Copy and paste into worship material, perhaps using a word or text processor - either complete services or parts. Use of bold for congregational vocal participation is suggestive only and usually follows on from the original, and is not used for the canticles and The Strain Upraise.
| COLLECTS |
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I
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 thy holy spirit, that we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnify thy holy name. Amen II O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed, give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee we being defended from all faithless fear may pass our time in rest and quietness. Amen. III O THOU, with whom the weak find strength, the erring light, the penitent hope, by whom the fallen are raised, and the faint supported, forgive our sins, renovate our virtues, light up again the aspirations which have died, the resolutions which have yielded and let thy grace and help nurture here on earth spirits that are worthy to glorify thy name. Amen. IV HEAVENLY Father, we live in thee. Thou makest summer and winter, spring and autumn, the various and fourfold year. The darkness and the light are both alike to thee. We work by thy strength, we sleep in thy care; arid when we awake, we are still with thee. Teach us thy ways; lead us in thy truth; and may thy love abound in our hearts. A men. V ETERNAL One, of all that is, thou art both be-ginning and end. Thou leadest us through un-known paths, yet we follow thee; for to thee must all beings come. Thy judgments are a mighty deep; our wisdom is a childlike heart; our strength is trust in thee. We bless thee for the skies above us, and for the earth beneath us, and for the hopes that live within us. Yea, and if we die, the hopes wither riot, but live; for thou art our dwelling-place and our eternal home. Amen. VI O GOD, who hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth, send thy holy spirit, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Amen. VII THE God of love and peace, hallow all love and peace in our hearts. Thou whose earth and heaven show forth harmony, order and joy, give of thy truth and beauty unto us and to all men, and grace to be ministers of thee one to another. Amen. VIII Collect for Morning. ETERNAL God, who hast neither dawn nor evening, yet sendest us alternate mercies ol the darkness and the day; there is no light but thine, without, within. As thou liftest the curtain of night from our abodes, take also the veil from all our hearts. Rise with thy morning upon our souls: quicken all our labour and our prayer: and though all else declines, let the noontide of thy grace and peace remain. May we walk, while it is yet day, in the steps of him who, with fewest hours, finished thy divinest work, Amen. IX Collect for Evening. O GOD, who faintest not, neither art weary; whose everlasting work is still fresh as thy creative thought; we bless thee for the pity of night and sleep, giving us the rest thou never needest. We would lie down each evening in peace and thankfulness, and commit the folded hours to thee. But, O Lord, through toil and repose, save us from any fatal slumber of the spirit: and keep us through life to the holy vigils of love and service, as they that watch for thy morning of eternity. Amen. |
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BENEDICTIONS
MAY the blessing of God, our heavenly Father, be with us now, and remain with us for ever. Amen. ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, may thy holy and perfect peace, which layeth to rest all the trouble of our lives, abide with us, and with thy children every-where. Amen. AND now may the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, which the world can neither give nor take away, be with us all, and abide in our hearts for ever. Amen. MAY the spirit of Christ, the spirit of divine sonship and human brotherhood, be with us, and make us one in faith and love, now and evermore. Amen. Now may the blessing of God be upon us. May his truth direct us and his love sustain us; and may he. preserve our going out and our coming in, from this time forth, even for evermore. Amen. THE Lord bless us and keep us; the Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us; the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us, and give us peace. Amen. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. |
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BENEDICTUS
BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people; And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us: In the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets: which have been since the world began; To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers and to remember his holy covenant, That we might serve him without fear: in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. To give knowledge of salvation unto his people: for the remission of their sins; Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us; To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace. |
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MORNING CANTICLE
IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord: and to sing praise unto thy name O God Most I High; To shew forth thy loving-kindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night. The day is thine, the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the sun. From the rising of the sun, unto the going down thereof: the Lord's name is to be praised. I laid me down and slept; awaked for the Lord sustained me. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord: in the morning will direct my prayer unto thee and will look up. Lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation, on thee do wait all the day. Thou hast been a shelter for me will trust in the covert of thy wings. Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications : the Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in him and am helped. I will praise thee with my whole heart will bless thy name, for thy loving-kindness and thy truth. |
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EVENING CANTICLE
THE Lord hath commanded his loving-kindness in the daytime and in the night season also, my song shall be of him, and my prayer unto the God of my life. As long as live, will magnify thee in this manner and lift up my hands in thy name. Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as incense and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. For thou art the portion of my inheritance and of my cup thou wilt maintain my lot. Behold he that keepeth his people : will neither slumber nor sleep. |
