From steve.benner at oremus.org Tue Nov 3 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 4 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091103170000.6B325313C71@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Wednesday, November 4, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God. We praise you for creating this world in all beauty, for redeeming the world through Christ, our Lord, and for sending us the gift of your Spirit to encourage, instruct, and sustain us. We long for your Spirit to work among us now, to inspire our praise, to challenge us with your truth, and to equip us for service in your world. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 19 The heavens declare the glory of God,* and the firmament shows his handiwork. One day tells its tale to another,* and one night imparts knowledge to another. Although they have no words or language,* and their voices are not heard, Their sound has gone out into all lands,* and their message to the ends of the world. In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun;* it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber; it rejoices like a champion to run its course. It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again;* nothing is hidden from its burning heat. The law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul;* the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent. The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart;* the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever;* the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold,* sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb. By them also is your servant enlightened,* and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can tell how often he offends?* Cleanse me from my secret faults. Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me;* then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offence. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,* O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 20 May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble,* the name of the God of Jacob defend you; Send you help from his holy place* and strengthen you out of Zion; Remember all your offerings* and accept your burnt sacrifice; Grant you your heart's desire* and prosper all your plans. We will shout for joy at your victory and triumph in the name of our God;* may the Lord grant all your requests. Now I know that the Lord gives victory to his anointed;* he will answer him out of his holy heaven, with the victorious strength of his right hand. Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses,* but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall down,* but we will arise and stand upright. O Lord, give victory to the king* and answer us when we call. Psalm 21 The king rejoices in your strength, O Lord;* how greatly he exults in your victory! You have given him his heart's desire;* you have not denied him the request of his lips. For you meet him with blessings of prosperity,* and set a crown of fine gold upon his head. He asked you for life and you gave it to him;* length of days, for ever and ever. His honour is great, because of your victory;* splendour and majesty have you bestowed upon him. For you will give him everlasting felicity* and will make him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king puts his trust in the Lord;* because of the lovingkindness of the Most High, he will not fall. Your hand will lay hold upon all your enemies;* your right hand will seize all those who hate you. You will make them like a fiery furnace* at the time of your appearing, O Lord; You will swallow them up in your wrath,* and fire shall consume them. You will destroy their offspring from the land* and their descendants from among the peoples of the earth. Though they intend evil against you and devise wicked schemes,* yet they shall not prevail. For you will put them to flight* and aim your arrows at them. Be exalted, O Lord, in your might;* we will sing and praise your power. FIRST READING [Ecclesiastes 8:12-9:1]: Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him, but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God. There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people who are treated according to the conduct of the wicked, and there are wicked people who are treated according to the conduct of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun. When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how one?s eyes see sleep neither day nor night, then I saw all the work of God, that no one can find out what is happening under the sun. However much they may toil in seeking, they will not find it out; even though those who are wise claim to know, they cannot find it out. All this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate one does not know. HYMN Words: Edward Hayes Plumptre (1821-1891) Tune: Neumark, O waly waly O Lord of hosts, all heaven possessing, Behold us from thy sapphire throne: In doubt and darkness dimly guessing, We might thy glory half have known; But thou in Christ hast made us thine, And on us all thy beauties shine. Illumine all, disciples, teachers, Thy law's deep wonders to unfold; With reverent hand let wisdom's preachers Bring forth their treasures, new and old; Let oldest, youngest, find in thee Of truth and love the boundless sea. Let faith still light the lamp of science, And knowledge pass from truth to truth, And wisdom, in its full reliance, Renew the primal awe of youth: So holier, wiser, may we grow, As time's swift currents onward flow. Bind thou our life in fullest union With all thy saints from sin set free; Uphold us in that blest communion Of all thy saints on earth with thee; Keep thou our souls, or there, or here, In mightiest love, that casts out fear. SECOND READING [2 Timothy 2:14-end]: Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting the faith of some. But God?s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: ?The Lord knows those who are his?, and, ?Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.? In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work. Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord?s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Loving God, as the rising sun chases away the night, so you have scattered the power of death in the rising of Jesus Christ, and you bring us all blessings in him. Especially we thank you for the community of faith in our church... (We thank you, Lord.) those with whom we work or share common concerns... the diversity of your children... indications of your love at work in the world... those who work for reconciliation... Mighty God, with the dawn of your love you reveal your victory over all that would destroy or harm, and you brighten the lives of all who need you. Especially we pray for families suffering separation... (Lord, hear our prayer) people different from ourselves... those isolated by sickness or sorrow... the victims of violence or warfare... the church in the Pacific region... Gracious Creator of heaven and earth, your Word has come among us as the true Sun of Righteousness, and the Good News of his birth has gone out to the ends of the world: Open our eyes to the light of your law, that we may be freed from sin and serve you without reproach for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Light and our Life. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer To Jesus Christ, who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer is adapted from a prayer in _The Worship Sourcebook_, (c) 2004, CRC Publications. Used with permission. The closing prayer is Revelation 1:5-6, NRSV From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri Nov 6 22:09:51 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 22:09:51 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 7 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091106220951.2C195313C19@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Saturday, November 7, 2009 Willibrord of York, Bishop, Apostle of Frisia, 739 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God. We praise you for creating this world in all beauty, for redeeming the world through Christ, our Lord, and for sending us the gift of your Spirit to encourage, instruct, and sustain us. We long for your Spirit to work among us now, to inspire our praise, to challenge us with your truth, and to equip us for service in your world. