Evening Prayer
Copyright © 2004, 2016 by the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. All rights reserved. Reproduced under license from ABC Publishing, Anglican Book Centre, a ministry of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, from Anglican Liturgical Library. Further copying is prohibited.
The Penitential Rite
The officiant may read one or more of the following sentences of scripture, or an opening sentence proper to the day.
The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51.18
Seek the Lord while he wills to be found, call upon him when he draws near; let the wicked forsake their ways, and the evil ones their thoughts; and let them return to the Lord, and he will have compassion, and to our God, for he will richly pardon. Isaiah 55.6, 7
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1.8, 9
Evening
Stay with us, Lord, for evening draws on, and the day is almost over. Luke 24.29
Seek him who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface of the earth: the Lord is his name. Amos 5.8
Jesus said, “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
The officiant says to the people,
Dear friends in Christ, as we prepare to worship almighty God, let us with penitent and obedient hearts confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his infinite goodness and mercy.
Or this: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbour.
Silence is kept.
The officiant and people say together,
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.
The priest says,
Almighty God have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
People Amen.
A deacon or lay person using the preceding form substitutes us for you and our for your.
When the Penitential Rite is used, the Invitatory for Morning or Evening Prayer may follow immediately (p. 47 or 66).
The Service of Light
Officiant: Light and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
Or
Officiant Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
People A light no darkness can extinguish.
The following hymn is sung. Another translation of the text may be used, such as “O Gracious Light, Lord Jesus Christ” on p. 690, or “O Gladsome light, O grace” or “Hail gladdening Light, of his pure glory poured.” On occasion, other hymns on the same theme may be substituted.
O Gracious Light Phos Hilaron
O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving 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 sung by happy voices,
O Son of God, O Giver of life,
and to be glorified through all the worlds.
Thanksgiving
Officiant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give our thanks and praise.
One of the following thanksgivings is sung or said.
1
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe!
You led your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day
and a pillar of fire by night.
Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ.
May his word be a lamp to our feet
and a light to our path;
for you are full of loving kindness for your whole creation,
and we, your creatures, glorify you,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
2 †
We praise and thank you, O God,
for you are without beginning and without end.
Through Christ you are the creator and preserver
of the whole world;
but, above all, you are his God and Father,
the giver of the Spirit,
and the ruler of all that is, seen and unseen.
You made the day for the works of light
and the night for the refreshment of our minds and bodies.
O loving Lord and source of all that is good,
accept our evening sacrifice of praise.
As you have conducted us through the day
and brought us to night’s beginning,
keep us now in Christ;
grant us a peaceful evening
and a night free from sin;
and, at the end, bring us to everlasting life.
Through Christ and in the Holy Spirit,
we offer you all glory, honour, and worship,
now and for ever. Amen.
3 †
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe!
Your word brings on the dusk of evening,
your wisdom creates both night and day.
You determine the cycles of time,
arrange the succession of seasons,
and establish the stars in their heavenly courses.
Lord of the starry hosts is your name.
Living and eternal God, rule over us always.
Blessed be the Lord, whose word makes evening fall. Amen.
4 Advent †
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe,
creator of light and darkness.
In this holy season,
when the sun’s light is swallowed up
by the growing darkness of the night,
you renew your promise to reveal among us
the splendour of your glory,
enfleshed and visible to us in Jesus Christ your Son.
Through the prophets
you teach us to hope for his reign of peace.
Through the outpouring of his Spirit,
you open our blindness to the glory of his presence.
Strengthen us in our weakness.
Support us in our stumbling efforts to do your will
and free our tongues to sing your praise.
For to you all honour and blessing are due,
now and for ever. Amen.
5 Christmas and Epiphany †
Blessed are you, Lord our God,
our eternal Father and David’s king.
You have made our gladness greater and increased our joy
by sending to dwell among us
the Wonderful Counsellor, the Prince of Peace.
Born of Mary,
proclaimed to the shepherds,
and acknowledged to the ends of the earth,
your unconquered Sun of righteousness
destroys our darkness and establishes us in freedom.
