Friday evening September 30
Saturday evening
Thursday evening
Preparation
Opening response
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Prayer of thanksgiving
Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night:
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As darkness falls you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
By the light of Christ, your living Word,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
that we may walk as children of light
and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessed be God forever.
That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and forever.
Amen.
Hymn
Gracious Redeemer, Shake This Slumber
Charles Wesley
Gracious Redeemer, shake
This slumber from my soul!
Say to me now, "Awake, awake!
And Christ shall make thee whole."
Lay to thy mighty hand!
Alarm me in this hour,
And make me fully understand
The thunder of thy power.
Give me on thee to call,
Always to watch and pray,
Lest I into temptation fall,
And cast my shield away;
For each assault prepared
And ready may I be,
Forever standing on my guard,
And looking up to thee.
O do thou always warn
My soul of evil near!
When to the right or left I turn,
Thy voice still let me hear;
"Come back! this is the way,
Come back, and walk herein!"
O may I hearken and obey,
And shun the paths of sin!
Confession of sin
The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
very patient, and full of faithful love.
He doesn’t deal with us according to our sin
or repay us according to our wrongdoing.
Because as high as heaven is above the earth,
that’s how large God’s faithful love is for those who honor him.
Silence is kept for reflection.
Holy God,
Holy and strong,
Holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.
As far as east is from west—
that’s how far God has removed our sin from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
that’s how the Lord feels compassion for those who honor him.
Let my whole being bless the Lord.
Let everything inside me bless his holy name.
Let my whole being bless the Lord,
and never forget all his good deeds.
The Word of God
Psalm 102
Refrain:
You, Lord, rule forever! Your fame lasts from one generation to the next!
Lord, hear my prayer!
Let my cry reach you!
Don’t hide your face from me
in my time of trouble!
Listen to me!
Answer me quickly as I cry out!
Because my days disappear like smoke,
my bones are burned up as if in an oven;
my heart is smashed like dried-up grass.
I even forget to eat my food
because of my intense groans.
My bones are protruding from my skin.
I’m like some wild owl—
like some screech owl in the desert.
I lie awake all night.
I’m all alone like a bird on a roof.
All day long my enemies make fun of me;
those who mock me curse using my name!
I’ve been eating ashes instead of bread.
I’ve been mixing tears into my drinks
because of your anger and wrath,
because you picked me up and threw me away.
My days are like a shadow soon gone.
I’m dried up like dead grass.
But you, Lord, rule forever!
Your fame lasts from one generation to the next!
You will stand up—
you’ll have compassion on Zion
because it is time to have mercy on her—
the time set for that has now come!
Your servants cherish Zion’s stones;
they show mercy even to her dirt.
The nations will honor the Lord’s name;
all the earth’s rulers will honor your glory
because the Lord will rebuild Zion;
he will be seen there in his glory.
God will turn to the prayer of the impoverished;
he won’t despise their prayers.
Let this be written down for the next generation
so that people not yet created will praise the Lord:
The Lord looked down from his holy summit,
surveyed the earth from heaven,
to hear the prisoners’ groans,
to set free those condemned to death,
that the Lord’s name may be declared in Zion
and his praise declared in Jerusalem,
when all people are gathered together—
all kingdoms—to serve the Lord.
God broke my strength in midstride,
cutting my days short.
I said, “My God, don’t take me away in the prime of life—
your years go on from one generation to the next!
You laid the earth’s foundations long ago;
the skies are your handiwork.
These things will pass away, but you will last.
All of these things will wear out like clothing;
you change them like clothes, and they pass on.
But you are the one!
Your years never end!
Let your servants’ children live safe;
let your servants’ descendants live secure in your presence.”
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen.
Refrain:
You, Lord, rule forever! Your fame lasts from one generation to the next!
Psalm prayer
Have pity on our frailty, God,
and in the hour of our death
cast us not away as clothing that is worn,
for you are our eternal refuge;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Old Testament reading
2 Chronicles 22:10-23:21
When Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, learned of her son’s death, she immediately destroyed the entire royal family of Judah’s dynasty. But Jehoshabeath the king’s daughter secretly took Ahaziah’s son Jehoash from the rest of the royal children who were about to be murdered, and hid him in a bedroom, along with his nurse. In this way Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of the priest Jehoiada and the sister of Ahaziah, hid Jehoash from Athaliah so she couldn’t murder him. He remained hidden with them in God’s temple for six years while Athaliah ruled the country.