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 35 Fight those who fight me, O Lord;* attack those who are attacking me. Take up shield and armour* and rise up to help me. Draw the sword and bar the way against those who pursue me;* say to my soul, 'I am your salvation.' Let those who seek after my life be shamed and humbled;* let those who plot my ruin fall back and be dismayed. Then I will be joyful in the Lord;* I will glory in his victory. My very bones will say, 'Lord, who is like you?* You deliver the poor from those who are too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.' Malicious witnesses rise up against me;* they charge me with matters I know nothing about. They pay me evil in exchange for good;* my soul is full of despair. But when they were sick I dressed in sackcloth* and humbled myself by fasting; I prayed with my whole heart, as one would for a friend or a brother;* I behaved like one who mourns for his mother, bowed down and grieving. But when I stumbled, they were glad and gathered together; they gathered against me;* strangers whom I did not know tore me to pieces and would not stop. They put me to the test and mocked me;* they gnashed at me with their teeth. O Lord, how long will you look on?* rescue me from the roaring beasts, and my life from the young lions. I will give you thanks in the great congregation;* I will praise you in the mighty throng. Do not let my treacherous foes rejoice over me,* nor let those who hate me without a cause wink at each other. For they do not plan for peace,* but invent deceitful schemes against the quiet in the land. They opened their mouths at me and said,* 'Aha! we saw it with our own eyes.' You saw it, O Lord; do not be silent;* O Lord, be not far from me. Awake, arise, to my cause!* to my defence, my God and my Lord! Give me justice, O Lord my God, according to your righteousness;* do not let them triumph over me. Do not let them say in their hearts, 'Aha! just what we want!'* Do not let them say, 'We have swallowed him up.' Let all who rejoice at my ruin be ashamed and disgraced;* let those who boast against me be clothed with dismay and shame. Let those who favour my cause sing out with joy and be glad;* let them say always, 'Great is the Lord, who desires the prosperity of his servant.' And my tongue shall be talking of your righteousness* and of your praise all the day long. Psalm 36 [CCP] There is a voice of rebellion deep in the heart of the wicked;* there is no fear of God before their eyes. They flatter themselves in their own eyes* that their hateful sin will not be found out. The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;* they have left off acting wisely and doing good. They think up wickedness upon their beds and have set themselves in no good way;* they do not abhor that which is evil. Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens,* and your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the strong mountains, your justice like the great deep;* you save both human and beast, O Lord. How priceless is your love, O God!* your people take refuge under the shadow of your wings. They feast upon the abundance of your house;* you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the well of life,* and in your light we see light. Continue your lovingkindness to those who know you,* and your favour to those who are true of heart. Let not the foot of the proud come near me,* nor the hand of the wicked push me aside. See how they are fallen, those who work wickedness!* they are cast down and shall not be able to rise. FIRST READING [Ecclesiastes 12]: Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, ?I have no pleasure in them?; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return with the rain; on the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the windows see dimly; when the doors on the street are shut, and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; when one is afraid of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because all must go to their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets; before the silver cord is snapped, and the golden bowl is broken, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity. Besides being wise, the Teacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs. The Teacher sought to find pleasing words, and he wrote words of truth plainly. The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings that are given by one shepherd. Of anything beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. HYMN Words: Michael Bruce (1746-1767) Tune: Dalehurst Almighty Father of mankind, On Thee my hopes remain; And when the day of trouble comes, I shall not trust in vain. In early days Thou wast my guide, And of my youth the Friend: And as my days began with Thee, With Thee my days shall end. I know the power in whom I trust, The arm on which I lean; He will my Saviour ever be, Who has my Saviour been. My God, who causedst me to hope, When life began to beat, And when a stranger in the world, Didst guide my wandering feet; Thou wilt not cast me off when age And evil days descend! Thou wilt not leave me in despair, To mourn my latter end. Therefore in life I'll trust to Thee, In death I will adore, And after death I'll sing Thy praise, When time shall be no more. SECOND READING [2 Timothy 4:9-end]: Do your best to come to me soon, for Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful in my ministry. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds. You also must beware of him, for he strongly opposed our message. At my first defence no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion?s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained in Corinth; Trophimus I left ill in Miletus. Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers and sisters. The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Great and wonderful God, we praise and thank you for the gift of renewal in Jesus Christ. Especially we thank you for opportunities for rest and recreation... (We thank you, Lord.) the regenerating gifts of the Holy Spirit... activities shared by young and old... fun and laughter... every service that proclaims your love... You make all things new, O God, and we offer our prayers for the renewal of the whole world and the healing of its wounds. Especially we pray for those who have no leisure... (Lord, hear our prayer.) people enslaved by addictions... those who entertain and enlighten... those confronted with temptation... the church in North America... God of our salvation, come quickly to free the poor from their oppressors, and establish your reign of justice on earth, that your people may sing out with joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. God, the Saviour of all, you sent your bishop Willibrord from this land to proclaim the good news to many peoples and confirm them in their faith: help us also to witness to your steadfast love by word and deed so that your Church may increase and grow strong in holiness; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer To Jesus Christ, who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The canticle is from _Common Worship: Daily Prayer, Preliminary Edition_, copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2002. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer is adapted from a prayer in _The Worship Sourcebook_, (c) 2004, CRC Publications. Used with permission. The closing prayer is Revelation 1:5-6, NRSV Willibrord, first Archbishop of Utrecht, is one of the missionaries sent out by the Anglo-Saxon Christians about a century after they had themselves been Christianized by missionaries in the south and east of England from Rome and the Continent, and in the north and west from the Celtic peoples of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Our information about Willibrord comes to us from the Venerable Bede (History of the English Church and People) and from a biography by his younger kinsman Alcuin, Minister of Education under the Emperor Charlemagne. Willibrord was born in Northumbria in England about 658, and studied in France and Ireland. In 690 he set out with 12 companions to preach to the pagans of Frisia (a region roughly coextensive with the province of Friesland in the Netherlands, including some adjacent territories and the Frisian islands in the North Sea). His work was interrupted several times by wars, and he left for a while to preach to the Danes instead. He died 7 November 739. [James Kiefer] From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat Nov 7 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 8 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091107170000.DACD0313C6D@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Sunday, November 8, 2009 The Third Sunday before Advent Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God. for all the saints who have gone before us, who have spoken to our hearts, and have touched us with your fire. Blessed are you, O God, for all the saints who live beside us, whose weakness and strengths are woven with our own. Blessed are you, O God, who live beyond us, who challenge us to change the world with them. