Thursday night December 22

Friday night
Wednesday night

Preparation

Opening response and confession of sin

The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.

Our help is in the name of the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

A period of silence may be kept for reflection on the past day.

Most merciful God,
we confess to you,
before the whole company of heaven and one another,
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed
and in what we have failed to do.
Forgive us our sins,
heal us by your Spirit
and raise us to new life in Christ. Amen.

Favor us, Lord, and deliver us.
Lord, come quickly and 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 forever. Amen.

Hymn

Being of Beings, God of Love

Charles Wesley
          
Being of beings, God of love,
To thee our hearts we raise;
Thy all-sustaining power we prove,
And gladly sing thy praise.

Thine, wholly thine, we pant to be;
Our sacrifice receive!
Made, and preserved, and saved by thee,
To thee ourselves we give.

Heavenward our every wish aspires
For all thy mercy’s store,
The sole return thy love requires,
Is that we ask for more.

For more we ask; we open then
Our hearts to embrace thy will,
Turn and revive us, Lord again,
With all thy fullness fill.

Come, Holy Ghost, the Savior’s love
Shed in our hearts abroad:
So shall we ever live and move,
And be with Christ in God.

The Word of God

Psalm 143

Refrain:
Show me the way I should go, because I offer my life up to you.

Listen to my prayer, Lord!
    Because of your faithfulness, hear my requests for mercy!
    Because of your righteousness, answer me!
Please don’t bring your servant to judgment,
    because no living thing is righteous before you.
The enemy is chasing me,
    crushing my life in the dirt,
        forcing me to live in the dark
            like those who’ve been dead forever.
My spirit is weak inside me—
    inside, my mind is numb.
I remember the days long past;
    I meditate on all your deeds;
    I contemplate your handiwork.
I stretch out my hands to you;
    my whole being is like dry dirt, thirsting for you.
Answer me, Lord—and quickly! My breath is fading.
    Don’t hide your face from me
        or I’ll be like those going down to the pit!
Tell me all about your faithful love come morning time,
    because I trust you.
Show me the way I should go,
    because I offer my life up to you.
Deliver me from my enemies, Lord!
    I seek protection from you.
Teach me to do what pleases you,
    because you are my God.
Guide me by your good spirit
        into good land.
Make me live again, Lord, for your name’s sake.
    Bring me out of distress because of your righteousness.
Wipe out my enemies because of your faithful love.
    Destroy everyone who attacks me,
        because I am your servant.

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:
Show me the way I should go, because I offer my life up to you.

Psalm prayer

Jesus, our companion,
when we are driven to despair,
help us, through the friends and strangers
we encounter on our path,
to know you as our refuge,
our way, our truth and our life.

Scripture reading
Mark 13:35-37

Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know when the head of the household will come, whether in the evening or at midnight, or when the rooster crows in the early morning or at daybreak. Don’t let him show up when you weren’t expecting and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Stay alert!”

Response

Lord, I entrust my spirit into your hands.
Lord, I entrust my spirit into your hands.
For you, Lord, God of faithfulness—
    you have saved me.
I entrust my spirit into your hands.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
Lord, I entrust my spirit into your hands.
Watch me with the very pupil of your eye!
Hide me in the protection of your wings.

Silence may be kept.

Gospel canticle
The Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon)

Refrain:
Come, Lord, and visit us in peace;
that we may rejoice before you with a perfect heart.

Now, master, let your servant go in peace according to your word,
    because my eyes have seen your salvation.
You prepared this salvation in the presence of all peoples.
It’s a light for revelation to the Gentiles
    and a glory for your people Israel.

Luke 2:29-32

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:
Come, Lord, and visit us in peace;
that we may rejoice before you with a perfect heart.

Brief silence.

Prayers

Thanksgiving and intercession

Open prayer is offered.
Silence may be kept.

Collect

Stir up your power, O God,
and come among us.
Heal our wounds,
calm our fears
and give us peace;
through Jesus our Redeemer.    
Amen.

Conclusion

We will lie down and fall asleep in peace
because you alone, Lord, let us live in safety.
Abide with us, Lord Jesus,
for the night is at hand and the day is now past.
As the night watch looks for the morning,
so do we look for you, O Christ.

Restore us, God!
Make your face shine so that we can be saved!
Bless and keep us, this night and always.
Amen.

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