evening
prayer for advent
From the First Sunday of
Advent to Christmas Eve
The
Gathering of the Community
Introductory Responses
Light and
peace in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thanks be to God.
or
Jesus Christ
is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can extinguish.
Then the Thanksgiving for
the Light may be said or sung.
Let us give
thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and
praise.
Blessed are
you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe, creator of light and darkness. In this holy season, when the sun’s light is
swallowed up by the growing darkness of the night, you renew your promise to
reveal among us the splendour of your glory, enfleshed and visible to us in
Jesus Christ your Son. Through the
prophets you teach us to hope for his reign of peace. Through the outpouring of his Spirit, you
open our blindness to the glory of his presence. Strengthen us in our weakness. Support us in our stumbling efforts to do
your will and free our tongues to sing your praise. For to you all honour and blessing are due,
now and for ever. Amen.[i]
Evening Prayer continues
with the Psalm of the Day.
The
Proclamation of the Word
The Psalm
A
Psalm from the Daily Office Lectionary, the Weekday Eucharistic Lectionary or
the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings is said or sung.
Evening
Prayer continues with the Reading.
The Reading
A
Reading from the Daily Office Lectionary, the Weekday Eucharistic Lectionary or
the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings is read. After a period of silent reflection one of
the following is said.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to
God.
or
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to
God.
or
Holy Word, Holy Wisdom.
Thanks be to
God.
Evening Prayer continues
with the Responsory or the Canticle or both.
If two Readings are read, then the Responsory follows the first Reading
and the Canticle the second.
The Responsory
The Responsory is said or
sung.
My soul waits
for you, O Lord;
in your word
is my hope.
My soul waits for you, O Lord;
in your word is my hope.
Out of the
depths have I called to you, O Lord;
Lord, hear my
voice.
In your word is my hope.
There is
forgiveness with you;
therefore you
shall be feared.
In your word is my hope.
My soul waits
for the Lord,
more than the
watch for the morning.
In your word is my hope.
O Israel, wait
for the Lord,
for with the
Lord there is mercy.
In your word is my hope.
Glory to
God: Source of all being, eternal Word
and Holy Spirit.
My soul waits for you, O Lord;
in your word is my hope.
Evening Prayer continues
with [the Second Reading or] the Canticle or an Affirmation of Faith.
The Canticle
Either ‘The Song of Mary’
or ‘God’s Plan of Salvation’ may be said or sung.
The
Song of Mary (Luke 1.46-55)
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, *
my spirit rejoices in
God my Saviour,
for you, Lord, have looked with favour *
on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have
done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
You have mercy on those who fear you, *
from generation to
generation.
You have shown strength with your arm *
and scattered the proud
in their conceit,
casting down the mighty from their thrones *
and lifting up the
lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away
empty.
You have come to the aid of your servant Israel, *
to remember the promise
of mercy,
the promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his
children for ever.[ii]
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.
or
Glory to God, Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the
beginning, is now and will be for ever.
Amen.
Evening Prayer continues
with an Affirmation of Faith or the Litany.
God’s Plan of Salvation
(Ephesians 1.3-7)
Blessed are
you, the God and Father *
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has
blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places.
You chose us
in Christ before the foundation of the world *
to be holy and blameless before you
in love.
You destined
us for adoption *
as your children through Jesus
Christ,
according to
the good pleasure of your will, *
to the praise of your glorious grace
that you freely bestowed on us in the
Beloved.
In Christ we
have redemption through his blood, *
the forgiveness of our trespasses
according to the riches of your
grace.
Evening Prayer continues
with an Affirmation of Faith or the Litany.
Affirmation of Faith
Either The Apostles’ Creed
or the ‘Hear, O Israel’ may be said or sung.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he 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,
Evening Prayer continues with the Litany.
Hear, O Israel
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
This is the first and the great commandment.
The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.
The following may be said or sung after ‘Hear, O
Israel’.
Lord, have mercy upon us,
and write both these commandments in our hearts,
we beseech you.
Evening Prayer continues with the Litany.
The
Prayers of the Community
The Litany
The Litany is said or sung.
Watchful at all times, let us pray
to our Maker and Redeemer, saying, “God of our forebears, look with favour on
your servants.”
Maker of the universe, bring in
your reign of justice and mercy. God of
our forebears, look with favour on your servants.
Establish your righteousness among
the nations. God of our forebears, look
with favour on your servants.
May we seek you in the scriptures
and know you in the breaking of the bread.
God of our forebears, look with favour on your servants.
Bind up the broken-hearted,
restore the sick and raise up all who have fallen. God of our forebears, look with favour on
your servants.
May the light of your coming dawn
on all who live in darkness and in the shadow of death. God of our forebears, look with favour on
your servants.
May we join all the saints in
shining forth as lights to the world.
God of our forebears, look with favour on your servants.[iv]
Additional intercessions,
petitions and thanksgivings may be offered in silence or aloud. After a period of silence either the Collect
of the Day or the following Collect may be said or sung.
O God of the
exiles and the lost, you promise restoration and wholeness through the power of
Jesus Christ. Give us faith to live
joyfully, sustained by your promises as we eagerly await the day when they will
be fulfilled for all the world to see, through the coming of your Son, Jesus
Christ. Amen.[v]
Evening Prayer continues
with the Lord’s Prayer.
The Lord’s Prayer
Gathering our
prayers and praises into one,
let us pray as
our Saviour taught us,
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.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Evening Prayer continues
with the Dismissal.
The
Sending Forth of the Community
The Dismissal
Let us bless
the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Evening Prayer may
conclude with the following Sentence.
May the Sun of
Righteousness shine upon us and scatter the darkness from before our path. Amen.[vi]
Notes
All
scriptural texts are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
and may have been emended for more inclusive language.
All
liturgical texts are taken from The Book
of Alternative Services unless otherwise noted and may have been emended
for more inclusive language.