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 38 O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger;* do not punish me in your wrath. For your arrows have already pierced me,* and your hand presses hard upon me. There is no health in my flesh, because of your indignation;* there is no soundness in my body, because of my sin. For my iniquities overwhelm me;* like a heavy burden they are too much for me to bear. My wounds stink and fester* by reason of my foolishness. I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;* I go about in mourning all the day long. My loins are filled with searing pain;* there is no health in my body. I am utterly numb and crushed;* I wail, because of the groaning of my heart. O Lord, you know all my desires,* and my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart is pounding, my strength has failed me,* and the brightness of my eyes is gone from me. My friends and companions draw back from my affliction;* my neighbours stand afar off. Those who seek after my life lay snares for me;* those who strive to hurt me speak of my ruin and plot treachery all the day long. But I am like the deaf who do not hear,* like those who are mute and do not open their mouth. I have become like one who does not hear* and from whose mouth comes no defence. For in you, O Lord, have I fixed my hope;* you will answer me, O Lord my God. For I said, 'Do not let them rejoice at my expense,* those who gloat over me when my foot slips.' Truly, I am on the verge of falling,* and my pain is always with me. I will confess my iniquity* and be sorry for my sin. Those who are my enemies without cause are mighty,* and many in number are those who wrongfully hate me. Those who repay evil for good slander me,* because I follow the course that is right. O Lord, do not forsake me;* be not far from me, O my God. Make haste to help me,* O Lord of my salvation. Psalm 39 I said, 'I will keep watch upon my ways,* so that I do not offend with my tongue. 'I will put a muzzle on my mouth* while the wicked are in my presence.' So I held my tongue and said nothing;* I refrained from rash words; but my pain became unbearable. My heart was hot within me; while I pondered, the fire burst into flame;* I spoke out with my tongue: Lord, let me know my end and the number of my days,* so that I may know how short my life is. You have given me a mere handful of days, and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight;* truly, even those who stand erect are but a puff of wind. We walk about like a shadow and in vain we are in turmoil;* we heap up riches and cannot tell who will gather them. And now, what is my hope?* O Lord, my hope is in you. Deliver me from all my transgressions* and do not make me the taunt of the fool. I fell silent and did not open my mouth,* for surely it was you that did it. Take your affliction from me;* I am worn down by the blows of your hand. With rebukes for sin you punish us; like a moth you eat away all that is dear to us;* truly, everyone is but a puff of wind. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry;* hold not your peace at my tears. For I am but a sojourner with you,* a wayfarer, as all my forebears were. Turn your gaze from me, that I may be glad again,* before I go my way and am no more. Psalm 40 I waited patiently upon the Lord;* he stooped to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay;* he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;* many shall see and stand in awe and put their trust in the Lord. Happy are they who trust in the Lord!* they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods. Great things are they that you have done, O Lord my God! how great your wonders and your plans for us!* there is none who can be compared with you. O that I could make them known and tell them!* but they are more than I can count. In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure* you have given me ears to hear you; Burntoffering and sinoffering you have not required,* and so I said, 'Behold, I come. 'In the roll of the book it is written concerning me:* "I love to do your will, O my God; your law is deep in my heart."' I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation;* behold, I did not restrain my lips; and that, O Lord, you know. Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance;* I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great congregation. You are the Lord; do not withhold your compassion from me;* let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever, For innumerable troubles have crowded upon me; my sins have overtaken me and I cannot see;* they are more in number than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;* O Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and altogether dismayed who seek after my life to destroy it;* let them draw back and be disgraced who take pleasure in my misfortune. Let those who say 'Aha!' and gloat over me be confounded,* because they are ashamed. Let all who seek you rejoice in you and be glad;* let those who love your salvation continually say, 'Great is the Lord!' Though I am poor and afflicted,* the Lord will have regard for me. You are my helper and my deliverer;* do not tarry, O my God. FIRST READING [Joel 3:9-17]: Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare war, ???stir up the warriors. Let all the soldiers draw near, ???let them come up. Beat your ploughshares into swords, ???and your pruning-hooks into spears; ???let the weakling say, ?I am a warrior.? Come quickly, ???all you nations all around, ???gather yourselves there. Bring down your warriors, O?Lord. Let the nations rouse themselves, ???and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge ???all the neighbouring nations. Put in the sickle, ???for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, ???for the wine press is full. The vats overflow, ???for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes, ???in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near ???in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, ???and the stars withdraw their shining. The Lord roars from Zion, ???and utters his voice from Jerusalem, ???and the heavens and the earth shake. But the Lord is a refuge for his people, ???a stronghold for the people of Israel. So you shall know that I, the Lord your God, ???dwell in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem shall be holy, ???and strangers shall never again pass through it. HYMN Words: James Montgomery (1771-1854) Tune: Nativity, Tiverton Sing we the song of those who stand Around the eternal throne, Of every kindred, clime, and land, A multitude unknown. Life's poor distinctions vanish here; Today the young, the old, Our Saviour and his flock appear, One Shepherd and one fold. Toil, trial, suffering still await On earth the pilgrim-throng; Yet learn we in our low estate The Church's triumph song. Worthy the Lamb for sinners slain, Cry the redeemed above, Blessing and honour to obtain, And everlasting love. Worthy the Lamb, on earth we sing, Who died our souls to save; Henceforth, O death, where is thy sting? Thy victory, O grave? Then, alleluia! Power and praise To God in Christ be given! May all who now this anthem raise Renew the strain in heaven. SECOND READING [Colossians 3:5-11]: Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things?anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: My brothers and sisters, let us offer our prayers to the Lord who keeps faith for ever. We pray for the unity of Christian people: that together we may do God?s will and serve all God?s children. We pray for the leaders of the nations: may they work together for peace and justice in the world, and for the protection of the environment we all share. We pray for all those who are working for an end to the conflict in the troubled places of the world, especially in Afghanistan: may the work in which they are engaged lead to a just and lasting peace, and may those who have given their lives there rest in peace. We pray for all those who have been killed or injured in the shootings at the army base of Fort Hood in the United States, and for their families: may they know the comfort of the Lord?s love. We remember in our prayers on this Remembrance Sunday all those who have died in war: that they may rest in peace, and that their example and memory may inspire us to work for an end to warfare and violence in our world today. Heavenly Father, we bring all our prayers to you through our great high priest, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Eternal God, you have taught us that the night is far spent and the day is at hand: Keep us awake and alert, watching for your kingdom, so that when Christ, the bridegroom, comes we may go out joyfully to meet him, and with him enter into the marriage feast that you have prepared for all who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer God beyond answers, Lord beyond words, Spirit beyond imagining, move us today. