God’s love has been poured into our hearts,
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5.5
Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
A poem: The Praise of God’s Servants
Come now, praise 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 praise the Lord:
May the Lord bless you from Zion,
the Lord who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 134
The opening prayer
By night and by day we worship the Lord; let us pray with one heart and mind.
We remember God’s presence and pause in silence.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. Amen.
The readings
Zechariah 2.1-5, 10-11
I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then I asked, ‘Where are you going?’ He answered me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.’ Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him, and said to him, ‘Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and animals in it. For I will be a wall of fire all round it, says the LORD, and I will be the glory within it.’
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
Psalm 125
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but stands fast for ever.
As the hills stand about Jerusalem,
so the Lord stands round about his people, from this time forth for evermore.
The sceptre of wickedness shall not hold sway over the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous turn their hands to evil.
Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are true of heart.
Those who turn aside to crooked ways the Lord shall take away with the evildoers;
but let there be peace upon Israel.
Luke 9.43-45
And all were astounded at the greatness of God.
While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, ‘Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.’ But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
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 forever.
Amen.
This week’s prayer:
Loving Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ has taught us
that what we do for the least of our brothers and sisters
we do also for him:
give us the will to be the servant of others
as he was the servant of all,
who gave up his life and died for us,
and yet lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
We thank God for what we have and pray for what we need.
Today we pray for ourselves, that God would give us his Spirit to help us live a life marked by holiness. In our local church, we ask God to bless people preparing to come to worship tomorrow, and support for those who who can’t be at church because of illness or age. In our world, we pray for truth and honesty in our media. We remember before God those who have asked for our prayers, or who are in need of them.
A prayer for the day
Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray: and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of our life; for the love of your only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Lord be with us
now and forever.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the God of all grace, who has called us to eternal glory in Christ, restore, establish, strengthen us. To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5.10-11