Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (November 27, 2025)
Since November 27, 2025 is the last Thursday of November and Thanksgiving Day in the United States, this evening’s service is a service of thanksgiving. You will note that the canticles after the lessons are contemporary versions of Cantate Domino (Psalm 98) and Deus misereatur (Psalm 67), the alternative canticles for Evening Prayer appointed in the classical Anglican Book of Common Prayer of 1662. They were chosen for their suitability for a service of thanksgiving as were the other hymns of the service.
This evening’s message is a reflection on 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
GATHER IN GOD’S NAME
Open this link in a new tab to hear The O'Neill Brothers Group’s arrangement of NUN DUNKET for piano.
Silence
O give thanks to the Lord, and call upon his Name; make
known his deeds among the peoples. Psalm 105:1
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 now confess our sins to almighty God.
Silence
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much
the devices and the desires of our own hearts.
we have offended against your holy laws,
we have left undone what we ought to have done,
and we have done what we ought not to have done.
Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us;
restore those who are penitent,
according to your promises declared
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grant, most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may live a godly, righteous, and sober lives,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon
and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their
sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open our lips, O Lord;
And we shall declare your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Folliott Sandford Pierpoint’s “For the Beauty of the Earth.”
1 For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies,
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
2 For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild:
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
3 For each perfect gift of thine,
to our race so freely given,
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven:
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
4 For thy church which evermore
lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore
her pure sacrifice of love,
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
Open this link to hear David Haas and Marty Haugen’s setting of Psalm 145, “I Will Praise Your Name.”
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
1 I will extol you, my God and king,
and bless your name forever and ever.
I will bless you day after day,
and praise your name forever and ever.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
2 The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
3 All your works shall thank you, O Lord,
and all your faithful ones bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign,
and declare your mighty deeds.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
4 The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and holy in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
Silence
King of the universe,
you show the bright glory of your reign
in acts of mercy and enduring love;
raise the spirits of the downcast
and restore those who have fallen away,
that we may sing for ever of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Book of Joel
Joel 2:21-27
Fields, don't be afraid,
but be joyful and glad
because of all the Lord has done for you.
Animals, don't be afraid.
The pastures are green;
the trees bear their fruit,
and there are plenty of figs and grapes.
“Be glad, people of Zion,
rejoice at what the Lord your God has done for you.
He has given you the right amount of autumn rain;[a]
he has poured down the winter rain for you
and the spring rain as before.
The threshing places will be full of grain;
the pits beside the presses will overflow with wine and olive oil.
I will give you back what you lost
in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops.
It was I who sent this army against you.
Now you will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied.
You will praise the Lord your God,
who has done wonderful things for you.
My people will never be despised again.
Then, Israel, you will know that I am among you
and that I, the Lord, am your God
and there is no other.
My people will never be despised again.
Silence
Open this link to hear Nikko Villanueva’s “Sing a New Song to the Lord” (Psalm 98)
Chorus
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the earth
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the earth
Verse 1
Let our heavens rejoice
Let the earth be glad
How great are your works, O Lord, our God
Chorus
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the earth
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the earth
Verse 2
Proclaim His salvation day after day
Great is the Lord, praise His name
Chorus
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the Earth
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the Earth
Verse 3
Worship Him in His splendor
And His Holiness
Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns"
Chorus
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the Earth
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the Earth
Outro
Sing to the Lord
(Lord, the Lord, sing to the Lord)
A reading from Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
We beg you, our friends, to pay proper respect to those who work among you, who guide and instruct you in the Christian life. Treat them with the greatest respect and love because of the work they do. Be at peace among yourselves.
We urge you, our friends, to warn the idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but at all times make it your aim to do good to one another and to all people.
Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.
Do not restrain the Holy Spirit; do not despise inspired messages. Put all things to the test: keep what is good and avoid every kind of evil.
May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you will do it, because he is faithful.
