| a service of prayer & worship at E2020 |
Friday, March 13, 2020 9:00pm
Wesleyan Holiness Women’s Clergy Conference
hosted by the Free Methodist Liturgical Network | www.fmliturgy.com
SONG OF GATHERING
Bless the Lord (Taize songbook #9)
Bless the Lord, my soul. And bless God’s holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.
PREPARATION (leader/everyone)
The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen.
Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
A period of silence for reflection on the past day may follow.
Most merciful God, we confess to you, before the whole company of heaven and one another, that we have sinned in thought, word and deed and in what we have failed to do. Forgive us our sins, heal us by your Spirit and raise us to new life in Christ. Amen.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
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.
SONG
Wait for the Lord (Taize songbook #12)
Wait for the Lord whose day is near. Wait for the Lord. Be strong, take heart.
PSALMODY
Psalm 139
O Lord, you have searched me out and known me; you know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You mark out my journeys and my resting place and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but you, O Lord, know it altogether. You encompass me behind and before and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, so high that I cannot attain it.
refrain: Search me out, O God, and know my heart.
Where can I go then from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I climb up to heaven, you are there; if I make the grave my bed, you are there also. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there your hand shall lead me, your right hand hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me and the light around me turn to night,’ Even darkness is no darkness with you; the night is as clear as the day; darkness and light to you are both alike.
refrain: Search me out, O God, and know my heart.
For you yourself created my inmost parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are your works, my soul knows well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in secret and woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my form, as yet unfinished; already in your book were all my members written, As day by day they were fashioned when as yet there was none of them. How deep are your counsels to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I count them, they are more in number than the sand, and at the end, I am still in your presence.
refrain: Search me out, O God, and know my heart.
PRAYER
Creator God, may every breath we take be for your glory, may every footstep show you as our way, that, trusting in your presence in this world, we may, beyond this life, still be with you where you are alive and reign for ever and ever.
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.
SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 58:6,7
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
For you have redeemed me, Lord God of truth.
I commend my spirit.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
The Song of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32)
Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace: your word has been fulfilled. My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.
Christ died for us, so that, whether we wake or sleep, we might live with him.
PRAYERS
Let us enter into prayer with a moment of silence. Then intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered here with the response:
Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer
The Collect
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love You and worthily magnify Your holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
SONG
Bless the Lord (Taize songbook #9)
Bless the Lord, my soul. And bless God’s holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.
CONCLUSION
In peace we will lie down and sleep;
for you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.
Abide with us, Lord Jesus,
for the night is at hand and the day is now past.
As the night watch looks for the morning,
so do we look for you, O Christ.
Come with the dawning of the day
and make yourself known in the breaking of the bread.
May God bless us,
that in us may be found love and humility,
obedience and thanksgiving,
discipline, gentleness and peace.
Amen.
© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000-2005.
Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing. 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.
Implemented by Simon Kershaw at Crucix. Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002-2019.