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer is adapted from a prayer by Janet Morley. The closing prayer is from the Pray Now website, http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/wpprayer9.htm From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun Nov 8 21:26:55 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 21:26:55 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 9 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091108212655.03EEE313C1F@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Monday, November 9, 2009 Margery Kempe, Mystic, c.1440 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God. for all the saints who have gone before us, who have spoken to our hearts, and have touched us with your fire. Blessed are you, O God, for all the saints who live beside us, whose weakness and strengths are woven with our own. Blessed are you, O God, who live beyond us, who challenge us to change the world with them. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 44 We have heard with our ears, O God, our forebears have told us,* the deeds you did in their days, in the days of old. How with your hand you drove the peoples out and planted our forebears in the land;* how you destroyed nations and made your people flourish. For they did not take the land by their sword, nor did their arm win the victory for them;* but your right hand, your arm, and the light of your countenance, because you favoured them. You are my King and my God;* you command victories for Jacob. Through you we pushed back our adversaries;* through your name we trampled on those who rose up against us. For I do not rely on my bow,* and my sword does not give me the victory. Surely, you gave us victory over our adversaries* and put those who hate us to shame. Every day we gloried in God,* and we will praise your name for ever. Nevertheless, you have rejected and humbled us* and do not go forth with our armies. You have made us fall back before our adversary,* and our enemies have plundered us. You have made us like sheep to be eaten* and have scattered us among the nations. You are selling your people for a trifle* and are making no profit on the sale of them. You have made us the scorn of our neighbours,* a mockery and derision to those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations,* a laughingstock among the peoples. My humiliation is daily before me,* and shame has covered my face; Because of the taunts of the mockers and blasphemers,* because of the enemy and avenger. All this has come upon us;* yet we have not forgotten you, nor have we betrayed your covenant. Our heart never turned back,* nor did our footsteps stray from your path; Though you thrust us down into a place of misery,* and covered us over with deep darkness. If we have forgotten the name of our God,* or stretched out our hands to some strange god, Will not God find it out?* for he knows the secrets of the heart. Indeed, for your sake we are killed all the day long;* we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake, O Lord! why are you sleeping?* Arise! do not reject us for ever. Why have you hidden your face* and forgotten our affliction and oppression? We sink down into the dust;* our body cleaves to the ground. Rise up and help us,* and save us for the sake of your steadfast love. Psalm 45 My heart is stirring with a noble song; let me recite what I have fashioned for the king;* my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer. You are the fairest of men;* grace flows from your lips, because God has blessed you for ever. Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior,* in your pride and in your majesty. Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth* and for the sake of justice. Your right hand will show you marvellous things;* your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior. The peoples are falling at your feet,* and the king's enemies are losing heart. Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever,* a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of your kingdom; you love righteousness and hate iniquity; Therefore God, your God, has anointed you* with the oil of gladness above your fellows. All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes and cassia,* and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad. Kings' daughters stand among the ladies of the court;* on your right hand is the queen, adorned with the gold of Ophir. 'Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely;* forget your people and your family's house. 'The king will have pleasure in your beauty;* he is your master; therefore do him honour. 'The people of Tyre are here with a gift;* the rich among the people seek your favour.' All glorious is the princess as she enters;* her gown is clothofgold. In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king;* after her the bridesmaids follow in procession. With joy and gladness they are brought,* and enter into the palace of the king. 'In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons;* you shall make them princes over all the earth. 'I will make your name to be remembered from one generation to another;* therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.' Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength,* a very present help in trouble; Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved,* and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea; Though its waters rage and foam,* and though the mountains tremble at its tumult. The Lord of hosts is with us;* the God of Jacob is our stronghold. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,* the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be overthrown;* God shall help her at the break of day. The nations make much ado and the kingdoms are shaken;* God has spoken and the earth shall melt away. The Lord of hosts is with us;* the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Come now and look upon the works of the Lord,* what awesome things he has done on earth. It is he who makes war to cease in all the world;* he breaks the bow and shatters the spear and burns the shields with fire. 'Be still, then, and know that I am God;* I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.' The Lord of hosts is with us;* the God of Jacob is our stronghold. FIRST READING [Deuteronomy 24:10-18]: When you make your neighbour a loan of any kind, you shall not go into the house to take the pledge. You shall wait outside, while the person to whom you are making the loan brings the pledge out to you. If the person is poor, you shall not sleep in the garment given you as the pledge. You shall give the pledge back by sunset, so that your neighbour may sleep in the cloak and bless you; and it will be to your credit before the Lord your God. You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy labourers, whether other Israelites or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt. Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their parents; only for their own crimes may persons be put to death. You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow?s garment in pledge. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this. HYMN Words: Cecil F Alexander (1818-1895) Tune: St James For all Thy saints, a noble throng, Who fell by fire and sword, Who soon were called, or waited long, We praise Thy name, O Lord; For him who left his father's side, Nor lingered by the shore, When, softer than the weltering tide, Thy summons glided o'er; Who stood beside the maiden dead, Who climbed the mount with Thee, And saw the glory round Thy head, One of Thy chosen three; Who knelt beneath the olive shade, Who drank Thy cup of pain, And passed from Herod's flashing blade To see Thy face again. Lord, give us grace and give us love, Like him to leave behind Earth's cares and joys, and look above With true and earnest mind. So shall we learn to drink Thy cup, So meek and firm be found, When Thou shalt come to take us up Where Thine elect are crowned. SECOND READING [1 Peter 1:1-12]: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be yours in abundance. