Evening Prayer, Common Worship June 10, 2020 Ephram of Edessa, Deacon 373 [Commemoration]

Good Evening: Welcome to Evening Prayer at Church of the Nativity. You may follow along with the order of service using the link to the liturgy posted in the description of this video. Tonight, we will join our voices in communion with our sisters and brothers from the Church of England using the form for Evening Prayer from Common Worship.

Let us begin our time together in silence.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Confession of Sin

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most merciful God, w e 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 neighbors 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.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. A men.

Preparation

Officiant O God, make speed to save us. People O Lord, make haste to help us.

Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night: to you be praise and glory for ever. As darkness falls you renew your promise to reveal among us the light of your presence. By the light of Christ, your living Word, dispel the darkness of our hearts that we may walk as children of light and sing your praise throughout the world. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

All Blessed be God forever.

O Gracious Light Hymnal 25 Phos Hilaron

O Gracious Light, Lord Jesus Christ, In you the Father’s Glory shone. Immortal, holy, blest is he, And blest are you his holy Son.

Now sunset comes, but light shines forth, The lamps are lit to pierce the night. Praise Father, Son, and Spirit God, Who dwells in the eternal light.

Worthy are you of endless praise, O Son of God, Life giving Lord; Wherefore you are through all the earth, And in the highest heaven adored.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be forever. Amen

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.

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 forever. A men.

The Word of God

Psalm 98:5-10 Cantate Domino

Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands; lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing. Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the voice of song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy before the King, the Lord. Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, the lands and those who dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands, and let the hills ring out with joy before the Lord, when he comes to judge the earth. In righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with equity.

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 Lesson Proverbs 3:1-7

My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare they will give you.

Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them round your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favour and good repute in the sight of God and of people.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

Here ends the lesson.

The Song of Simeon Hymnal 499 Nunc Dimittis

Lord God, you now have set your servant free To go in peace as promised in your word; My eyes have seen the Savior, Christ our Lord, Prepared by you for all the world to see. To shine on nations trapped in darkest night, The glory of your people and your light.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be forever. Amen

The Second Lesson Ephesians 3:8–12

Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

Here ends the lesson.

Lord, you will guide me with your counsel and afterwards receive me with glory. Lord, you will guide me with your counsel and afterwards receive me with glory. For I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. And afterwards receive me with glory. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Lord, you will guide me with your counsel and afterwards receive me with glory.

Tell Out My Soul HYMNAL 438

The Song of Mary Luke 1:46-55 Magnificat

Remember your promise of mercy, to Abraham and his children forever.

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 forever.

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.

Remember your promise of mercy, to Abraham and his children forever.

The Third Lesson John 16:12–15

Jesus said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Reader Here ends the lesson.

Ephrem of Edessa Deacon, 373

Ephrem of Edessa was a teacher, poet, orator, and defender of the faith—a voice of Aramaic Christianity, speaking the language Jesus spoke, using the imagery Jesus used. Edessa, a Syrian city, was a center for the spread of Christianity in the East long before the conversion of the western Roman empire.

The Syrians called Ephrem “The Harp of the Holy Spirit,” and his hymns still enrich the liturgies of the Syrian Church. Ephrem was one whose writings were influential in the development of Church doctrine. Jerome writes: “I have read in Greek a volume of his on the Holy Spirit; though it was only a translation, I recognized therein the sublime genius of the man.” Ephrem was born at Nisibis in Mesopotamia. At eighteen, he was baptized by James, Bishop of Nisibis. It is believed that Ephrem accompanied James to the famous Council of Nicaea in 325. He lived at Nisibis until 363, when the Persians captured the city and drove out the Christians.

Ephrem retired to a cave in the hills above the city of Edessa. There he wrote most of his spiritual works. He lived on barley bread and dried herbs, sometimes varied by greens. He drank only water. His clothing was a mass of patches. But he was not a recluse, and frequently went to Edessa to preach. Discovering that hymns could be of great value in support of the true faith, he opposed Gnostic hymns with his own, sung by a choir of women. An example is “From God Christ’s deity came forth” (The Hymnal 1982, #443).

During a famine in 372–373, he distributed food and money to the poor and organized a sort of ambulance service for the sick. He died of exhaustion, brought on by his long hours of relief work.

Of his writings, there remain 72 hymns, commentaries on the Old and New Testaments, and numerous homilies. In his commentary on the Passion, he wrote: “No one has seen or shall see the things which you have seen. The Lord himself has become the altar, priest, and bread, and the chalice of salvation. He alone suffices for all, yet none suffices for him. He is Altar and Lamb, victim and sacrifice, priest as well as food.”

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.

The Prayers Officiant The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Officiant Let us pray.

I ask your prayers for God's people throughout the world; for Michael, our Presiding Bishop; for Sam and Anne, our Bishops; for this gathering; and for all ministers and people. Pray for the Church.

I ask your prayers for those deprived of their human needs, and their human rights. Pray that they may be given the dignity which God confers on all his people.

I ask your prayers for the sick, the sorrowing, and those who are alone, especially in our community: Ann, Bill, Charlotte, Cheryl, Don, Don, Frank, Jack, Jane, Janey, and Karen. We pray for Marion, Mary, Mary, Maxine, Michael, Richard, Ron, Sharon, and those we name now. Pray for those in any need or trouble.

I ask your prayers for our friends and family, especially Ali, Anna, Anna Rose, AnneMarie, Audrey, Bill, Britne, Carlie, Cathy, Charlie, Claudette, Daisy, Dan, Danny, Diane, Dick, Don, Dot, Eddie, Emma, Fay, Gary and Gemma. We ask for healing for George, Helen, Henry, Jake, James, Jason, Jason, Jaylen, Jeanette and JR. We pray for Julia, Justin, Karen, Kathleen, Kathryn, Keith, Kelli, Kelvin, Kenny, Louise, Luis, Marcy, Marino, Mark, Mary, Megan, Mimi Nancy, Nick, Patricia, and Peggy. We lift up Rodney, Roseanne, Roy, Roy, Sally, Sandy, Sara, Sarah, Sean, Shannon, Shirley, Stephani, Stephanie, Stephanie, Sonja, Steve, Vivian, Von, William, Zuzu and those we name now. Pray for comfort.

I ask your prayers for all healthcare workers, especially those in the Nativity community. Pray for our healers.

I ask your prayers for those expecting a child, especially Robert and Brianna and Jenny and Matt. Pray for new life.

I ask your prayers for the faithful departed, especially Larry Cavanagh, Chuck Hanzel, and those we name now, that God give them eternal rest. Pray for those who have died.

Praise God for those in every generation in whom Christ has been honored, especially Ephrem of Edessa, whom we remember today. Pray that we may have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.

Pour out on us, O Lord, that same Spirit by which your deacon Ephrem rejoiced to proclaim in sacred song the mysteries of faith; and so gladden our hearts that we, like him, may be devoted to you alone; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. A men.

Ever-present God, be with us in our isolation, be close to us in our distancing, be healing in our sickness, be joy in our sadness, be light in our darkness, Be wisdom in our confusion, be all that is familiar when all is unfamiliar, that when the doors reopen we may with the zeal of Pentecost, inhabit our communities and speak of your goodness to an emerging world. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of the divine majesty to worship the Unity: keep us steadfast in this faith, that we may evermore be defended from all adversities; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.. Amen.

Looking for the coming of his kingdom, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray:

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, forever and ever. Amen.

The Conclusion

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 the Lord Christ go with you wherever He may send you; may He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm; may He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you; may He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

Reader Let us bless the Lord. People Thanks be to God.

The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.