All Saints’ Church Renhold Bedfordshire, England
Evening Prayer
Thursday, 18 May 2023 Ascension Day
Preparation
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Your throne has been established from of old;
you are from everlasting. Alleluia.
Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
From the darkness of death you have raised your Christ
to the right hand of your majesty on high.
The pioneer of our faith, his passion accomplished,
has opened for us the way to heaven
and sends on us the promised Spirit.
May we be ready to follow the Way
and so be brought to the glory of his presence
where songs of triumph for ever sound:
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
This opening prayer may be said
That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.
Silence is kept.
As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
Amen.
The Word of God
Psalm 8
O Lord our governor,
how glorious is your name in all the world!
Your majesty above the heavens is praised
out of the mouths of babes at the breast.
You have founded a stronghold against your foes,
that you might still the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have ordained,
What is man, that you should be mindful of him;
the son of man, that you should seek him out?
You have made him little lower than the angels
and crown him with glory and honour.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands
and put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen,
even the wild beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea
and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea.
O Lord our governor,
how glorious is your name in all the world!
We bless you, master of the heavens,
for the wonderful order which enfolds this world;
grant that your whole creation
may find fulfilment in the Son of Man,
Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
The first reading may be read here, Song of the Three 29-37
‘Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors,
and to be praised and highly exalted for ever;
And blessed is your glorious, holy name,
and to be highly praised and highly exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
and to be extolled and highly glorified for ever.
Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne on the cherubim,
and to be praised and highly exalted for ever.
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
and to be extolled and highly exalted for ever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
and to be sung and glorified for ever.
‘Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord;
sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, you heavens;
sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord;
sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.
Canticle
Refrain:
Christ was believed in throughout the world
and taken up in glory. Alleluia.
Christ Jesus was revealed in the flesh
and vindicated in the spirit.
He was seen by angels
and proclaimed among the nations.
Believed in throughout the world,
he was taken up in glory.
This will be made manifest at the proper time
by the blessed and only Sovereign,
Who alone has immortality,
and dwells in unapproachable light.
1 Timothy 3.16; 6.15, 16
To the King of kings and Lord of lords
be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.
Christ was believed in throughout the world
and taken up in glory. Alleluia.
Scripture Reading
Revelation 5
Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’
Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne.When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sing a new song:‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for Godsaints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God,and they will reign on earth.’
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and mightand honour and glory and blessing!’
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lambbe blessing and honour and glory and mightfor ever and ever!’
And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped.
The reading may be followed by a time of silence.
Sing to the Lord and bless his name;
tell out his salvation from day to day.
God has gone up with a merry noise;
sing to the Lord and bless his name.
The Lord with the sound of the trumpet:
tell out his salvation from day to day.
He has led captivity captive, and given gifts to his people.
Sing to the Lord and bless his name;
tell out his salvation from day to day. from Psalms 47 and 68
Gospel Canticle
The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is said
I have made your name known to those you have given me;
and now I pray for them, for I am coming to you. Alleluia.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed;
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,
to remember his promise of mercy,
The promise made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children for ever. Luke 1.46-55
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning is now
and shall be for ever. Amen.
Refrain:
I have made your name known to those you have given me;
and now I pray for them, for I am coming to you. Alleluia.
Prayers
Thanksgiving may be made for the day.
Intercessions are offered
¶ for peace&for individuals and their needs
These responses may be used
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer
Silence may be kept.
The Collect of the day is said
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ
to have ascended into the heavens,
so we in heart and mind may also ascend
and with him continually dwell;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer is said
Looking for the coming of his kingdom,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who 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.
The Conclusion
May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.