Parishes of Layer de la Haye, Layer Breton with Birch, and Layer Marney

Common Worship

An Order for Evening Prayer on Sunday

The text of the Order for Evening Prayer used at Layer de la Haye is as follows:

NOTE: Those prayers and responses shown in bold are said or sung by the whole congregation.

STAND

An opening hymn is sung.

Preparation

The light and peace of Jesus Christ be with you
and also with you.

The glory of the Lord has risen upon us.
Let us rejoice and sing God's praise for ever.

The minister says

We have come together in the name of Christ
to offer our praise and thanksgiving,
to hear and receive God's holy word,
to pray for the needs of the world,
and to seek the forgiveness of our sins,
that by the power of the Holy Spirit
we may give ourselves to the service of God.

The following or another authorized confession and absolution is
used

Jesus says, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.'
So let us turn away from our sin and turn to Christ,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

KNEEL

Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.

May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.

STAND

The following hymn, Phos hilaron - A Song of the Light, is sung

Hail, gladdening Light, of his pure glory poured,
Who is the immortal Father, heavenly, blest,
Holiest of holies, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now we are come to the sun's hour of rest,
The lights of evening round us shine,
We hymn the Father, Son and Holy Spirit divine.

Worthy are you at all times to be sung
With undefiled tongue,
Son of our God, giver of life, alone:
Therefore in all the world your glories, Lord, they own.

This prayer is said

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your Spirit come down upon us
to set us free to sing your praise
for ever and ever.
Amen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said or sung.

Each psalm or portion of psalm ends with

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.

Scripture Readings

SIT

A reading from the Old Testament

At the end of the reading the reader says

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

A Song of the Lamb is said or sung (in Ordinary Time)
(The seasonal canticles are printed at the end)

STAND

1. Salvation and glory and power be'long to our ' God,
   whose ' judgements are ' true and ' just.
   
   
2. Praise our God, all ' you his ' servants,
   all who ' fear him, both ' small and ' great.
   
   
3. The Lord our God, the Al'mighty, ' reigns:
   let us rejoice and ex'ult and ' give him the ' glory.
   
   
4. For the marriage of the ' Lamb has ' come
   and his ' bride has ' made herself ' ready.
   
   
5. Blessed are those who ' are in'vited
   to the wedding ' banquet ' of the ' Lamb.

To the One who sits on the throne and ' to the ' Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
  for ever and ' ever. ' A'men.

SIT

A reading from the New Testament.

At the end of the reading the reader says

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Gospel Canticle

STAND

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is said or sung

1. My soul proclaims the ' greatness of the ' Lord:
    my spirit re'joices in ' God my ' Saviour;
   
   
2. for he has looked with favour on his ' lowly ' servant:
    from this day all gener'ations will ' call ' me blessèd;
   
   
3. the Almighty has done ' great things ' for me:
    and ' holy ' is his name.
   
   
4. He has mercy on ' those who ' fear him:
    In ' every ' gener'ation.
   
   
5. He has shown the ' strength of his ' arm:
    he has scattered the ' proud in ' their con'ceit.
   
   
6. He has cast down the mighty ' from their ' thrones:
    and has ' lifted ' up the lowly.
   
   
7. He has filled the hungry with ' good ' things:
    and the rich he has ' sent a'way ' empty.
   
   
8. He has come to the help of his ' servant ' Israel:
    for he has re'membered his ' promise of ' mercy,
   
   
9. the promise he ' made to our ' fathers:
    to Abraham ' and his ' children for'ever.

Glory to the Father and ' to the ' Son:
 and ' to the ' Holy ' Spirit;
as it was in the be'ginning is ' now:
 and shall be for ' ever. 'A'men.

Sermon

SIT

A sermon is preached.

The Creed

STAND

The Apostles' Creed or an authorized Affirmation of Faith is said.

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his 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 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,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

A hymn is sung.

Prayers

KNEEL

Intercessions are offered.

The Lord's Prayer is said

Gathering our prayers and praises into one,
as our Saviour has taught us, so we pray

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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

STAND

An offertory hymn is sung.

The Conclusion

KNEEL

The Evening Collect is said

Lighten our darkness,
Lord, we pray,
and in your great mercy
defend us from all perils and dangers of this night,
for the love of your only Son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

OR one of the following evening prayers

Look down, O Lord, from your heavenly throne,
illuminate the darkness of this night with your celestial brightness,
and from the children of light banish the deeds of darkness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Be present, O merciful God,
and protect us through the silent hours of this night,
so that we who are wearied
by the changes and chances of this fleeting world,
may repose upon your eternal changelessness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The service ends with the following, or another blessing or ending.

The Blessing

The Lord bless you and watch over you,
the Lord make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you,
the Lord look kindly on you
and give you peace;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.

Seasonal New Testament Canticles

A Song of the Spirit (Advent)

1. ‘Behold, I am coming soon’, says the Lord,
       ‘and bringing my re'ward with ' me,
   to give to everyone ac'cording ' to their ' deeds.
   
   
2. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first ' and the ' last,
   the be'ginning ' and the ' end.’
   
   
3. Blessed are those who do God's commandments,
       that they may have the right to the ' tree of ' life,
   and may enter into the ' city ' through the ' gates.
   
   
4. ‘I, Jesus, have sent my ' angel to ' you,
   with this ' testimony for ' all the ' churches.
   
