Daily Evening Prayer
The leader may begin Evening Prayer by reading the following sentence of Scripture.
Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me, night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall.
Psalm 16:7-8
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Psalm 141:2
Confession of Sin
Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God.
Silence is kept. All kneeling, if possible, the Leader and People say
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.
we have offended against your 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 apart from your grace, there is no health in us.
O Lord, have mercy upon us.
Spare all those who confess their faults.
Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared
to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord;
And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.
The leader prays
Grant your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace;
that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Invitatory
Leader: O Lord, open our lips.
People: And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Leader: O God, make speed to save us;
People: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Leader: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
People: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Leader: Praise the Lord.
People: The Lord’s name be praised.
Phos hilaron O Gladsome Light
O gladsome light,
pure brightness of the ever-living Father in heaven, *
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!
Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light, *
we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, *
O Son of God, O Giver of Life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
Then follows
The Psalm or Psalms Appointed
Click here for Daily Lessons in the ESV, '79 BCP Daily Office Lectionary
*Evening Psalm(s) listed after the first semicolon*
At the end of the Psalms is said
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
The GOSPEL Lesson
Click here for Daily Lessons in the ESV, '79 BCP Daily Office Lectionary
Scroll down the link above for daily Gospel lesson
Following the lesson, the Reader may say
Here ends the Reading.
The following Canticle is normally said after the lesson.
Magnificat, The Song of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
My soul magnifies the Lord, *
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For he has regarded *
the lowliness of his handmaiden.
For behold, from now on, *
all generations will call me blessed.
For he that is mighty has magnified me, *
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on those who fear him, *
throughout all generations.
He has shown the strength of his arm; *
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has exalted the humble and meek.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent empty away.
He, remembering his mercy, has helped his servant Israel, *
as he promised to our fathers, Abraham and his seed forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
The Apostles’ Creed
Leader and People together
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
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, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Prayers
Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Leader: Let us pray.
Leader: Lord, have mercy upon us.
People: Christ, have mercy upon us.
Leader: Lord, have mercy upon us.
Leader: Our Father,
Leader and People: 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, and the power,
and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Leader: O Lord, show your mercy upon us;
People: And grant us your salvation.
Leader: O Lord, guide those who govern us;
People: And lead us in the way of justice and truth.
Leader: Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
People: And make your chosen people joyful.
Leader: O Lord, save your people;
People: And bless your inheritance.
Leader: Give peace in our time, O Lord;
People: And defend us by your mighty power.
Leader: Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
People: Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Leader: Create in us clean hearts, O God;
People: And take not your Holy Spirit from us.
The leader then prays one or more of the following collects, always beginning with the Collect of the Day
(the prayer of the previous Sunday or of the Holy Day being observed).
A collect is simply a prayer meant to gather the intentions of the people and the focus of worship into a succinct prayer.
The first Collect is the Collect of the Week.
the Collect of the Week.
In the link above for Psalms and Scripture, the liturgical week is in the heading above the readings.
A link to the 1979 BCP Weekly Collects (scroll to appropriate Collect)
The second prayer is a weekday collect.
The leader then prays a collect as follows according to the day of the week.
WEEKDAY COLLECT
A Collect for Resurrection Hope (Sunday)
Lord God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ triumphed over the powers of death
and prepared for us our place in the new Jerusalem:
Grant that we, who have this day given thanks for his resurrection,
may praise you in that City of which he is the light,
and where he lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Peace (Monday)
O God, the source of all holy desires, all good counsels,
and all just works: Give to your servants that peace which the world cannot give,
that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments,
and that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies,
may pass our time in rest and quietness,
through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
A Collect for Aid against Perils (Tuesday)
Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord;
and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Collect for Protection (Wednesday)
O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful,
the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead:
We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past,
and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night.
Bring us in safety to the morning hours;
through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
A Collect for the Presence of Christ (Thursday)
Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past;
be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope,
that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread.
Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.
A Collect for Faith (Friday)
Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death:
Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way,
that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness;
for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.
A Collect for the Eve of Worship (Saturday)
O God, the source of eternal light:
Shed forth your unending day upon us who watch for you,
that our lips may praise you, our lives
may bless you, and our worship on the morrow give you glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The third prayer is a prayer, or collect for mission.
The leader then prays one of the following prayers for mission.
COLLECT FOR MISSION
O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore:
Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you,
all tongues confess and bless you,
and men, women and children everywhere love you and serve you in peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night,
and give your angels charge over those who sleep.
Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying,
soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.
O God, you manifest in your servants the signs of your presence:
Send forth upon us the Spirit of love,
that in companionship with one another your abounding grace may increase among us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The leader may invite the People to offer intercessions and thanksgivings.
A hymn, song, or anthem may be sung.
Leader: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
The leader says one of these concluding sentences (and the people may be invited to join)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
2 Corinthians 13:14