Thursday Evening Prayer 23rd November 2023

Thursday Evening Prayer 23rd November 2023, led by Felicity Scott, Liturgical assistant at St John The Baptist Anglican Church, Bulimba QLD, Australia.

A full transcript of the prayer text is available at the episode website link.

Readings:

Psalm 55. 13-28;

Ecclesiastes 5. 13-6. 9;

Revelation 9. 1-12.

Transcript:

23 November 2023

Welcome to Thursday Evening Prayer according to the Anglican ‘A Prayer book for Australia’.

Let us pray:

1

The Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and exult and give God the glory. 

Revelation 19.6–7

Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit: 

as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen

2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of Joy

Be joyful in the Lord, all the earth: 
serve the Lord with gladness 
and come before his presence with singing. 
Know that the Lord is God: 
it is he who has made us, and we are his; 
for we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; 
go into his courts with praise: 
give thanks to him and praise his name. 
For the Lord is good; 
his loving-kindness is everlasting: 
and his faithfulness endures from age to age. 

Psalm 100

3 The Opening Prayer

The day is now past and the night is at hand. 

Let us pray with one heart and mind. 

Silence may be kept.

Father of lights, receive the prayer and praise we offer you as our evening sacrifice; make us a light for all the world, delivered by your goodness from all the works of darkness; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. 

Amen.

 

4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.

Psalm 55.13–28

13 It was not an enemy that reviled me,

or I might have borne it:

it was not my foe that dealt so insolently with me,

or I might have hidden myself from them;

14 But it was you, a person like myself:

my companion and my familiar friend.

15 Together we enjoyed sweet fellowship:

in the house of our God.

16 Let them pass away in confusion:

let death carry them to destruction;

17 Let them go down alive to Sheol:

for evil is among them in their dwellings.]

18 But I will call to God:

and the Lord my God will save me.

19 At evening, at morning, and at noon-day:

I complain and groan aloud.

20 And he will hear my voice:

and ransom my soul in peace,

21 From those that bear down upon me:

for there are many against me.

22 God will hear and bring them low:

he that is enthroned for ever.

23 For they do not keep their word:

and they have no fear of God.

24 They lay violent hands

on those that are at peace with them:

they break solemn covenants.

25 Their mouths are smooth as butter,

but war is in their hearts:

their words are softer than oil,

yet they are drawn swords.

26 Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you:

he will never suffer the righteous to stumble.

27 But as for them, you will bring them down, O God:

even to the depths of the Pit.

28 The bloodthirsty and deceitful

shall not live out half their days:

but I will trust in you.

5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow

God our Saviour, you sent Jesus into the world of sin, and delivered him up to death for us: kindle in our hearts the same love with which he loved his own to the end; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. 

Amen.

  

 

6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.

1st Reading

Ecclesiastes 5.13–6.9

13 There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands. 15 As they came from their mother’s womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil, which they may carry away with their hands. 16 This also is a grievous ill: just as they came, so shall they go; and what gain do they have from toiling for the wind?17 Besides, all their days they eat in darkness, in much vexation and sickness and resentment. 18 This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us; for this is our lot. 19 Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God. 20 For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts. 1 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind: 2 those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honour, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill. 3 A man may beget a hundred children, and live for many years; but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things, or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 For it comes into vanity and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered; 5 moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place? 7 All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied. 8 For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

2nd Reading

Revelation 9.1–12

1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit; 2 he opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given authority like the authority of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to damage the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were allowed to torture them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torture was like the torture of a scorpion when it stings someone.6 And in those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them. 7 In appearance the locusts were like horses equipped for battle. On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8 their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; 9 they had scales like iron breastplates, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions, with stings, and in their tails is their power to harm people for five months. 11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon. 12 The first woe has passed. There are still two woes to come.

The readings may be followed by a period of silence for reflection, a hymn or

May your word live in us 

and bear much fruit to your glory.

 

7 The Canticle, The Song of Christ’s Glory

Christ Jesus was in the form of God: 
but he did not cling to equality with God. 
He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant: 
and was born in our human likeness. 
Being found in human form, he humbled himself: 
and became obedient unto death, 
even death on a cross. 
Therefore God has highly exalted him: 
and bestowed on him the name above every name, 
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow: 
in heaven and on earth and under the earth; 
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord: 
to the glory of God the Father. 

Philippians 2.5b–11

   

8 The Prayers

Lord have mercy. 

Christ have mercy. 

Lord have mercy. 

  

9 The Lord’s Prayer and the Collect of the Day

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. 

  

Clement of Rome, Bishop and martyr (d. c. 100)

[A Martyr]
Almighty God,
 who gave to your servant N
 boldness to confess the name of Jesus Christ
 and courage to die for this faith:
 teach us always to be ready
 to give a reason for the hope that is in us,
 and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord and Saviour;
 who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
 one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Prayer of the Week

Almighty God,

whose sovereign purpose none can make void:

give us faith to be steadfast amid the tumults of this world,

knowing that your kingdom shall come and your will be done,

to your eternal glory;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

10 Intercessions and Thanksgivings

 

Almighty and Great God, accept our gratitude for your boundless mercy towards us. Hear the supplication of our afflicted hearts for the land and people of Ukraine, as they confront foreign aggression and invasion. Open the eyes of those who have been overtaken by a spirit of deception and violence, that they be horrified by their works. Grant victory over the powers of evil that have arisen and bless Ukraine with your gifts of liberty, peace, tranquillity, and good fortune. 

We implore you, O Merciful God, look with grace upon those who courageously defend their land. Remember the mothers and fathers, the innocent children, the widows and orphans, the disabled and helpless, those seeking shelter and refuge, who reach out to you and to their fellow human beings looking for mercy and compassion. Bless the hearts of those who have already shown great generosity and solidarity, and those who prepare to receive their Ukrainian brothers and sisters in Ukraine’s greatest time of need. Bring us together as your children, your creation, and instil in us your strength, wisdom and understanding. May you be praised and glorified, now and forever, and to the ages of ages.

Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

 

We pray for those listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer:

Lord, we ask your blessing on:

• The Diocese of Awgu / Aninri – The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
• The Diocese of Sydney: †Kanishka Raffel; Assistant Bishops – †Peter Hayward, †Christopher Edwards, †Peter Lin, †Michael Stead, †Malcolm Richards, †Gary Siew Leong Koo; Clergy and People
• The Parish of Maryborough: Sue Wilson, Jeff Balnaves, Godfrey Gilmour
• Anglicare SQ – A Place to Belong – Mental Health Inclusion
• St Francis Theological College, Milton: Principal – Ruth Mathieson; Academic Dean – Peter Kline; staff, sessional lecturers & students
• All parishes seeking new Incumbents.
• All schools seeking new chaplains

 

 

11 The Evening Collect

Be present, merciful God, 

and protect us through the hours of this night: 

that we,who are wearied 

by the changes and chances of this fleeting world, 

may rest on your eternal changelessness; 

through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

 

12

The Lord be with you.

And also with you. 

Let us praise the Lord. 

Thanks be to God. 

  

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. 
Amen.

2 Corinthians 13.14