500 Evensong
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THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT March 14, 2021 1 5:00 p.m. – CHORAL EVENSONG Welcome! We are delighted to have you join us for worship today! Everything you need to follow along with the service is contained in this bulletin. For a complete list of safety protocols for worship, please see page 7 of this bulletin. VOLUNTARY Evening Song Edward C. Bairstow INTROIT A Prayer of King Henry VI Henry G. Ley Lord Jesus Christ, who created, redeemed, and preordained me to be this that I am, you know what you wish to do with me; do with me in accordance with your will, with mercy. Amen. – Text: Eton College founder’s prayer, attributed to Henry VI, sung in Latin Please stand OPENING HYMN Dear Lord and Father of mankind (Repton) Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways! Re-clothe us in our rightful mind, in purer lives thy service find, in deeper reverence, praise; in deeper reverence, praise. In simple trust like theirs who heard, beside the Syrian sea, the gracious calling of the Lord, let us, like them, without a word, rise up and follow thee; rise up and follow thee. O Sabbath rest by Galilee! O calm of hills above, where Jesus knelt to share with thee the silence of eternity interpreted by love; interpreted by love! Drop thy still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease; take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace; the beauty of thy peace. Breathe through the heats of our desire thy coolness and thy balm; let sense be dumb, let flesh retire; speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still, small voice of calm; O still, small voice of calm. Words by John Greenleaf Whittier; Music by C. Hubert H. Parry; both © Public Domain. 1 CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION Officiant 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 Officiant Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. All kneel and say the Confession Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, we have offended against thy 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. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, spare thou those who confess their faults, restore thou those who are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind, in Christ Jesus our Lord; and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen. Officiant The almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit. Amen. Please stand INVITATORY AND PSALTER The Preces and Responses Setting by David Drinkell Officiant O Lord, open thou our lips; Choir And our mouth shall show forth thy praise. Officiant O God, make speed to save us. Choir O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; Choir As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Officiant Praise ye the Lord. Choir The Lord’s name be praised. Phos Hilaron – O gladsome Light (Le Cantique de Siméon) O gladsome Light, O grace of God the Father’s face, the eternal splendor wearing; celestial, holy, blest, our Savior Jesus Christ, joyful in thine appearing. Now, ere day fadeth quite, we see the evening light, our wonted hymn outpouring; Father of might unknown, thee, his incarnate Son, and Holy Spirit adoring. To thee of right belongs all praise of holy songs, O Son of God, Life-giver; thee, therefore, O Most High, the world doth glorify, and shall exalt forever. Words Greek, 3 rd century, trans. Robert Seymour Bridges; Music: melody by Louis Bourgeois, harm. Claude Goudimel; both © Public Domain. The Congregation may be seated as the Choir sings Psalm 46 chant: adapted from “A mighty fortress” by Martin Luther 1 God is our refuge and strength, * a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, * and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea; 3 Though its waters rage and foam, * and though the mountains tremble at its tumult. 4 The LORD of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our stronghold. 5 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, * the holy habitation of the Most High. 6 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be overthrown; * God shall help her at the break of day. 2 7 The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; * God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away. 8 The LORD of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our stronghold. 9 Come now and look upon the works of the LORD , * what awesome things he has done on earth. 10 It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; * he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, and burns the shields with fire. 11 “Be still, then, and know that I am God; * I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” 12 The LORD of hosts is with us; * the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. THE FIRST LESSON Jeremiah 14:1-9, 17-22 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: Judah mourns and her gates languish; they lie in gloom on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up. Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns, they find no water, they return with their vessels empty. They are ashamed and dismayed and cover their heads, because the ground is cracked. Because there has been no rain on the land the farmers are dismayed; they cover their heads. Even the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn because there is no grass. The wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail because there is no herbage. Although our iniquities testify against us, act, O Lord, for your name’s sake; our apostasies indeed are many, and we have sinned against you. O hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why should you be like a stranger in the land, like a traveler turning aside for the night? Why should you be like someone confused, like a mighty warrior who cannot give help? Yet you, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not forsake us! You shall say to them this word: Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter—my people—is struck down with a crushing blow, with a very grievous wound. If I go out into the field, look—those killed by the sword! And if I enter the city, look—those sick with famine! For both prophet and priest ply their trade throughout the land, and have no knowledge. Have you completely rejected Judah? Does your heart loathe Zion? Why have you struck us down so that there is no healing for us? We look for peace, but find no good; for a time of healing, but there is terror instead. We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord, the iniquity of our ancestors, for we have sinned against you. Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake; do not dishonor your glorious throne; remember and do not break your covenant with us. Can any idols of the nations bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Is it not you, O Lord our God? We set our hope on you, for it is you who do all this. Magnificat sung by the choir Basil Harwood My soul doth magnify the Lord, * and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded * the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold from henceforth * all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me, * and holy is his Name. And his mercy is on them that fear him * throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm; * he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, * and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he hath sent empty away. 3 He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, * as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. THE SECOND LESSON Galatians 4:21-5:1 Tell me, you who desire to be subject to the law, will you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by a free woman.