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BENEDICITE
O ALL ye works of the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye angels of the Lord bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye heavens of the Lord bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye powers of the Lord bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye sun and moon bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye stars of heaven bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye showers and dew bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye lightnings and clouds bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye winter and summer bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye light and darkness bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye mountains and hills bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O all ye green things upon the earth bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye seas and floods bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever. O all ye fowls of the air bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for for ever. O all ye beasts and cattle bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye children of men bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye servants of the Lord bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye spirits and souls of the righteous bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye holy and humble men of heart bless ye the Lord praise him and magnify him for ever. |
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THE STRAIN UPRAISE
Alleluia! THE strain upraise of joy and praise, Alleluia! To the glory of their King Shall his faithful people sing Alleluia! And the choirs that dwell on high Shall re-echo through the sky, Alleluia! They through the fields of Paradise who roam, The blessed ones, repeat from that bright home, Alleluia! The planets glittering on their heavenly way, The shining constellations, join and say, Alleluia! Ye clouds that onward sweep, Ye winds on pinions light, Ye thunders echoing loud and deep, Ye lightnings wildly bright, In sweet consent unite your Alleluia! Ye floods and ocean billows, Ye storms and winter snow, Ye days of cloudless beauty, Hoar frost and summer glow, Ye groves that wave in spring, And glorious forests, sing Alleluia! First let the birds, with painted plumage gay, Exalt their great Creator's praise, and say Alleluia! Then let the beasts of earth, with varying strain, Join in creation's hymn, and cry again, Alleluia! Here let the mountains thunder forth sonorous, Alleluia! There let the valleys sing in gentle chorus, Alleluia! Thou jubilant abyss of ocean, cry Alleluia! Ye tracts of earth arid continents, reply Alleluia! To God, who all creation made, The frequent hymn be duly paid: Alleluia! This is the strain, the eternal strain, the Lord Almighty loves: Alleluia! This is the song, the heavenly song, our God himself approves: Alleluia! Wherefore we sing, both heart and voice awaking, Alleluia! Arid children's voices echo, answer making, Alleluia! Now from [we] all men be outpoured, Alleluia to the Lord; With Alleluia evermore Our God and Father we adore. Praise be given to the only One, Alleluia Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! |
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DOXOLOGIES
GLORY be to God most High: the ever-blessed Father; Who is, and was, and shall be world without end. Amen. To the One Holy, the First and the Last: be thanksgiving and praise; From all kindreds and tongues on earth: and the voices of saints in heaven. Amen. Now unto the God of grace: for the might of his Spirit and the love of Christ; Be glory in the Church throughout all ages: world without end. Amen. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible: the only wise God; Be honour and glory: for ever and ever. Amen. |
| PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS |
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Children's Service
O GOD, our heavenly Father, look down upon us and help us to worship thee. Put out of our minds all foolish thoughts. Teach us thy will concerning us, and imcline us to learn. Father, we know that we need have no fear of thee. Though we often do wrong, yet we know that thou lovest us even in our sin, and art always trying to make us better. Thy thoughts toward us are full of wise and tender love. Thou hast spoken to us by the brave and gentle voice of Jesus, and he has told us that thou art kinder than the kindest, better than the best. Father, we thank thee for all the good and beautiful things we find in and around our life. For the world and all its joy and loveliness; for food and clothing: for the love of parents and friends; for our work and play; for the Sunday worship and teaching: for all thy tender mercies, we thank thee, O God. Father, help us to fight against our faults, that the may not grow into bad habits which will cling to us all our days. May we always speak the truth, and never be guilty of deceit. May we be kind and gentle, and not easily angered. May we never neglect our duties, but do all our work as in thy sight. May we grow more like our great brother Jesus, and become children with whom thou art ever well-pleased. Amen. |
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Whit-Sunday
O GOD, who hast breathed thy holy Spirit into the hearts of thy faithful servants, sending them forth in thy might to speak the word and to do the work which has been entrusted to them by thee: send down upon us all, we pray thee, that Spirit of holiness and wisdom and strength. Enlighten our minds that we may know what thou wouldst have us do; strengthen our hands that we may labour steadfastly to the end, and may faint not in thy service. Thou hast bestowed upon us a diversity of gifts; give us all the same spirit, that with one heart and one mind we may glorify thee, speaking the truth in love, and filling our lives with good deeds and faithful affections. In that spirit may we be strong to fight the good fight of faith, to conquer evil, and bear witness to the truth, and help to bring in that kingdom of righteousness and peace which was proclaimed by thy Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. |
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The New Year
