Evening Prayer from 

     The Book of Common Prayer

     Sunday, 14th May 2023

Feast of St Matthias (15th May)

Hymn  173  City of God, how broad and far

Dearly beloved [brethren],

    the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge

        and confess our manifold sins and wickedness;

     [and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before

        the face of almighty God our heavenly Father;

    but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent and

obedient heart; to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by his infinite goodness and mercy.

    And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge

        our sins before God;

    yet ought we most chiefly so to do,

    when we assemble and meet together

    to render thanks for the great benefits that we have

        received at his hands,

    to set forth his most worthy praise,

    to hear his most holy word,

    and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary,

    as well for the body as the soul.]

     Wherefore I pray and beseech you,

    as many as are here present,

    to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice,

    unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying [after me]:

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 laws.

    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; and there is no health in us.

    But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.

    Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults.

Restore thou them that are penitent; according to thy promises declared unto humankind in Christ Jesu 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.

A priest says

    Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

    who desireth not the death of a sinner,

    but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live;

    and hath given power, and commandment, to his ministers

    to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent,

    the absolution and remission of their sins:

    he pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent

        and unfeignedly believe his holy gospel.

    Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance,

        and his Holy Spirit,

    that those things may please him which we do at this present;

    and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy;

    so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy;

    through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Our Father, which 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 trespasses,

   as we forgive them that trespass against us.

    And lead us not into temptation;

    but deliver us from evil.

    For thine is the kingdom,

    the power and the glory,

    for ever and ever.     Amen.

These responses are used

     O Lord, open thou our lips

All   and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

     

    O God, make speed to save us.

All   O Lord, make haste to help us.

     

    Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,

    and to the Holy Ghost;

All   as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

    world without end. Amen.

     

    Praise ye the Lord.

All   The Lord's name be praised.

Psalmody    PSALM 80.   Qui regis Israel

1 HEAR, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep : shew thyself also, thou that sittest upon the cherubims.

2  Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses : stir up thy strength, and come, and help us.

3  Turn us again, O God : shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

4  O Lord God of hosts : how long wilt thou be angry with thy people that prayeth?

5  Thou feedest them with the bread of tears : and givest them plenteousness of tears to drink.

6  Thou hast made us a very strife unto our neighbours : and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7  Turn us again, thou God of hosts : shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

8  Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt : thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.

9  Thou madest room for it : and when it had taken root it filled the land.

10  The hills were covered with the shadow of it : and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedar-trees.

11  She stretched out her branches unto the sea : and her boughs unto the river.

12  Why hast thou then broken down her hedge : that all they that go by pluck off her grapes?

13  The wild boar out of the wood doth root it up: and the wild beasts of the field devour it.

14  Turn thee again, thou God of hosts, look down from heaven : behold, and visit this vine;

15  And the place of the vineyard that thy right hand hath planted : and the branch that thou madest so strong for thyself.

16  It is burnt with fire, and cut down : and they shall perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.

17  Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand : and upon the son of man, whom thou madest so strong for thine own self.

18  And so will not we go back from thee : O let us live, and we shall call upon thy Name.

19  Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts : shew the light of thy countenance, and we shall be whole.

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

   

 Old Testament Reading      

First Reading:    1 Samuel 16: 1-13      King James Version

And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.  And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.  And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.

 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Here ends the First Lesson

 

Magnificat  

      

1  My soul doth magnify the Lord :

  and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

     

2  For he hath regarded :

   the lowliness of his handmaiden.

     

3  For behold, from henceforth :

  all generations shall call me blessed.

     

4 For he that is mighty hath magnified me :

   and holy is his Name.

     

5  And his mercy is on them that fear him :

   throughout all generations.

     

6  He hath shewed strength with his arm :

   he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

     

7  He hath put down the mighty from their seat :

   and hath exalted the humble and meek.

     

8  He hath filled the hungry with good things :

   and the rich he hath sent empty away.

     

9  He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel :

   as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever.

            Luke 1.46-55

   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.

 

New Testament Reading    Matthew  7: 15-27  King James Version

 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Here ends the second Lesson

Nunc dimittis  

 1  Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace :

   according to thy word.

     

2  For mine eyes have seen :

   thy salvation;

     

3  Which thou hast prepared :

  before the face of all people;

     

4  To be a light to lighten the Gentiles :

   and to be the glory of thy people Israel.   Luke 2.29-32

     

   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 Apostles' Creed     

  I believe in God the Father almighty,

   maker of heaven and earth:

   and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,

   who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

   born of the Virgin Mary,

   suffered under Pontius Pilate,

   was crucified, dead, and buried.

   He descended into hell;

   the third day he rose again from the dead;

   he ascended into heaven,

   and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almighty;

   from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

   I believe in the Holy Ghost;

   the holy catholic Church;

   the communion of saints;

   the forgiveness of sins;

   the resurrection of the body,

   and the life everlasting.     Amen.

     

 Prayers  

  The Lord be with you.

All  And with thy spirit.

     

 Let us pray.

   Lord, have mercy upon us.

All  Christ, have mercy upon us.

   Lord, have mercy upon us.

     

All  Our Father, which 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 trespasses,

   as we forgive them that trespass against us.

   And lead us not into temptation;

   but deliver us from evil. Amen.

     

   O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.

All  And grant us thy salvation.

     

   O Lord, save the KIng.

All  And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.

     

   Endue thy ministers with righteousness.

All  And make thy chosen people joyful.

     

   O Lord, save thy people.

All  And bless thine inheritance.

     

   Give peace in our time, O Lord.

All  Because there is none other that fighteth for us,

   but only thou, O God.

     

   O God, make clean our hearts within us.

All  And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

 

Three Collects are said.

The Collect for the feast day of St Matthias

O ALMIGHTY God, who into the place of the traitor Judas didst choose thy faithful servant Matthias to be of the number of the twelve Apostles: Grant that thy Church, being alway preserved from false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by faithful and true pastors; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 The Collect for Peace  

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both, our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments,  and also that, by thee, we being defended from the fear of our enemies  may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

  The Collect for Aid against all Perils  

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this   night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Hymn  208 O happy band of pilgrims.

 

A reading from Saints & Pilgrims in the Diocese of St Albans

by Alan Smith +St Albans

14th  May –  William Wright 1752-1807

Teacher

Hymn  122 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

 

Prayers -

Hymn   15 Saviour, again to thy dear name

The Blessing & The Dismissal

   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,

   and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.    

Organ Voluntary –Paul Edwards

© The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000-2004
All of the official Common Worship publications are available from Church House Publishing.

The Book of Common Prayer; Cambridge University Press; Cambridge, CB28BS.

CCLI number. 804157