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 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 honour 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. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made careful search and inquiry, inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated, when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven?things into which angels long to look! The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: We pray for the coming of God(s kingdom. You sent your Son to bring news to the poor, sight to the blind, freedom to captives and salvation to your people: anoint us with your Spirit; rouse us to work in his name: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Send us to bring help to the poor and freedom to the oppressed: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Send us to tell the world the good news of your healing love: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Send us to those who mourn to bring joy and gladness instead of grief: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Send us to proclaim that the time is here for you to save your people: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Lord of the Church hear our prayer, and make us one in mind and heart to serve you in Christ our Lord. Amen. In the darkness of unknowing, when your love seems absent and your favour far away, draw near to us, O God, through Jesus Christ, the forsaken one, the risen one, our Redeemer and our Lord. Amen. Almighty God, you have built your Church through the love and devotion of your saints: we give thanks for your servant Margery Kempe, whom we commemorate today. Inspire us to follow her example that we in our generation may rejoice with her in the vision of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, now and for ever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer God beyond answers, Lord beyond words, Spirit beyond imagining, move us today. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer is adapted from a prayer by Janet Morley. The closing prayer is from the Pray Now website, http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/wpprayer9.htm Born at Lynn in Norfolk in about 1373, Margery married and had fourteen children. After she had received several visions, she and her husband went on a pilgimage to Canterbury. Her fervent denunciations of all pleasure aroused stiff opposition and she was accused of Lollardy. In 1413 she and her husband took vows of chastity before the Bishop of Lincoln. She also made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The Book of Margery Kempe, which is almost the sole source of information about the author, describes her travels and mystical experiences. It also shows her closeness to the passion of Christ for the sins of the world. The last reference to her is on a pilgrimage to Danzig in 1433. From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri Nov 13 17:00:01 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:00:01 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 14 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091113170001.26607313C4C@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Saturday, November 14, 2009 Samuel Seabury, First Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA, 1796 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God. for all the saints who have gone before us, who have spoken to our hearts, and have touched us with your fire. Blessed are you, O God, for all the saints who live beside us, whose weakness and strengths are woven with our own. Blessed are you, O God, who live beyond us, who challenge us to change the world with them. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 71 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;* let me never be ashamed. In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free;* incline your ear to me and save me. Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe;* you are my crag and my stronghold. Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,* from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor. For you are my hope, O Lord God,* my confidence since I was young. I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother's womb you have been my strength;* my praise shall be always of you. I have become a portent to many;* but you are my refuge and my strength. Let my mouth be full of your praise* and your glory all the day long. Do not cast me off in my old age;* forsake me not when my strength fails. For my enemies are talking against me,* and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together. They say, 'God has forsaken him; go after him and seize him;* because there is none who will save.' O God, be not far from me;* come quickly to help me, O my God. Let those who set themselves against me be put to shame and be disgraced;* let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn and reproach. But I shall always wait in patience,* and shall praise you more and more. My mouth shall recount your mighty acts and saving deeds all day long;* though I cannot know the number of them. I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord God;* I will recall your righteousness, yours alone. O God, you have taught me since I was young,* and to this day I tell of your wonderful works. And now that I am old and greyheaded, O God, do not forsake me,* till I make known your strength to this generation and your power to all who are to come. Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens;* you have done great things; who is like you, O God? You have showed me great troubles and adversities,* but you will restore my life and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth. You strengthen me more and more;* you enfold and comfort me, Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your faithfulness, O my God;* I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will sing with joy when I play to you,* and so will my soul, which you have redeemed. My tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long,* for they are ashamed and disgraced who sought to do me harm. Psalm 72 Give the king your justice, O God,* and your righteousness to the king's son; That he may rule your people righteously* and the poor with justice; That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people,* and the little hills bring righteousness. He shall defend the needy among the people;* he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor. He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure,* from one generation to another. He shall come down like rain upon the mown field,* like showers that water the earth. In his time shall the righteous flourish;* there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more. He shall rule from sea to sea,* and from the River to the ends of the earth. His foes shall bow down before him,* and his enemies lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute,* and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts. All kings shall bow down before him,* and all the nations do him service. For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress,* and the oppressed who has no helper. He shall have pity on the lowly and poor;* he shall preserve the lives of the needy. He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence,* and dear shall their blood be in his sight. Long may he live, and may there be given to him gold from Arabia;* may prayer be made for him always, and may they bless him all the day long. May there be abundance of grain on the earth, growing thick even on the hilltops;* may its fruit flourish like Lebanon, and its grain like grass upon the earth. May his name remain for ever and be established as long as the sun endures;* may all the nations bless themselves in him and call him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,* who alone does wondrous deeds! And blessed be his glorious name for ever!* and may all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen. Amen. FIRST READING [Deuteronomy 30:11-end]: ?Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. 12It is not in heaven, that you should say, ?Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?? 13Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ?Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?? 14No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe. 15See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. 16If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God* that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. 