All glory in the highest be to you,
through Christ, the Son of your favour,
in the anointing love of his Spirit,
this night and for ever and ever. Amen.
6 Lent †
Blessed are you, O Lord our God,
the shepherd of Israel,
their pillar of cloud by day,
their pillar of fire by night.
In these forty days you lead us
into the desert of repentance
that in this pilgrimage of prayer
we might learn to be your people once more.
In fasting and service
you bring us back to your heart.
You open our eyes to your presence in the world
and you free our hands to lead others
to the radiant splendour of your mercy.
Be with us in these journey days
for without you we are lost and will perish.
To you alone be dominion and glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Resurrection †
We praise and thank you, O God our Father,
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him you have enlightened us
by revealing the light that never fades,
for dark death has been destroyed
and radiant life is everywhere restored.
What was promised is fulfilled:
we have been joined to God,
through renewed life in the Spirit of the risen Lord.
Glory and praise to you, our Father,
through Jesus your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Spirit,
in the kingdom of light eternal,
for ever and ever. Amen.
If the Penitential Rite has not been used, the officiant may read an opening sentence proper to the day or time of day.
Either the following responses or one of the alternative introductory responses on pp. 96–100 may be used.
Officiant O Lord, I call to you; come to me quickly;
People Hear my voice when I cry to you.
Officiant Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense,
People The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
All Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Except in Lent, add, Alleluia!
The Invitatory
If the Service of Light has not been celebrated, the Invitatory hymn or psalm follows.
O Gracious Light Phos Hilaron
O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving 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.
Or
Psalm 134
Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, *
you that stand by night in the house of the Lord.
Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord; *
the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
Or the Easter canticle may follow between Easter and Pentecost.
Christ our Passover
1 Corinthians 5.7–8; Romans 6.9–11; 1 Corinthians 15.20–22
Alleluia!
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Alleluia!
Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *
death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; *
but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia!
Christ has been raised from the dead, *
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia!
The Psalms
The psalm, or psalms, precede or follow the first reading. When the theme of the psalm is closely related to that of the reading, it is appropriate that the psalm follow the reading as a reflection. At the end of the psalm or psalms, silence may be kept and a prayer may be said. The following may be said or sung, or omitted.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Readings
The reading, or readings, as appointed are read, the reader first saying, A reading from . . .
After each reading the reader may say, The word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
The congregation may stand or sit for a Gospel reading. The reader may say,
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to . . .
People Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then at the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
The Gospel of Christ.
People Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
The readings may be followed by silence, a canticle, a responsory, an anthem or other music, or a hymn. A combination of these responses may be appropriate. The psalm, as appointed, may follow the first reading.
Sermon
A sermon or other comment on the readings is appropriate at principal services on Sundays and at other major gatherings of the Christian community. A silence for reflection may follow.
Affirmation of Faith
The Apostles’ Creed or Hear, O Israel may be said.
The Apostles’ Creed
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 power of 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.
Or the following:
Hear, O Israel
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
This is the first and the great commandment.
The second is like it:
Love your neighbour as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.
Offertory Hymn
Intercessions and Thanksgivings
A deacon or lay member of the community may lead the intercessions and thanksgivings. Intercession or thanksgiving may be offered for
the Church
the Queen and all in authority
the world
the local community
those in need
the departed.
A short litany may be selected from pp. 110–127. A thanksgiving litany and the forms of General Thanksgiving are found on pp. 128–130. Other prayers are found on pp. 675–684. These prayers and thanksgivings may be modified in accordance with local need, or extempore forms of prayer may be used.
The Collect
The Collect of the Day or a collect appropriate to the time of day may be said.
The Lord’s Prayer
Officiant Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Saviour taught us,
All 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. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
Or
Officiant And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
All 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.
Dismissal
Then may be said or sung,
Officiant Let us bless the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
From Easter Day through the Day of Pentecost, Alleluia is added to the dismissal and the people’s response.
The officiant may conclude with one of the following:
The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last. Amen.
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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.
May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
May the Lord of peace give us peace in all ways and at all times. Amen.