Ascension Day Evening Prayer

ST DAVID’S CHURCH CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS

EVENING PRAYER THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD MAY 13, 2021 6:00PM OFFICIANT: CANON NOEL A. BURKE RECTOR

Opening Sentence Ascension For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Hebrews 9: 24 Hymn 193 Rejoice, the Lord is king!

Your Lord and king adore; Mortals give thanks and sing, And triumph evermore; Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Jesus, the Saviour, reigns, The God of truth and love; When He had purged our stains He took His seat above; Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

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His kingdom cannot fail, He rules o’er earth and Heav’n, The keys of death and hell Are to our Jesus giv’n; Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

He sits at God’s right hand Till all His foes submit, And bow to His command, And fall beneath His feet: Lift up your heart, lift up your voice; Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Versicles & Responses V: Hear us O Lord, R: For your mercy is great.

V: We will exalt you O God our Saviour R: And praise your name for ever and ever.

V: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and 3

to the Holy Spirit; R: As it was in the beginning, is now and shall be forever. Amen ALL: Father, we come together in the Name of your Son Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, to offer you our worship, praise and thanksgiving. To you belong all power and glory. You are the source of all goodness. Let our worship bear witness to your peace and saving power. Through your Spirit may we ever rejoice in the abiding presence of our risen and ascended Lord. Amen.

CANTICLE OF PRAISE O GRACIOUS LIGHT O gracious light, pure brightness of the everlasting Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Lord, we pray to you for the forgiveness of our sins.

ALL: Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; in your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honour and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy upon us, pardon and deliver us from all our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and keep us in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

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Psalm 47 Omnes gentes, plaudite 1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; * shout to God with a cry of joy.

2 For the Lord Most High is to be feared; * he is the great King over all the earth.

3 He subdues the peoples under us, * and the nations under our feet.

4 He chooses our inheritance for us, * the pride of Jacob whom he loves.

5 God has gone up with a shout, * the Lord with the sound of the ram’s-horn.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; * sing praises to our King, sing praises.

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7 For God is King of all the earth; * sing praises with all your skill.

8 God reigns over the nations; * God sits upon his holy throne.

9 The nobles of the peoples have gathered together * with the people of the God of Abraham.

10 The rulers of the earth belong to God, * and he is highly exalted.

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.

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FIRST READING: Acts 1:1-11 A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles chapter 1 beginning at the 1st verse In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; for John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and 8

Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them.

They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.".

Reader: All:

Here ends the reading.

Thanks be to God.

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Office hymn 321 Jesus shall reign where’er the sun Does his successive journeys run; His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

People and realms of every tongue Dwell on His love with sweetest song; And infant voices shall proclaim Their early blessings on His name.

Blessings abound where’er He reigns; The prisoner leaps to lose his chains; The weary find eternal rest, And all the sons of want are blest.

Let every creature rise and bring Peculiar honors to our king; Angels descend with songs again, And earth repeat the loud amen.

Magnificat Luke 1:46-55 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Saviour,* 10

for you have looked with favour on your lowly servant,* From this day all generations will call me blessed:* You, the Almighty, have done great things for me, and holy is your Name.

You have mercy on those who fear you* from generation to generation You have shown strength with your arm* and scattered the proud in their conceit, Casting down the mighty from their thrones* and lifting up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things* and the rich you have sent away empty.

You have come to the help of your servant Israel,* for you have remembered your promise of mercy, The promise made to our forebears,* to Abraham and his children for 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 for ever. Amen.

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SECOND LESSON:

Luke 24:44-53

A Reading from the Gospel according to St. Luke chapter 24 beginning at the 44th verse:

Jesus said to the disciples, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God. 12

Reader: Here ends the reading.

All: Thanks be to God. THE SONG OF SIMEON Nunc Dimittis Luke 2:29-32 Lord now 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.

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.

THE APOSTLES’ CREED All : I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and 13

born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE PRAYERS V. The Lord be with you.

R. And also with you.

Let us pray.

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 14

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.

THE SUFFRAGES V. Lord, reveal your love among us; R. That we may know the joy of your salvation.

V. Grant peace within and among all nations; R. And teach our leaders wisdom.

V. Endow your Church with faithfulness; R. And her servants with knowledge and godliness.

V. Defend, O Lord, the rights of the poor and the oppressed; R. That your justice may be known among all people .

V. Lord, renew your spirit within us; R. That in us and through us your will may be done.

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Collect: Ascension Day Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The second collect O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: Give to your servants that peace which the world cannot give; that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments, and also that we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

For Defense against all perils Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray; and in your mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Prayer of Dedication Almighty God, we thank you for the gift of your Holy Word.

May it be a lantern to our feet, A light to our paths, And a strength to our lives.

Take us and use us to love and serve all persons in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the Name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing Hymn: 196 The head that once was crowned with thorns

is crowned with glory now; a royal diadem adorns the mighty Victor's brow.

The highest place that heav'n affords is his, is his by right, the King of kings and Lord of lords, and heav'n's eternal Light: The joy of all who dwell above, the joy of all below, to whom he manifests his love, and grants his name to know.

To them the cross, with all its shame, with all its grace, is giv'n; their name an everlasting name, their joy the joy of heav’n.

They suffer with the Lord below, they reign with him above; their profit and their joy to know the myst'ry of his love.

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The cross he bore is life and health, though shame and death to him; his people's hope, his people's wealth, their everlasting theme.

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

II Corinthians 13:13

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ST. DAVID’S CHURCH Christ Church, Barbados Tel. No. : 246-437-1801 E-mail: stdavid@anglican.bb

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