17But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, 18I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, 20loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. HYMN Words: Fred Pratt Green (c) used with permission Tune: Dunedin, Herongate, Brockham, Illsley The church of Christ in every age, beset by change but Spirit-led, must claim and test its heritage and keep on rising from the dead. Across the world, across the street, the victims of injustice cry for shelter and for bread to eat, and never live until they die. The let the servant church arise, a caring church that longs to be a partner in Christ's sacrifice, and clothed in Christ's humanity. For he alone, whose blood was shed, can cure the fever in our blood, and teach us how to share our bread and feed the starving multitude. We have no mission but to serve in full obedience to our Lord: to care for all, without reserve, and spread his liberating word. SECOND READING [1 Peter 3:1-12]: Wives, in the same way, accept the authority of your husbands, so that, even if some of them do not obey the word, they may be won over without a word by their wives? conduct, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God?s sight. It was in this way long ago that the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves by accepting the authority of their husbands. Thus Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You have become her daughters as long as you do what is good and never let fears alarm you. Husbands, in the same way, show consideration for your wives in your life together, paying honour to the woman as the weaker sex, since they too are also heirs of the gracious gift of life?so that nothing may hinder your prayers. Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called?that you might inherit a blessing. For ?Those who desire life ???and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from?evil ???and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and?do good; ???let them seek peace and pursue?it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the?righteous, ???and his ears are open to their?prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.? The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, of apostles and prophets: in every age you have chosen people to work for you, by showing justice and doing mercy. Let the Church share Christ's own work as prophet, priest and king, reconciling the world to your law and your love, and telling of your mighty power. You have called us out of the world, O God, and chosen us to witness to the nations. Give us your Spirit to show the way, the truth and the life of our Savior Jesus Christ. Give thanks to God for the Church. We are a chosen people. You have appointed us as a royal priesthood, O God, to pray for people everywhere and to declare your mercy. We pray especially for the Episcopal Church and the Churches of the Anglican Communion. Give us your Spirit that we may be drawn to each other in love. Give thanks to God for the Church. We are the household of God. You have baptized us into one family of faith, and named us your children, the sisters and brothers of Jesus. Give us your Spirit to live in peace and serve each other gladly. Give thanks to God for the Church. We are a temple for your Spirit. You have built us up, O God, into a temple for worship. Give us your Spirit to know that there is no other foundation for us than Jesus Christ, our Rock and our Redeemer. Give thanks to God for the Church. We are a colony of heaven. You have joined us in one body, O God, to live for our Lord in the world. Give us your Spirit that, working together without envy or pride, we may serve our Lord and Head. Give thanks to God for the Church. We are the Body of Christ. O God, we are your Church, called, adopted, built up, blessed and joined to Jesus Christ. Help us to know who we are and in all we do to be your servants. Give thanks to God for the Church. And trust the Holy Spirit. Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: Receive our prayers and supplications, which we offer before you for all people in your holy Church, that all its members, in their vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Eternal God, who blessed your servant Samuel Seabury with the gift of perseverance to renew the Anglican inheritance in the churches of North America: grant us unity in faith, steadfastness in hope, and constancy in love, that we may ever be true members of the body of your Son Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer God beyond answers, Lord beyond words, Spirit beyond imagining, move us today. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer is adapted from a prayer by Janet Morley. The closing prayer is from the Pray Now website, http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/wpprayer9.htm The second collect is from _For All the Saints_, (c) General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada, 1994. A crucial date for members of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America is the consecration of the first Bishop of the Anglican Communion in the United States. During the colonial era, there had been no Anglican bishops in the New World; and persons seeking to be ordained as clergy had had to travel to England for the purpose. After the achievement of American independence, it was important for the Church in the United States to have its own bishops, and an assembly of Connecticut clergy chose Samuel Seabury to go to England and there seek to be consecrated as a bishop. However, the English bishops were forbidden by law to consecrate anyone who would not take an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. He accordingly turned to the Episcopal Church of Scotland. When the Roman Catholic king James II was deposed in 1688, some of the Anglican clergy (including some who had been imprisoned by James for defying him on religious issues) said that, having sworn allegiance to James as King, they could not during his lifetime swear allegiance to the new monarchs William and Mary. Those who took this position were known as non-Jurors (non-swearers), and they included almost all the bishops and clergy of the Episcopal Church in Scotland. Accordingly, the monarchs and Parliament declared that thenceforth the official church in Scotland should be the Presbyterian Church. The Episcopal Church of Scotland thereafter had no recognition by the government, and for some time operated under serious legal disablities. However, since it had no connection with the government, it was free to consecrate Seabury without government permission, and it did. This is why you see a Cross of St. Andrew on the Episcopal Church flag. In Aberdeen, 14 November 1784, Samuel Seabury was consecrated to the Episcopate by the Bishop and the Bishop Coadjutor of Aberdeen and the Bishop of Ross and Caithness. He thus became part of the unbroken chain of bishops that links the Church today with the Church of the Apostles. [James Kiefer] From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat Nov 14 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 15 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091114170000.E72CB313C2A@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Sunday, November 15, 2009 The Second Sunday before Advent Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God of all gods. that you gave your beloved Son in covenant for us. He lived as we must live; he died as we must die. You raised him from death's dark domain, and set us free to live for ever. He speaks for us before your throne, and brings us grace to help in time of need. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 75 We give you thanks, O God, we give you thanks,* calling upon your name and declaring all your wonderful deeds. 'I will appoint a time,' says God;* 'I will judge with equity. 'Though the earth and all its inhabitants are quaking,* I will make its pillars fast. 'I will say to the boasters, "Boast no more",* and to the wicked, "Do not toss your horns; '"Do not toss your horns so high,* nor speak with a proud neck."' For judgement is neither from the east nor from the west,* nor yet from the wilderness or the mountains. It is God who judges;* he puts down one and lifts up another. For in the Lord's hand there is a cup, full of spiced and foaming wine, which he pours out,* and all the wicked of the earth shall drink and drain the dregs. But I will rejoice for ever;* I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. He shall break off all the horns of the wicked;* but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted. Psalm 76 In Judah is God known;* his name is great in Israel. At Salem is his tabernacle,* and his dwelling is in Zion. There he broke the flashing arrows,* the shield, the sword and the weapons of battle. How glorious you are!