the life everlasting. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
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,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit
Father, we praise you,
that through your Word and Holy Spirit
you created all things;
you reveal your salvation in all the world
through Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh;
through your Holy Spirit you give us a share
in your life and love;
fill us with the vision of your glory,
that we may always serve and praise you,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right
judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that
peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be
fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered
from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness;
through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. 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 Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear James Montgomery’s “Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire.”
1 Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
unuttered or expressed,
the motion of a hidden fire
that trembles in the breast.
2 Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
the falling of a tear,
the upward glancing of an eye,
when none but God is near.
3 Prayer is the simplest form of speech
that infant lips can try;
prayer the sublimest strains that reach
the Majesty on high.
4 Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
the Christian's native air;
his watchword at the gates of death;
he enters heav'n with prayer.
5 Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,
returning from his way,
while angels in their songs rejoice
and cry, "Behold, he prays!"
6 Nor is prayer made on earth alone
the Holy Spirit pleads
and Jesus at the Father’s throne
for sinners intercedes
7 O Thou, by whom we come to God,
the Life, the Truth, the Way;
the path of prayer Thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray!
God of providence, God of love,
we pray for all people: make your way known to them, your saving power
among all nations.
[Especially we pray for…]
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
We pray for your Church throughout the world: guide and
govern by your Holy Spirit, that all who call themselves Christians
may be led in the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit,
in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.
[Especially we pray for…]
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
We commend to your fatherly goodness all who are afflicted or distressed
in mind, body, or circumstances. Relieve them according to their needs.
Give them patience in their sufferings, and deliverance in their afflictions.
[Especially we pray for…]
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Savior Jesus Christ. 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 SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Alleluia. Alleluia.
Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely
more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from
generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus
for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
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