   
5. ‘I am the root and the ' offspring of ' David,
   I am the ' bright ' morning ' star.’
   
   
6. ‘Come!’ say the Spirit ' and the ' Bride;
   ‘Come!’ ' let each ' hearer re'ply!
   
   
7. Come forward, ' you who are ' thirsty,
   let those who desire take the ' water of ' life • as a ' gift.
   Revelation 22.12-14, 16, 17

Surely I am ' coming ' soon!
A'men! ' Come, Lord ' Jesus!

A Song of Redemption (Christmas)

1. The Father has delivered us from the do'minion of ' darkness,
   and transferred us to the kingdom of ' his be'loved ' Son;
   
   
2. In whom we ' have re'demption,
   the for'giveness ' of our ' sins.
   
   
3. He is the image of the in'visible ' God,
   the ' firstborn of ' all cre'ation.
   
   
4. For in him all things ' were cre'ated,
   in heaven and on earth, ' visible ' and in'visible.
   
   
5. All things were created ' through him and ' for him,
   he is before all things and in him ' all things ' hold to'gether.
   
   
6. He is the head of the ' body, the ' Church,
   he is the beginning, the ' firstborn ' from the ' dead.
   
   
7. ‡ In him all the fullness of God was ' pleased to ' dwell;
   and through him God was ' pleased to ' reconcile ' all things.
   Colossians 1.13-18a, 19, 20a

Glory to the Father and ' to the ' Son
and ' to the ' Holy ' Spirit;
as it was in the be'ginning is ' now
and shall be for ' ever. ' A'men.

A Song of Praise (Epiphany)
This Canticle is also known as Glory and Honour.

1. You are worthy, our ' Lord and ' God,
   to receive ' glory and ' honour and ' power.
   
   
2. For you have cre'ated ' all things,
   and by your ' will they ' have their ' being.
   
   
3. You are worthy, O Lamb, for ' you were ' slain,
   and by your blood you ransomed for God
       saints from every ' tribe and ' language and ' nation.
   
   
4. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests
       ' serving our ' God,
   and they will ' reign with ' you on ' earth.
   Revelation 4.11; 5.9b, 10

To the One who sits on the throne and ' to the ' Lamb
be blessing and honour, glory and might,
for ever and ' ever. ' A'men.

A Song of Christ the Servant (Lent)

1. Christ suffered for you, leaving you ' an ex'ample,
   that you should ' follow ' in his ' steps.
   
   
2. He committed no sin, no guile was ' found on his ' lips,
   when he was reviled, he did ' not re'vile in ' turn.
   
   
3. When he suffered, he ' did not ' threaten,
   but he trusted himself to ' God who ' judges ' justly.
   
   
4. Christ himself bore our sins in his body ' on the ' tree,
   that we might die to ' sin and ' live to ' righteousness.
   
   
5. By his wounds, you have been healed,
       for you were ' straying like ' sheep,
   but have now returned
       to the shepherd and ' guardian ' of your ' souls.
   1 Peter 2.21b-25

Glory to the Father and ' to the ' Son
and ' to the ' Holy ' Spirit;
as it was in the be'ginning is ' now
and shall be for ' ever. ' A 'men.

A Song of Faith (Easter)

1. Blessed be the ' God and ' Father
   of our ' Lord ' Jesus ' Christ!
   
   
2. By his great mercy we have been born anew to a ' living ' hope
   through the resurrection of Jesus ' Christ ' from the ' dead,
   
   
3. Into an inheritance that ' is im'perishable,
   undefiled and unfading,
       ' kept in ' heaven for ' you,
   
   
4. Who are being protected by the power of God
       through faith ' for a sal'vation,
   ready to be re'vealed • in the ' last ' time.
   
   
5. You were ransomed from the futile ' ways of your ' ancestors
   not with perishable ' things like ' silver or ' gold
   
   
6. But with the precious ' blood of ' Christ
   like that of a lamb ' without ' spot or ' stain.
   
   
7. ‡ Through him we have confidence in God,
       who raised him from the dead and ' gave him ' glory,
   so that your faith and ' hope are ' set on ' God.
   1 Peter 1.3-5,18,19,21

Glory to the Father and ' to the ' Son
and ' to the ' Holy ' Spirit;
as it was in the be'ginning is ' now
and shall be for ' ever. ' A'men.

A Song of God’s Children (Pentecost)

1. The law of the Spirit of life ' in Christ ' Jesus
   has set us free from the ' law of ' sin and ' death.
   
   
2. All who are led by the Spirit of God are ' children of ' God;
   for we have received the Spirit that enables us to ' cry,
       ' ‘Abba, ' Father’.
   
   
3. The Spirit himself bears witness that we are ' children of ' God
   and if God's ' children, then ' heirs of ' God;
   
   
4. If heirs of God, then fellow'heirs with ' Christ;
   since we suffer with him now, that we ' may be ' glorified ' with him.
   
   
5. These sufferings that we ' now en'dure
   are not worth comparing to the glory ' that shall ' be re'vealed.
   
   
6. For the creation waits with ' eager ' longing
   for the re'vealing • of the ' children of ' God.
   Romans 8.2,14,15b-19

Glory to the Father and ' to the ' Son
and ' to the ' Holy ' Spirit;
as it was in the be'ginning is ' now
and shall be for ' ever. ' A 'men.

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2000.

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Page updated: 20 JUN 2009