Week One
Thursday Evening


Greeting and Doxology

PSALM 30
Celebrate, all you saints, praise this awesome God, whose mercy last a lifetime.

I give you high praise,
for you, Lord,
raised me up
above my
gloating enemy.
Lord, how I begged you,
and
you, God, healed me.
You pulled me from the pit,
brought me
back from Sheol.

Celebrate, all you saints,
praise this
awesome God,
whose anger passes quickly,
whose mercy
lasts a lifetime -
as laughter
fills a day
after one brief
night of tears.

When all was going well,
I thought I could
never fall;
with God’s powerful blessing,
I would stand
like a mountain!
Then you
hid your face;
I
shook with fear!

I cried out, “Lord, Lord!”
I
begged, I pleaded:
“What good is my blood to you?
Why push me
down the pit?
Can dead bones praise you,
recount your
unbroken love?
Listen to me, O God,
turn and
help me now.”

You changed my anguish
into
joyful dance,
pulled off my sackcloth,
gave me
bright new robes,
that my life might sing your glory,
never silent
in your praise.
For ever I will thank you,
O
Lord my God.

READING
1 Peter 1:6-9
In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith – being more precious than gold that, though perishable,
is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now,
you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are
receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

CANTICLE OF MARY
Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him.

I acclaim the greatness of the Lord,
I delight in God my savior,
who regarded my humble state.
Truly from this day on All ages will call me blest.

For God, wonderful in power,
has used that strength for me.
Holy the name of the Lord!
Whose mercy embraces the faithful,
one generation to the next.

The mighty arm of God
scatters the proud in their conceit,
Pulls tyrants from their thrones,
and raises up the humble.
The Lord fills the starving
And lets the rich go hungry.

God rescues lowly Israel,
recalling the promise of mercy,
the promise made to our ancestors,
to Abraham’s heirs for ever.

INTERCESSIONS
God of our ancestors, hear our prayer and grant our petitions through your Son Jesus Christ.
For all of us who are the church:
~ May we preach and teach the gospel with courage.

For those in the world who do not know God:
~ May our efforts to evangelize be fruitful.

For all strangers in our land:
~ May they be accepted as pilgrims enroute to the promised land of eternal life with God.

For the refugees and the immigrants of the world:
~ May they be comforted by their sisters and brothers in Christ.

For all whose lives are in a state of transition on their journey of faith:
~ May they recognize God as their guide.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

PRAYER
God of tender mercy, you hear the cries of those who suffer. Send us that
spirit of refreshment which will gladden our spirits and calm our fears.
When we lack the strength to continue in deeds of righteousness, renew us with your love.
When we feel that we are alone and lost, be our companion and guide. This we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

BLESSING
May God’s blessing be upon us. Amen
May God’s light lead us in the way of Righteousness. Amen.
May our lives be patterned on Christ Jesus. Amen.