Evening Prayer
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 13, 2020
(adapted from the Book of Alternative Services, pages 61-71)
Opening Sentence:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 13.34
Officiant O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;
People Hear my voice when I cry to you.
Officiant Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as
incense,
People The lifting up of my hands as the evening
sacrifice.
All 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.
Except in Lent, add,
Alleluia!
Opening Hymn: Come, thou Almighty King
1 Come, thou Almighty King,
help us thy name to sing,
help us to praise.
Father, all glorious,
o'er all victorious,
come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.
2 Come, thou Incarnate Word,
gird on thy mighty sword,
scatter thy foes.
Let thine almighty aid
our sure defense be made,
our souls on thee be stayed;
thy wonders show.
3 Come, Holy Comforter,
thy sacred witness bear
in this glad hour.
Thou who almighty art,
now rule in ev'ry heart,
and ne'er from us depart,
Spirit of power.
4 To the great One in Three
eternal praises be,
hence evermore.
His sov'reign majesty
may we in glory see,
and to eternity
love and adore.
Text: anonymous, tract in Collection of Hymns for Social Worship, 1757
Music: ITALIAN-HYMN Felice de Giardini, Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, 1769
The Proclamation of the Word
A READING FROM THE BOOK OF EXODUS
The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar
of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of
Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one
did not come near the other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove
the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were
divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their
right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh's horses,
chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down
upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their chariot wheels so
that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, "Let us flee from the Israelites, for the Lord is
fighting for them against Egypt." Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, so
that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers." So Moses
stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians
fled before it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots
and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them
remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them
on their right and on their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw
the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great work that the Lord did against the Egyptians.
So the people feared the Lord and believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.
EXODUS 14.19-31
The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
PSALM: Psalm 114 Confitemini Domino
1 Hallelujah!
When Israel came out of Egypt, *
the house of Jacob from a people of strange speech,
2 Judah became God’s sanctuary *
and Israel his dominion.
3 The sea beheld it and fled; *
Jordan turned and went back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, *
and the little hills like young sheep.
5 What ailed you, O sea, that you fled? *
O Jordan, that you turned back?
6 You mountains, that you skipped like rams? *
you little hills like young sheep?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, *
at the presence of the God of Jacob.
8 Who turned the hard rock into a pool of water *
and flint-stone into a flowing spring.
Source of all life, you have brought us to new being through
the waters of baptism. May your love shown in our lives
become a wonder and a beacon of hope to the whole human
family. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. AMEN
A READING FROM THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS 14.1-12
Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarrelling over opinions. Some
believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise
those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgement on those who eat; for God has
welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another? It is before their own
lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Some
judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully
convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honour of the Lord. Also
those who eat, eat in honour of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain,
abstain in honour of the Lord and give thanks to God. We do not live to ourselves, and we do not
die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether
we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he
might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you pass judgement on your brother or
sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the
judgement seat of God. For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and
every tongue shall give praise to God." So then, each of us will be accountable to God.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!
Benedicite Omnia Opera
(The Song of the Three)
1 O all ye Works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord
:praise him, and magnify him for ever.
2 O ye Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
3 O ye Heavens, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
4 O ye Waters that be above the Firmament,
bless ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him
for ever.
5 O all ye Powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
6 O ye Sun and Moon, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
7 O ye Stars of Heaven, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
8 O ye Showers and Dew, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
9 O ye Winds of God, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
10 O ye Fire and Heat, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
11 O ye Winter and Summer, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
12 O ye Dews and Frosts, bless ye the
Lord :praise him, and magnify him for ever.
13 O ye Frost and Cold, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
14 O ye Ice and Snow, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
15 O ye Nights and Days, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
16 O ye Light and Darkness, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
17 O ye Lightnings and Clouds, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
18 O let the Earth bless the Lord :
yea, let it praise him, and magnify him for ever.
19 O ye Mountains and Hills, bless ye the
Lord :praise him, and magnify him for ever.
20 O all ye Green Things upon the Earth, bless
ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
21 O ye Wells, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
22 O ye Seas and Floods, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
23 O ye Whales, and all that move in the Waters,
bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
24 O all ye Fowls of the Air, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
25 O all ye Beasts and Cattle, bless ye the Lord
:praise him, and magnify him for ever.
26 O ye Children of Men, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
27 O let Israel bless the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
28 O ye Priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord :
praise him, and magnify him for ever.
29 O ye Servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord
:praise him, and magnify him for ever.
30 O ye Spirits and Souls of the Righteous, bless
ye the Lord : praise him, and magnify him for
ever.
31 O ye holy and humble Men of heart, bless
ye the Lord :praise him, and magnify him for ever.
32 O Ananias, Azarias and Misael, bless ye the
Lord : praise him, and magnify him for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
The congregation may stand or sit for a Gospel reading. The reader may say,
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to . . .
People Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then at the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ.
People Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
Then Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me,
how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but,
I tell you, seventy-seven times. For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a
king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who
owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered
him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be
made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay
you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the
debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a
hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow
slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he
refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow
slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their
lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave!
I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on
your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured
until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if
you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."
MATTHEW 16:21-28
Sermon:
Forgiveness from the Heart:
Living into the Infnite ercc of God.
A sermon or other comment on the readings is appropriate at principal
services on Sundays and at other major gatherings of the Christian
community. A silence for refection may follow.
Affirmation of Faith
The Nicene Creed
The celebrant may invite the people, in these or similar words, to join in the
recitation of the creed.
Celebrant Let us confess our faith, as we say,
All We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Intercessions and Thanksgivings
Intercession or thanksgiving may be offered for
the Church
the Queen and all in authority
the world
the local community
those in need
the departed.
The Collect of the Day:
Almighty God,
you call your Church to witness
that in Christ we are reconciled to you.
Help us so to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may turn to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Closing Hymn: To God be the Glory
1 To God be the glory, great things he has
done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the life gate that all may go in.
Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thro' Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he has
done!
2 O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood!
To ev'ry believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
[Refrain]
3 Great things he has taught us, great things he
has done,
and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
but purer and higher and greater will be
our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
[Refrain]
Text: Fanny J. Crosby, Brightest and Best, 1875). Tune: TO GOD BE THE GLORY William H. Doane,
Brightest and Best, 1875.
Dismissal
Then may be said or sung,
Officiant Let us bless the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
From Easter Day through the Day of Pentecost, Alleluia is added to the
dismissal and the people’s response
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.