O THOU, in whose sight a thousand years are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night we bow our spirits before the mystery of thy eternity, and adore the love which visits us in our lowliness and with unfailing care sustains and blesses us as thy children. Thy fatherly hand has guided us and brought us to this hour, and now, on the threshold of a new year, we would commit our-selves in trust and thankfulness to the providence which has surrounded our way with blessing, to the pity and compassion in which thou hast looked on our weakness, and the love that has sought us in our wanderings and forgiven our sins. We pray that the good treasure of our hearts may be for ever enriched by the experiences of the year that is past. May we keep sacred all its memories of love and goodness, and gratefully recall those seasons of joy or sorrow, of duty or trial, when we felt thee nearest to us, and looked on our life in the light of thy holiness and truth. And may we be enabled to forget the things of which we now think with shame and self-reproach, sorrowing with a sincere sorrow for all our unfaithfulness, and pressing forward with fresh resolve and more earnest desire towards the things that are highest and best. Confirm us, we beseech thee, in the hopes and purposes with which we begin the year; and, whether it be marked by unsought gifts of happiness, or by unexpected trials and sorrows, may it be to us all a year of blessing. Amid all the changes and losses that time must bring, may we rest in thee who changest not; and as these fleeting days and years are numbered, one by one, with the past, may we think on the eternal years, and find our comfort, our strength, our life, in thee. Amen. |
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Our Country
ALMIGHTY God, in whose hands are the destinies he nations: we pray thee to bless our country, and to lead us in the way of honour and justice, and of true and enduring prosperity. Thou, Lord, hast permitted us to increase in power and riches, and hast endowed us with gifts of knowledge and skill, and assigned to us a place among the mighty nations of the world. May we be mindful of the trust which thou hast thus laid upon us, and ever be found faithful to thy cause. Oh, raise up among us noble and upright men, to be leaders and counsellors of the people; and may our rulers and judges, and all who are in authority, exercise their power as ministers of thy justice and mercy. May a wise and faithful spirit prevail in our councils; and may we be delivered from all evil ambitions and selfish rivalries and false judgments. May every calling be fulfilled in honesty, and every talent be rightly improved. And may we so wisely love our country, and so steadfastly follow after all that makes for its true greatness, that we may hold a worthy place in the community of nations, and live as fellow citizens of thy kingdom, in loyalty to thee, the heavenly King and sovereign Lord of all. Amen. |
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Those in Bereavement
O GOD, our heavenly Father, unto whom we may come in every hour of darkness and sorrow, to pour out our griefs to thee, and to rest our troubled hearts under the shelter of thy compassion: hear now our prayer, we beseech thee, for those who are bowed down in mourning and affliction. In their darkness may thy light shine, in their loneliness may thy presence be felt. Thou hast given us the blessed as-surance that the sorrows of death are but for a little while, and that the grave is only as a gate of entrance to another world of life. We pray thee, O our Father and Comforter, to grant us, in our saddest hour of bereavement, the joy and consolation of that hope; that, when we part from those whom thou callest away, we may say in our hearts that we shall meet again. May we who remain behind a little longer keep ever clear and bright the memory of their lives. May we be blest, even now, by a true communion of spirit with the unseen world, and live as members of one family, one company of friends and brethren, on earth and in heaven. Amen. |
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Thanksgiving and Resolve
O THOU who art the light of all our days, we come to thee that thou mayst rise upon our longing hearts, and fill us with the strength of joy in thee. Here for a moment would we lay our times in the midst of thy eternity, and feel with what a love thou dost sustain us. Father, for all the gladness of our life we bless thee; for beauty wrought into our hearts amid the silence of the hills or beneath the tranquil sky; for happiness unspeakable even amid the fellowship of sorrow in our homes; for the surprises of tenderness with which thou dost shed on us some unexpected joy; for the widening range of knowledge, and all the hope of nobler truth; for quickening impulses of reverence and sympathy borne in upon us by some prophet's word—for these, amid the multitude of thy unnamed mercies, would we pour out our souls in thankfulness and awe. Yea, in the greatness of thy love thou art not weary of us, who have stumbled and fallen, and have scarce dared, or even have not wished, to lift up our faces to thee. Our waywardness and our repining thou hast answered with more gifts; to our indolence thou hast offered fresh opportunities; around the shadow of our grief thou hast cast the light of an immortal hope; the dullness of our daily tasks thou hast brightened and hallowed by duty and affection; and so dost thou ever plead with our selfish ease, our unturthful cares, our numbing habits, and call us ever, hour by hour, to give our hearts to thee. Father, even from the sad memories of faithlessness we would gather some new resolve, and seek to climb above the ruins of vain endeavour and unaccomplished purposes to the heights of a nobler constancy. Only we rise not of ourselves. Quicken within us, we beseech thee, the sense that thou art ever nigh, ready to make thy strength our strength, and gird our weakness with thy might. So mayst thou win us from our negligence, and draw us into the communion of the saints who have toiled and lived for thee. Amen. |
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Morning Prayer
O LORD our God, who turnest the shadow of death into morning, and lightenest the face of the earth, grant that we may be children of the light and of the day. Let the sun of thy righteousness shine in our hearts, enlightening our reason, making clear our conscience, kindling our love. We would give ourselves to thee this day, beseeching thee so to rule and govern us by thy good spirit, that all faithless distrust and all evil thoughts and desires may be driven from our hearts, and that we may walk with joy in the light of thy countenance and in the way of thy commandments. Amen. |
From (and with a minimum of editing, sometimes crossing out but keeping the original): Essex Hall, London, preface by Bowie, W. C. (1917, first edition 1900), Seven Services for Public Worship: With Special Prayers and Thanksgivings, London: The Lindsey Press, 43-52.
Adrian Worsfold
Pluralist - Liberal and Thoughtful