* more splendid than the everlasting mountains! The strong of heart have been despoiled; they sink into sleep;* none of the warriors can lift a hand. At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,* both horse and rider lie stunned. What terror you inspire!* who can stand before you when you are angry? >From heaven you pronounced judgement;* the earth was afraid and was still; When God rose up to judgement* and to save all the oppressed of the earth. Truly, wrathful Edom will give you thanks,* and the remnant of Hamath will keep your feasts. Make a vow to the Lord your God and keep it;* let all around him bring gifts to him who is worthy to be feared. He breaks the spirit of princes,* and strikes terror in the kings of the earth. Psalm 77 I will cry aloud to God;* I will cry aloud and he will hear me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;* my hands were stretched out by night and did not tire; I refused to be comforted. I think of God, I am restless,* I ponder and my spirit faints. You will not let my eyelids close;* I am troubled and I cannot speak. I consider the days of old;* I remember the years long past; I commune with my heart in the night;* I ponder and search my mind. Will the Lord cast me off for ever?* will he no more show his favour? Has his lovingkindness come to an end for ever?* has his promise failed for evermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious?* has he, in his anger, withheld his compassion? And I said, 'My grief is this:* the right hand of the Most High has lost its power.' I will remember the works of the Lord,* and call to mind your wonders of old time. I will meditate on all your acts* and ponder your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy;* who is so great a god as our God? You are the God who works wonders* and have declared your power among the peoples. By your strength you have redeemed your people,* the children of Jacob and Joseph. The waters saw you, O God; the waters saw you and trembled;* the very depths were shaken. The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered;* your arrows flashed to and fro; The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lit up the world;* the earth trembled and shook. Your way was in the sea, and your paths in the great waters,* yet your footsteps were not seen. You led your people like a flock* by the hand of Moses and Aaron. FIRST READING [Genesis 19:1-3, 12-17, 24-28]: The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed down with his face to the ground. He said, ?Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant?s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you can rise early and go on your way.? They said, ?No; we will spend the night in the square.? But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Then the men said to Lot, ?Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city?bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.? So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, ?Up, get out of this place; for the Lord is about to destroy the city.? But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting. When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ?Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be consumed in the punishment of the city.? But he lingered; so the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and left him outside the city. When they had brought them outside, they said, ?Flee for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the Plain; flee to the hills, or else you will be consumed.? Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulphur and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot?s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord; and he looked down towards Sodom and Gomorrah and towards all the land of the Plain, and saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace. HYMN Words: Philip Doddridge (1702-1751) Tune: Saint Bride And will the Judge descend? And must the dead arise? And not a single soul escape His all-discerning eyes? How will my heart endure The terrors of that day, When earth and heaven before His face Astonished shrink away? But ere the trumpet shake The mansions of the dead, Hark! from the gospel's cheering sound, What joyful tidings spread! Ye sinners, seek His grace, Whose wrath ye cannot bear; Fly to the shelter of His cross, And find salvation there! So shall that curse remove By which the Saviour bled, And the last aweful day shall pour His blessings on your head. SECOND READING [Matthew 25:14-29]: Jesus said, ?The kingdom of heaven is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master?s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ?Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.? His master said to him, ?Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.? And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ?Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.? His master said to him, ?Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.? Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ?Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.? But his master replied, ?You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.' The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: The Lord is near. Let us bring our prayers to him. We pray for all those who are striving to bring peace in Afghanistan: may they be kept safe, and may their work bring the reward of a just and lasting peace. We pay for the people of Pakistan: may there be an end to the violence in their country. We pray for all prisoners, for their families, and for all who work in the prison service: may they know the redeeming and reconciling love of the Lord. We pray for all victims of crime and violence: may they know peace and healing, and be filled with the grace of forgiveness. We pray for all those who are resident in hospitals and care homes: may they always receive the care and support they need to live their daily lives as fully as possible with dignity and respect. We pray that all missionaries who are called to live and work in dangerous situations may be given renewed courage and strength to proclaim the Gospel. Heavenly Father, we bring all our prayers to you through our great high priest, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Everliving God, before the earth was formed and even after it shall cease to be, you are God: Break into our short span of life and show us those things that are eternal, that we may serve your purpose in all we do; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer Send your Holy Spirit upon your Church that in all our words and works we may serve you better and love you more. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer and closing prayer are adapted from material found in Book of Common Order, 1994, The Church of Scotland. From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun Nov 15 20:07:31 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:07:31 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 16 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091115200731.6752B313C25@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Monday, November 16, 2009 Margaret, Queen of Scotland, Philanthropist, Reformer of the Church, 1093 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God of all gods. that you gave your beloved Son in covenant for us. He lived as we must live; he died as we must die. You raised him from death's dark domain, and set us free to live for ever. He speaks for us before your throne, and brings us grace to help in time of need. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 79 O God, the heathen have come into your inheritance; they have profaned your holy temple;* they have made Jerusalem a heap of rubble. They have given the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the air,* and the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the field. They have shed their blood like water on every side of Jerusalem,* and there was no one to bury them. We have become a reproach to our neighbours,* an object of scorn and derision to those around us. How long will you be angry, O Lord?* will your fury blaze like fire for ever? Pour out your wrath upon the heathen who have not known you* and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon your name. For they have devoured Jacob* and made his dwelling a ruin. Remember not our past sins; let your compassion be swift to meet us;* for we have been brought very low. Help us, O God our Saviour, for the glory of your name;* deliver us and forgive us our sins, for your name's sake. [ Why should the heathen say, 'Where is their God?'