Silence
In the South, in the southern United States, mention "Thanksgiving" and most folks will think of the annual national holiday on the last Thursday of November of each year when families, significant others, and friends get together and eat a meal. They may fondly recall past Thanksgivings and those who sat around the table and who have departed this life since then. Their thoughts may turn to the food that ladened the table and the different people who had prepared that food—the pumpkin pies, sweet potato pies, and pecan pies, the green bean casserole, the buttered rolls, the mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, the cornbread stuffing, the deviled eggs, the ham and raisin sauce, and the centerpiece of the feast, the turkey.
In the South the turkey may have been deep-fried or smoked. One of my older brother’s in-laws, the husband of his wife’s older sister, bought a smoker and smoked a turkey for Thanksgiving one year. He set up the smoker at the top of a slope in his yard. A strong gust of wind blew over the smoker. Its door sprung open and the turkey fell out. It rolled down the slope, pursued by the dog. The brother-in-law rescued the turkey from the dog, washed it off, and put it back in smoker after he moved the smoker to a safer location. There the turkey finished smoking under the watchful eye of the dog. Everyone agreed the turkey was delicious except for my brother. He dined on ham as he has a longstanding aversion to eating poultry.
When my mother and my aunt were alive and I lived in Louisiana, I would spend Thanksgiving Day with them. The meal was a relatively light one since my mother and my aunt were diabetics--roasted Cornish hens for my mother and my aunt and savory lentil puree for myself and roasted potatoes and onions and steamed broccoli for all three of us.
Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.
Silence
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much
the devices and the desires of our own hearts.
we have offended against your holy laws,
we have left undone what we ought to have done,
and we have done what we ought not to have done.
Yet, good Lord, have mercy on us;
restore those who are penitent,
according to your promises declared
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grant, most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may live a godly, righteous, and sober lives,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon
and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their
sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Open our lips, O Lord;
And we shall declare your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Folliott Sandford Pierpoint’s “For the Beauty of the Earth.”
1 For the beauty of the earth,
for the beauty of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies,
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
2 For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild:
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
3 For each perfect gift of thine,
to our race so freely given,
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven:
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
4 For thy church which evermore
lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore
her pure sacrifice of love,
Christ our God, to thee we raise
this our sacrifice of praise.
Open this link to hear David Haas and Marty Haugen’s setting of Psalm 145, “I Will Praise Your Name.”
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
1 I will extol you, my God and king,
and bless your name forever and ever.
I will bless you day after day,
and praise your name forever and ever.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
2 The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
3 All your works shall thank you, O Lord,
and all your faithful ones bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign,
and declare your mighty deeds.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
4 The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and holy in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
Silence
King of the universe,
you show the bright glory of your reign
in acts of mercy and enduring love;
raise the spirits of the downcast
and restore those who have fallen away,
that we may sing for ever of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
A reading from the Book of Joel
Joel 2:21-27
Fields, don't be afraid,
but be joyful and glad
because of all the Lord has done for you.
Animals, don't be afraid.
The pastures are green;
the trees bear their fruit,
and there are plenty of figs and grapes.
“Be glad, people of Zion,
rejoice at what the Lord your God has done for you.
He has given you the right amount of autumn rain;[a]
he has poured down the winter rain for you
and the spring rain as before.
The threshing places will be full of grain;
the pits beside the presses will overflow with wine and olive oil.
I will give you back what you lost
in the years when swarms of locusts ate your crops.
It was I who sent this army against you.
Now you will have plenty to eat, and be satisfied.
You will praise the Lord your God,
who has done wonderful things for you.
My people will never be despised again.
Then, Israel, you will know that I am among you
and that I, the Lord, am your God
and there is no other.
My people will never be despised again.
Silence
Open this link to hear Nikko Villanueva’s “Sing a New Song to the Lord” (Psalm 98)
Chorus
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the earth
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the earth
Verse 1
Let our heavens rejoice
Let the earth be glad
How great are your works, O Lord, our God
Chorus
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the earth
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the earth
Verse 2
Proclaim His salvation day after day
Great is the Lord, praise His name
Chorus
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the Earth
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the Earth
Verse 3
Worship Him in His splendor
And His Holiness
Say among the nations, "The Lord reigns"
Chorus
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the Earth
Sing a new song to the Lord
Sing to the Lord, all the Earth
Outro
Sing to the Lord
(Lord, the Lord, sing to the Lord)
A reading from Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
We beg you, our friends, to pay proper respect to those who work among you, who guide and instruct you in the Christian life. Treat them with the greatest respect and love because of the work they do. Be at peace among yourselves.
