Celtic Evening Prayer

Sunday, November 1, 2020 Online 5:30 pm

Prelude O Worship the King Performed on the harp

Officiant: Good evening and welcome to Epiphany Episcopal Church.

May this evening of sacred music, quiet prayer and reflection be a time of devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Candle Lighting

Leader: I will light a light in the name of the Maker, who lit the world and breathed the breath of life for me.

All: I will wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in His word do I hope.

Leader: I will light a light in the name of the Son, who saved the world and stretched out his hand to me.

All: I will wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in His word do I hope.

Leader: I will light a light in the name of the Spirit, who encompassed the world and blessed my soul with yearning.

All: I will wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in His word do I hope.

We light three lights for the Trinity of Love: God above us, God beside us, God beneath us; The beginning, The End, The everlasting one.

Opening Prayer St. Columba

Leader: Please join me in reading our opening prayer.

All: Kindle in our hearts, O God, the flame of love that never ceases, that it may burn in us, giving light to others. May we shine forever in your temple, Set on fire with your eternal light, Even your Son, Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Redeemer. Amen.

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Leader: Please join our choir as they sing our Opening Hymn.

Opening Hymn Ubi Caritas WLP 831

Words: Latin, 8th c., tr. Malcolm Naea Chun (b. 1954); Music: Jacques Berthier (1923-1994))

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A Prayer for the Evening

Leader: Please join me in reading the following collect.

All: O Christ of the least and the homeless, O Christ of the lost and the betrayed,

O Christ of the wanting and the lonely, Come close to us as we worship That we may come close to you.

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night. Amen.

First Reading: Wisdom 5:1-5,14-16

Reader: Then the righteous will stand with great confidence in the presence of those who have oppressed them and those who make light of their labors. When the unrighteous see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear, and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous. They will speak to one another in repentance, and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say, ‘These are persons whom we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach—fools that we were! We thought that their lives were madness and that their end was without honor. Why have they been numbered among the children of God? And why is their lot among the saints? Because the hope of the ungodly is like thistledown carried by the wind, and like a light frost driven away by a storm; it is dispersed like smoke before the wind, and it passes like the remembrance of a guest who stays but a day. But the righteous live for ever, and their reward is with the Lord; the Most High takes care of them. Therefore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord, because with his right hand he will cover them, and with his arm he will shield them. Reader: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

All: Thanks be to God.

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Leader: Let us read the following psalm together.

Psalm 150

All: Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy temple; * praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts; * praise him for his excellent greatness. Praise him with the blast of the ram's-horn; * Praise him with lyre and harp. Praise him with timbrel and dance; * praise him with strings and pipe. Praise him with resounding cymbals; * praise him with loud-clanging cymbals. Let everything that has breath * praise the Lord. Hallelujah! 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.

Second Reading: Revelation 21:1-4,22-27,22:1-5

Reader: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

‘See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.’

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I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.

Reader: Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

All: Thanks be to God.

The Gospel Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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"Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Presider: The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Reflection Courtesy of the Diocese of Virginia

Meditative Music Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Performed on the harp

Prayers for Ourselves and Others

Leader: Let us pray for ourselves and others.

Leader: Loving God, because we are better together, even as we are apart, enliven the Church to do your work.

All: That we may take up our cross and follow you, Lord God.

Leader: Breathe fresh life into your people.

All: Give us courage to reveal you, Christ, in word and action.

Leader: Creator of all, lead us and every people in the ways of justice and peace.

All: That we may respect one another in freedom and truth.

Leader: Embolden in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it.

All: Teach us to care creatively for our fragile world.

Leader: God of truth, inspire with your wisdom those whose decisions affect the lives of others.

All: That all may act with integrity and courage.

Leader: Be among us, to bring light in the darkness.

All: Forgive us our wrongs. Those done and those left undone.

Leader: Give grace to all those whose lives are linked with ours.

All: May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us.

Leader: Let us now name before God those for whom we offer our personal prayers, either silently or aloud.

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All are invited to add their own intercessions either silently or aloud.

Leader: We pray for those impacted by the Coronavirus: All: God of the present moment,

God who in Jesus stills the storm and soothes the frantic heart; bring hope and courage to all who wait or work in uncertainty.

Bring hope that you will make them the equal of whatever lies ahead.

Bring them courage to endure what cannot be avoided, for your will is health and wholeness;

Restore wellness in body, mind, and spirit, for you are God, and we need you.

In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Leader: We pray for Peace and Justice

All: Almighty God, you have given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly ask that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will.

Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners.

Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way.

Defend our liberties, and fashion us into one united people, regardless of race, ethnicity, or language, remembering that You love us all, no exceptions.

Provide wisdom to those to whom we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we may show forth your praise among the nations of the earth.

When we are blessed with prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness; when we are troubled, help us to trust in You.

All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Leader: And now we pray together,

All: Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work or watch or weep this night. 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.

A period of silence is kept.

The Lord’s Prayer

Leader: And now, as our Savior Jesus Christ has taught us, we are bold to pray:

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, and the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Sending

Leader: May God’s extravagant love consume us, Christ’s life and passion inspire us, And the Spirit compel us to do ordinary things with extraordinary love. We go out in peace in the courage and grace of Christ to share God’s extravagant love. And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be upon us and remain with us always. Amen

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Leader: Please join in singing our Sending Hymn

Sending Hymn God is Love Hymnal 577

Words: Latin; tr. James Quinn (b. 1919), alt.; Music: Ubi caritas (Murray), A. Gregory Murray (1905-1992)

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Dismissal

Leader: Go out into the world in peace, have courage, hold on to what is good, return no one evil for evil, strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering, honor everyone, love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.

All: Thanks be to God.

Postlude Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee Performed on the harp

A special thank you to Art Buck for officiating tonight,

to Rebecca McLain for reading, to the Diocese for tonight’s Reflection,

and to our volunteer musician and choir for their musical gifts.

The content of Celtic Worship is drawn from Frontier Services Sunday 2013, A Celtic Liturgy compiled by Pat Robson; A Celtic Primer compiled by Brendan O’Malley; Wild Goose Worship Group, A Wee Worship Book. Music Copyright Acknowledgements: All rights reserved. Except where otherwise noted, music in today's bulletin that is not in the public domain is reprinted under One-License.net # A-723865 and CCLI license #2895248.

Principal Musician: Ji-Yoon “Jiji” Park Minister of Music: Cathy Lard Communications Director: Nadia Baker

Epiphany Episcopal Church is building a Christ-centered community, growing in God’s grace, welcoming all in love, and providing for God’s world.

3301 Hidden Meadow Drive, Oak Hill, VA 20171 | www.epiphanyec.org | (703) 466-5200

http://www.epiphanyec.org/