The congregation still standing, let the minister in one or more of the following passages give THE CALL TO WORSHIP. Let the people praise thee, O Lord: let all the people praise thee. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name: show forth his salvation from day to day. O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Then let the whole congregation join in singing A HYMN OF ASPIRATION. ¶One or two stanzas of the following or other appropriate hymns may be used: 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." "Safely through another week." "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow." ¶Then let the congregation be seated, with bowed heads, while the minister, in his own words, or, if he prefers, using one of the following prayers, leads them in THE INVOCATION. Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit: that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy Holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 ¶Here and after every prayer the people should say, Amen. Or this Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who hast made the Church thy dwelling-place, and hast taught us in thy word not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together; regard us in thy mercy, we beseech thee, who meet this day in thy holy place. Manifest thyself unto us, and bless us, that our worship may prepare us both to serve thee now and to glorify thee in thine eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.2 Or this O God, our heavenly Father, who hast given us the gracious gift of this hour of worship, help us to use it aright, that from it may come to us peace and power, together with the furthering of thy eternal kingdom of truth and love. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. Amen. 1 Gregorian Sacramentary, A.D. 590. 2 Scotch Book of Common Order. Or this We lift up our eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh our help. Our help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth. As we gather in thy presence, good Father, so graciously meet us, so abundantly bless us, so restore unto us the joy of thy salvation, that this may be indeed a gate of heaven. And if any sound of trouble, if any remembrance of care, if any foreboding of evil come upon us here, remove these things far from us, and grant us thy peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Or this O Almighty God, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift, and who pourest out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and supplication; deliver us, when we draw nigh unto thee from coldness of heart and wandering of mind; that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affection we may worship thee in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 ¶Then shall the minister and all the people unite in THE LORD'S PRAYER. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. ¶Then let the congregation stand and sing A HYMN OR CHANT OF PRAISE. ¶The Venite, Jubilate Deo, Te Deum Laudamus, or other hymn of praise may be used. ¶Then let the minister and congregation unite in THE RESPONSIVE READING OF SCRIPTURE. *¶Then may the congregation, led by the minister, recite in unison one of the following: * THE BEATITUDES. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 1 Common Prayer. Or this *THE COMMANDMENTS (shorter form). Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Honor thy father and thy mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house . . . nor anything that is thy neighbor's. Remember also what our Lord Jesus Christ said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. *THE WAY OF PEACE. Or this Let us put on, therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long suffering: forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a complaint against any: even as the Lord forgave us, so let us forgive. And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness; and let the peace of God rule in our hearts; for to this also are we called in one body. And let us show ourselves thankful. And let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, in all wisdom. And whatsoever we do, in word or in deed, let us do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him; and may the God of peace himself give us peace, at all times, in all ways. The Lord be with us all. (Col. iii.) I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the dead, and the life everlasting. Amen. ¶After the Responsive Reading, or the unison recital, when used, let all the congregation sing THE GLORIA PATRI. 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. Amen. THE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS. Or this Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good-will toward men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord. Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen. ¶Then let the congregation be seated. Then let the minister read THE FIRST SCRIPTURE LESSON. ¶After this Scripture lesson, let the choir, or choir and congregation, when convenient, sing AN ANTHEM. ¶This may follow the General Prayer if desired. *THE SECOND SCRIPTURE LESSON. This Scripture lesson may be followed by * A BRIEF CHOIR OR ORGAN RESPONSE. ¶Then while the congregation is seated, with bowed heads, let the minister lead them in THE GENERAL PRAYER. Almighty God, our heavenly Father, the strength of the weak, the rest of the weary, the comfort of the sorrowful, and the saviour of the sinful, hear us thy penitent children, as we pray for thy help in our weakness and need. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, thou art faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Hear us, O God, as together we acknowledge our transgressions. Here let all the congregation unite with the minister in THE CONFESSION. Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy ways. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare thou those who are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Jesus Christ our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy name. Amen.1 Or this Most holy and merciful Father, we thy wayward children do make humble confession of our shortcomings and our sin. All we like sheep have gone astray and have turned every one to his own way. We have lived too much to ourselves and not unto thee. We have not loved our brother as we ought, nor faithfully followed our Master in unselfish service. But wilt thou pardon all our offenses. Create within us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. May we go on our way with gladness, assured of thy compassion; and forgetting the things which are behind, may we reach forth unto those things which are before; pressing toward the mark of our high calling in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. ¶Then shall the minister say O God, giver of all good, and fountain of all mercies, in whom are the springs of our life, all glory, thanks and praise be unto thee for thine unfailing goodness. Hear us, we pray, as we lift up together our thanksgiving. ¶Here let all the congregation unite with the minister in THE THANKSGIVING. Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness, and lovingkindness to us, and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life, but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.1 ¶Then may follow a Pastoral Prayer by the minister, in which Adoration, Supplication and Intercession may be offered, remembering the special needs of the people, the country, and the world. A BRIEF ORGAN RESPONSE in simple chords may follow the prayer. ANNOUNCEMENTS, if there are any to be made. 1 Common Prayer. |