We urge you, our friends, to warn the idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back wrong for wrong, but at all times make it your aim to do good to one another and to all people.
Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.
Do not restrain the Holy Spirit; do not despise inspired messages. Put all things to the test: keep what is good and avoid every kind of evil.
May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way and keep your whole being—spirit, soul, and body—free from every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you will do it, because he is faithful.
Silence
“Be Thankful in All Circumstances”
In the South, in the southern United States, mention "Thanksgiving" and most folks will think of the annual national holiday on the last Thursday of November of each year when families, significant others, and friends get together and eat a meal. They may fondly recall past Thanksgivings and those who sat around the table and who have departed this life since then. Their thoughts may turn to the food that ladened the table and the different people who had prepared that food—the pumpkin pies, sweet potato pies, and pecan pies, the green bean casserole, the buttered rolls, the mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, the cornbread stuffing, the deviled eggs, the ham and raisin sauce, and the centerpiece of the feast, the turkey.
In the South the turkey may have been deep-fried or smoked. One of my older brother’s in-laws, the husband of his wife’s older sister, bought a smoker and smoked a turkey for Thanksgiving one year. He set up the smoker at the top of a slope in his yard. A strong gust of wind blew over the smoker. Its door sprung open and the turkey fell out. It rolled down the slope, pursued by the dog. The brother-in-law rescued the turkey from the dog, washed it off, and put it back in smoker after he moved the smoker to a safer location. There the turkey finished smoking under the watchful eye of the dog. Everyone agreed the turkey was delicious except for my brother. He dined on ham as he has a longstanding aversion to eating poultry.
When my mother and my aunt were alive and I lived in Louisiana, I would spend Thanksgiving Day with them. The meal was a relatively light one since my mother and my aunt were diabetics--roasted Cornish hens for my mother and my aunt and savory lentil puree for myself and roasted potatoes and onions and steamed broccoli for all three of us.
We always began our meal with a prayer of thanksgiving, expressing our gratitude not only for the food on the table but also for all the love God had shown us and particularly for the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
A number of Christian families do the same thing when they sit down to eat their Thanksgiving meal. They may join hands and bow their heads while one of them gives thanks. They may express their gratitude for the food, for those who are present, for those who are absent, and for what God is doing in their lives and the lives of others. They too may give thanks for God’s gift of his Son.
In this evening’s reading from his First Letter to the Thessalonians the apostle Paul urges the Christians at Thessaloniki to “be thankful in all circumstances.” What Paul was telling them and us is that regardless of the circumstances in which Christians find themselves, the right attitude to maintain is one of thankfulness and gratitude toward God. What Paul is not suggesting is that if we find ourselves in desperate circumstances, we should give thanks to God for the situation in which we find ourselves.
Paul recognized that in difficult situations we may be tempted to question God's love for us, God’s favor and goodwill toward us.
Psychologists tell us that our brains are hard wired to think negatively. Rather than focusing on the positive things that may be happening in our lives and the lives of other people, we focus on the negative things and exaggerate them in our minds. We fall into the habit of catastrophizing them, viewing them as far worse than they are.
When we shift our focus to the positive things are happening in our lives and the lives of other people and the part God is playing in making them happen, we see God in a new light. He is a gracious and generous God, showing kindness even to the wicked and the ungrateful, a God to whom, to borrow a phrase, “it is a good and joyful thing to give our thanks and praise.”
This is not to deny that bad things can and do happen and that we may not always understand why they happen. It is, however, wholeheartedly to maintain a lifelong trust and confidence in God’s graciousness and generosity, to embrace a mindset that God is unwavering in his loving-kindness toward us and our most fitting response to God’s loving-kindness is one of thankfulness and gratitude.
