Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (December 18, 2025)


Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows.

In this evening’s service we continue the message series on the teachings of Jesus. The topic of this evening’s message is the guiding principle for living Jesus gave us—the Golden Rule. 


GATHER IN GOD’S NAME

Open this link in a new tab to hear Kaleb Brasee’s arrangement of VENI EMMANUEL for solo piano.

Silence

Watch, for you know not when the master of the house
will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or
in the morning; lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.
Mark 13:35-36

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 we may be cleansed from all our 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 Sarah Kroger Quaglia, Benajmin Aaron Shive, and Dominic Quaglia Jr.’s updated version of “Creator of the Stars of Night.”

1 Creator of the stars of night
Your people’s everlasting light
O Christ, Redeemer of us all
We pray You hear us when we call

2 When this old world drew on toward night
You came, but not in splendor bright
Not as a monarch, but the child
Of Mary, Virgin mother mild

CHORUS:
Oh Light of the world
Come to us, stay with us
Like a dawn with no dusk
Come to us, stay with us we pray

3 At Your great name, O Jesus, now
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow
All things on earth with one accord
Like those in heaven, shall call You Lord

FINAL CHORUS:
Oh Light of the world
Come to us, stay with us
Like a dawn with no dusk
Come to us, stay with us
Oh Light of the world
Come to us, stay with us
Like a dawn with no dusk
Come to us, stay with us we pray

4 To God the Father, God the Son
And God the Spirit, Three in One
Praise, honor, might, and glory be
From age to age eternally

Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Walker’s “The Lord Is My Light” (Psalm 27).

1 The Lord is my light, my help, my salvation.
Why should I fear?
With God I fear no one.
God protects me all my life.
With the Lord what should I dread?

The Lord is my light,
the Lord is my help,
the Lord is my salvation.

2 There is one thing I ask of the Lord that I long for:
all of my days with God to be dwelling,
gazing with awe at the beauty of God,
and in wonder look on God's house.

The Lord is my light,
the Lord is my help,
the Lord is my salvation.


3 I know I will live to see the Lord’s goodness,
now, in this life I'm sure I will see it.
Trust in the Lord, be strong and be brave;
wait in hope for God, our salvation.

The Lord is my light,
the Lord is my help,
the Lord is my salvation.


Silence

O God, our defender,
give us the light of truth and wisdom
that all our hope may be fixed on you,
and on your Son, Jesus the Christ.
Amen.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke.
Luke 6:27-36

“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive payment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

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

Silence

The Golden Rule

“Do to others as you would have them do to you” is a principle that Jesus taught his disciples to guide them in how they treated others. It appears twice in the New Testament, in this evening’s reading, Luke 6:27-36, and in Matthew 7:12, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” 

Dubbed by Anglican preachers and theologians as the “Golden Rule” in the early seventeenth century in recognition of its importance, this principle has fallen on hard times in the twenty-first century. In some circles that identify themselves as Christian, it is grossly neglected or rejected entirely.

While fashioning and framing our lives according to Jesus’ teaching is not a means of salvation, it provides tangible evidence along with the good deeds that we do that we have a vital faith, the kind of faith that is the result of God’s grace working in us and which put us right with God. 

Fashioning and framing our lives according to Jesus’ teaching includes treating others as Jesus has commanded us to do. 

God’s grace, the power of the Holy Spirit, works in us not only to bring us to repentance and faith but also to transform our lives, to restoring God’s sin-marred image in us and making us more like Jesus.

What then did Jesus mean when he commanded, “Do to others as you would have them do to you”?

Jesus was instructing his disciples and us to treat others as we would wish others to treat us—with compassion, fairness, kindness, respect, and consideration for our feelings and needs. 

To put ourselves in their shoes. 

Not to be too quick to judge them or too harsh in our judgment. To make allowances. To give them the benefit of the doubt. 

To show them generosity, patience, and forgiveness. 

To exercise restraint. To check our own worst tendencies. Not to slight others, not to insult them by ignoring them or treating them as unimportant. Or worse—as non-existent. To intentionally give them no attention or show no interest in them. 

Not to bully others or to attack their character. Not to indulge in pettiness, getting angry about trifles, things that are not important. 

Not to make mountains out of molehills, treating slight difficulties as if they were serious problem. 

Not to give heed to unfounded rumors and malicious gossip. Not to spread lies and false reports. 

To pursue reconciliation rather than retribution, choosing getting along with others over getting even with them.

As Jesus points to the attention of his disciples and to our attention in this evening’s reading, we are to imitate God’s own mercifulness and by doing so show ourselves to be God’s children.

Silence

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!


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.

O Lord Jesus Christ,
who at your first coming sent your messenger
to prepare your way before you:
Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries
may likewise so prepare and make ready your way
by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,
that at your second coming to judge the world
we may be found an acceptable people in your sight;
for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen.

Almighty God,
Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light
now in the time of this mortal life
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive 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 in a new tab to hear Heinrich Held’s “Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord.”

1 Let the earth now praise the Lord,
Who has truly kept His word
And at last to us did send
Christ, the sinner's help and friend.

2 What the fathers most desired,
What the prophets' heart inspired,
What they longed for many a year,
Stands fulfilled in glory here.

3 Abram's promised great reward,
Zion's helper, Jacob's Lord--
Him of twofold race behold--
Truly came, as long foretold.

4 As Your coming was in peace,
Quiet, full of gentleness,
Let the same mind dwell in me
Which is Yours eternally.

5 Bruise for me the serpent's head
That, set free from doubt and dread,
I may cling to You in faith,
Safely kept through life and death.

6 Then when You will come again
As the glorious king to reign,
I with joy will see Your face,
Freely ransomed by Your grace.

Silence may be kept.

Those present may offer their own prayers and thanksgivings, either silently or aloud.

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.


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

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 all 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 on the video

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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