But in the seventh year Jehoiada boldly formed a conspiracy with the following unit commanders: Jeroham’s son Azariah, Jehohanan’s son Ishmael, Obed’s son Azariah, Adaiah’s son Maaseiah, and Zichri’s son Elishaphat. They went throughout Judah recruiting the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the family heads of Israel, who then came to Jerusalem. The entire assembly made a covenant with the king in God’s temple. Jehoiada said, “Look! Here is the king’s son. He must be king, just as the Lord promised about David’s descendants. This is what you must do: A third of you priests and Levites coming on sabbath duty will guard the gates, another third will be at the royal palace, and another third will be at the Foundation Gate. Meanwhile, all the people will be in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. Don’t enter the Lord’s temple, because only the priests or Levites on duty can do that. They are allowed to enter because they are holy, but the rest of the people must follow the Lord’s requirements. The Levites must surround the king, each with his weapons drawn. Whoever comes near your ranks must be killed; stay near the king wherever he goes.”
The Levites and all Judah did everything that the priest Jehoiada ordered. They each took charge of those men reporting for duty on the Sabbath, as well as those going off duty, since Jehoiada hadn’t released any divisions from duty. Then the priest Jehoiada gave the unit commanders King David’s spears and large and small shields that were kept in God’s temple. He positioned all the people, each with their weapons drawn, near the altar and the temple, stretching from the south side of the temple to the north side, so as to protect the king. Then they brought out the king’s son, crowned him, gave him the royal law, and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him as everyone cried out, “Long live the king!”
When Athaliah heard the noise made by the people running and cheering the king, she went to the people at the Lord’s temple and saw the king standing by the royal pillar at the entrance, with the commanders and trumpeters beside the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and singers accompanied by musical instruments were leading the praise. Athaliah ripped her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”
Then the priest Jehoiada brought out the unit commanders who were in charge of the army. “Take her out under guard,” he told them, “and kill anyone who follows her.” This was because the priest had said, “She must not be executed in the Lord’s temple.” They arrested her when she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate at the royal palace. She was executed there.
Jehoiada then made a covenant between himself, all the people, and the king, that they would be the Lord’s people. Then all the people went to Baal’s temple and tore it down, smashing its altars and images into pieces. They executed Baal’s priest Mattan in front of the altars. Jehoiada appointed the priests and Levites in charge of the Lord’s temple, and then appointed the divisions of the priests and Levites that David had assigned to the Lord’s temple to offer entirely burned sacrifices to the Lord, as written in the Instruction from Moses, with rejoicing and singing, just as David had ordered. He posted guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple so that no one who was unclean in any way could enter. Then he took the unit commanders, the officials, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land, and they led the king down from the Lord’s temple, processing through the Upper Gate to the palace, where the king sat upon the royal throne. All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was at peace now that Athaliah had been executed at the palace.
Silence may be kept.
New Testament reading
Mark 16:1-8
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they could go and anoint Jesus’ dead body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they came to the tomb. They were saying to each other, “Who’s going to roll the stone away from the entrance for us?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. (And it was a very large stone!) Going into the tomb, they saw a young man in a white robe seated on the right side; and they were startled. But he said to them, “Don’t be alarmed! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised. He isn’t here. Look, here’s the place where they laid him. Go, tell his disciples, especially Peter, that he is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you.” Overcome with terror and dread, they fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Silence may be kept.
Gospel canticle
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)
Refrain:
God, you have done great things, and holy is your name.
With all my heart I glorify the Lord!
In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.
He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant.
Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored
because the mighty one has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
He shows mercy to everyone,
from one generation to the next,
who honors him as God.
He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations.
He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty-handed.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
remembering his mercy,
just as he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.
Luke 1:46-55
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen.
Refrain:
God, you have done great things, and holy is your name.
Brief silence.
The Apostle’s Creed
Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe 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 to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and 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.
Prayers
Thanksgiving and intercession
Thanksgiving may be made for the day.
Intercessions are offered
for peace
for individuals and their needs
Response
Lord, hear your people
and answer our prayers.
Silence may be kept.
Collect of the day
Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us your gift of faith
that, forsaking what lies behind
and reaching out to that which is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting joy;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Savior taught us, so we pray
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and forever.
Amen.
Conclusion
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.
Amen.