Silence
Open this link to hear Adam Wright’s arrangement of Psalm 67 from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
And make his face to shine upon us,
That your way may be known on earth,
Your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let all the peoples praise you!
2 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
For you judge the peoples with equity
And guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let all the peoples praise you!
3 The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
Let all the ends of the earth fear him!
Let the peoples praise You, O God
Let the peoples praise You, O God
Let the peoples praise You, O God
Let all (let all) the peoples praise You
Let the peoples praise You, O God
Let all the peoples praise You
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he will come 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.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
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.
Lord, show us your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Keep our nation under your care,
and guide us in justice and truth.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness,
and make your chosen people joyful.
Lord, save your people,
and bless your inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
for you are our help and strength.
Create in us dean hearts, O God,
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.
Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the
fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those
who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of
your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and
the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Eternal God, from whom all holy desires, all good purposes,
and all just works proceed: give to your servants that peace
which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to
obey your commandments, and that free from the fear of our
enemies we may pass our time in trust and quietness;
through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. 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 Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Open this link to hear George Herbert’s “Let All the World In Every Corner Sing.”
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The heavens are not too high,
His praise may thither fly;
The earth is not too low,
His praises there may grow.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The Church with psalms must shout,
No door can keep them out;
But above all the heart
Must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
[Let us give thanks to God for his goodness.]
Gracious God, we humbly thank you
for all your gifts freely bestowed upon us,
for life and health and safety,
for freedom to work and leisure to rest,
and for all that is beautiful in creation and in human life.
But, above all, we thank you for our Saviour Jesus Christ,
for his death and resurrection,
for the gift of your Spirit,
and for the hope of glory.
Fill our hearts with joy and all peace in believing;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Let us pray for all people according to their needs]
If two or more people are present, those present may ask the prayers of the others for particular persons and needs.
O God, the creator and preserver of all humankind, we pray for people of every race, and in every kind of need: make your ways known on earth, 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 profess and call
themselves Christians may be led into 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 anxious or distressed in mind or body; comfort and relieve them In their need, giving them patience in their sufferings, and bring good things out of their troubles.
(Especially we pray for…)
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Lord Christ, eternal Word and Light of the Father’s glory: send your light and your truth that we may both know and proclaim your word of life, to the glory of God the Father; for you now live and reign, God for all eternity. Amen.
Open this link to hear Timothy Dudley-Smith’s “Lord, for the Years.”
1 Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided,
Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today.
2 Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us,
speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us,
Lord of the word, receive your people's praise.
3 Lord, for our land, in this our generation,
spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care;
for young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.
4 Lord, for our world; when we disown and doubt him,
loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain;
hungry and helpless, lost indeed without him,
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.
5 Lord, for ourselves; in living power remake us,
self on the cross and Christ upon the throne;
past put behind us, for the future take us,
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.
THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE
The Lord be with you.
And also with you
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear St. Aidan’s Community’s “The Grace (2 Corinthians 13:14).”
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God our Father,
and the fellowship, the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with us
for evermore and evermore and evermore. Amen.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God our Father,
and the fellowship, the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with us
for evermore and evermore and evermore. Amen.
A number of Christian families do the same thing when they sit down to eat their Thanksgiving meal. They may join hands and bow their heads while one of them gives thanks. They may express their gratitude for the food, for those who are present, for those who are absent, and for what God is doing in their lives and the lives of others. They too may give thanks for God’s gift of his Son.
In this evening’s reading from his First Letter to the Thessalonians the apostle Paul urges the Christians at Thessaloniki to “be thankful in all circumstances.” What Paul was telling them and us is that regardless of the circumstances in which Christians find themselves, the right attitude to maintain is one of thankfulness and gratitude toward God. What Paul is not suggesting is that if we find ourselves in desperate circumstances, we should give thanks to God for the situation in which we find ourselves.
Paul recognized that in difficult situations we may be tempted to question God's love for us, God’s favor and goodwill toward us.
Psychologists tell us that our brains are hard wired to think negatively. Rather than focusing on the positive things that may be happening in our lives and the lives of other people, we focus on the negative things and exaggerate them in our minds. We fall into the habit of catastrophizing them, viewing them as far worse than they are.
When we shift our focus to the positive things are happening in our lives and the lives of other people and the part God is playing in making them happen, we see God in a new light. He is a gracious and generous God, showing kindness even to the wicked and the ungrateful, a God to whom, to borrow a phrase, “it is a good and joyful thing to give our thanks and praise.”
This is not to deny that bad things can and do happen and that we may not always understand why they happen. It is, however, wholeheartedly to maintain a lifelong trust and confidence in God’s graciousness and generosity, to embrace a mindset that God is unwavering in his loving-kindness toward us and our most fitting response to God’s loving-kindness is one of thankfulness and gratitude.
Silence
Open this link to hear Adam Wright’s arrangement of Psalm 67 from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version.
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
And make his face to shine upon us,
That your way may be known on earth,
Your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let all the peoples praise you!
2 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
For you judge the peoples with equity
And guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let all the peoples praise you!
3 The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
Let all the ends of the earth fear him!
Let the peoples praise You, O God
Let the peoples praise You, O God
Let the peoples praise You, O God
Let all (let all) the peoples praise You
Let the peoples praise You, O God
Let all the peoples praise You
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
almighty;
from there he will come 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.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
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.
Lord, show us your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Keep our nation under your care,
and guide us in justice and truth.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness,
and make your chosen people joyful.
Lord, save your people,
and bless your inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
for you are our help and strength.
Create in us dean hearts, O God,
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.
Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the
fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those
who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of
your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and
the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Eternal God, from whom all holy desires, all good purposes,
and all just works proceed: give to your servants that peace
which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to
obey your commandments, and that free from the fear of our
enemies we may pass our time in trust and quietness;
through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. 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 Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Open this link to hear George Herbert’s “Let All the World In Every Corner Sing.”
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The heavens are not too high,
His praise may thither fly;
The earth is not too low,
His praises there may grow.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
The Church with psalms must shout,
No door can keep them out;
But above all the heart
Must bear the longest part.
Let all the world in every corner sing,
My God and King!
[Let us give thanks to God for his goodness.]
Gracious God, we humbly thank you
for all your gifts freely bestowed upon us,
for life and health and safety,
for freedom to work and leisure to rest,
and for all that is beautiful in creation and in human life.
But, above all, we thank you for our Saviour Jesus Christ,
for his death and resurrection,
for the gift of your Spirit,
and for the hope of glory.
Fill our hearts with joy and all peace in believing;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Let us pray for all people according to their needs]
If two or more people are present, those present may ask the prayers of the others for particular persons and needs.
O God, the creator and preserver of all humankind, we pray for people of every race, and in every kind of need: make your ways known on earth, 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 profess and call
themselves Christians may be led into 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 anxious or distressed in mind or body; comfort and relieve them In their need, giving them patience in their sufferings, and bring good things out of their troubles.
(Especially we pray for…)
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Lord Christ, eternal Word and Light of the Father’s glory: send your light and your truth that we may both know and proclaim your word of life, to the glory of God the Father; for you now live and reign, God for all eternity. Amen.
Open this link to hear Timothy Dudley-Smith’s “Lord, for the Years.”
1 Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided,
Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today.
2 Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us,
speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us,
Lord of the word, receive your people's praise.
3 Lord, for our land, in this our generation,
spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care;
for young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.
4 Lord, for our world; when we disown and doubt him,
loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain;
hungry and helpless, lost indeed without him,
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.
5 Lord, for ourselves; in living power remake us,
self on the cross and Christ upon the throne;
past put behind us, for the future take us,
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.
THE SENDING FORTH OF GOD’S PEOPLE
The Lord be with you.
And also with you
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear St. Aidan’s Community’s “The Grace (2 Corinthians 13:14).”
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God our Father,
and the fellowship, the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with us
for evermore and evermore and evermore. Amen.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God our Father,
and the fellowship, the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with us
for evermore and evermore and evermore. Amen.
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