* Let it be known among the heathen and in our sight that you avenge the shedding of your servants' blood.] Let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come before you,* and by your great might spare those who are condemned to die. [ May the revilings with which they reviled you, O Lord,* return sevenfold into their bosoms.] We are your people and the sheep of your pasture;* we will give you thanks for ever and show forth your praise from age to age. Psalm 80 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;* shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim. In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh,* stir up your strength and come to help us. Restore us, O God of hosts;* show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved. O Lord God of hosts,* how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people? You have fed them with the bread of tears;* you have given them bowls of tears to drink. You have made us the derision of our neighbours,* and our enemies laugh us to scorn. Restore us, O God of hosts;* show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved. You have brought a vine out of Egypt;* you cast out the nations and planted it. You prepared the ground for it;* it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered by its shadow* and the towering cedar trees by its boughs. You stretched out its tendrils to the Sea* and its branches to the River. Why have you broken down its wall,* so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes? The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it,* and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it. Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven; behold and tend this vine;* preserve what your right hand has planted. They burn it with fire like rubbish;* at the rebuke of your countenance let them perish. Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand,* the son of man you have made so strong for yourself. And so will we never turn away from you;* give us life, that we may call upon your name. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;* show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved. Psalm 81 Sing with joy to God our strength* and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob. Raise a song and sound the timbrel,* the merry harp and the lyre. Blow the ram'shorn at the new moon,* and at the full moon, the day of our feast. For this is a statute for Israel,* a law of the God of Jacob. He laid it as a solemn charge upon Joseph,* when he came out of the land of Egypt. I heard an unfamiliar voice saying,* 'I eased his shoulder from the burden; his hands were set free from bearing the load.' You called on me in trouble and I saved you;* I answered you from the secret place of thunder and tested you at the waters of Meribah. Hear, O my people, and I will admonish you:* O Israel, if you would but listen to me! There shall be no strange god among you;* you shall not worship a foreign god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said,* 'Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.' And yet my people did not hear my voice,* and Israel would not obey me. So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts,* to follow their own devices. O that my people would listen to me!* that Israel would walk in my ways! I should soon subdue their enemies* and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,* and their punishment would last for ever. But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat* and satisfy him with honey from the rock. FIRST READING [Wisdom 1:1-7]: Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth, think of the Lord in goodness and seek him with sincerity of heart; because he is found by those who do not put him to the test, and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him. For perverse thoughts separate people from God, and when his power is tested, it exposes the foolish; because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul, or dwell in a body enslaved to sin. For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit, and will leave foolish thoughts behind, and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness. For wisdom is a kindly spirit, but will not free blasphemers from the guilt of their words; because God is witness of their inmost feelings, and a true observer of their hearts, and a hearer of their tongues. Because the spirit of the Lord has filled the world, and that which holds all things together knows what is said, HYMN Words: Anonymous Tune: Orientis partibusw Dare to think, though others frown; Dare in words your thoughts express; Dare to rise, though oft cast down; Dare the wronged and scorned to bless. Dare from custom to depart; Dare the priceless pearl possess; Dare to wear it in your heart; Dare, when others curse, to bless. Dare what conscience says is right; Do what reason says is best; Do with all your mind and might; Do your duty and be blest. SECOND READING [1 Peter 3:13-end]: Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God?s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you?not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Almighty God, maker of all good things and Father of all; you have shown us in Christ the purpose of your creation and call us to be responsible in the world. We pray for the world all the nations.... our own country.... those in authority.... the peace of the world.... racial harmony.... those who maintain order.... Almighty God, we give you thanks for the order of created things the resources of the earth and the gift of human life.... for the continuing work of creation, man's share in it, and for creative vision and inventive skill.... for your faithfulness to man in patience and in love, and for every human response of obedience and humble achievement.... May we delight in your purpose and work to bring all things to their true end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd: you have led us to the kingdom of your Father(s love. Forgive our careless indifference to your loving care for all your creatures, and remake us in the likeness of your new and risen life. We ask this in your Name. Amen. O God, the ruler of all, who called your servant Margaret to an earthly throne and gave her zeal for your Church and love for your people that she might advance your heavenly kingdom: mercifully grant that we who commemorate her example may be fruitful in good works and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer Send your Holy Spirit upon your Church that in all our words and works we may serve you better and love you more. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer and closing prayer are adapted from material found in Book of Common Order, 1994, The Church of Scotland. The second collect is from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. Margaret (born c. 1045) was the grand-daughter of Edmund Ironside, King of the English, but was probably born in exile in Hungary, and brought to England in 1057. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, she sought refuge in Scotland, where about 1070 she married the King, Malcolm III. She and her husband rebuilt the monastery of Iona and founded the Benedictine Abbey at Dunfermline. Margaret undertook to impose on the Scottish the ecclesiastical customs she had been accustomed to in England, customs that were also prevalent in France and Italy. But Margaret was not concerned only with ceremonial considerations. She encouraged the founding of schools, hospitals, and orphanages. She argued in favor of the practice of receiving the Holy Communion frequently. She was less successful in preventing feuding among Highland Clans, and when her husband was treacherously killed in 1093, she herself died a few days later (of grief, it is said). [James Kiefer] From steve.benner at oremus.org Tue Nov 17 21:34:31 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:34:31 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 18 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091117213431.1B750313C1A@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Elizabeth of Hungary, Princess of Thuringia, Philanthropist, 1231 Sixteenth Anniversary of Oremus, First Day of Posting, 1993 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God of all gods. that you gave your beloved Son in covenant for us. He lived as we must live; he died as we must die. You raised him from death's dark domain, and set us free to live for ever. He speaks for us before your throne, and brings us grace to help in time of need. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 90 Lord, you have been our refuge* from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth, or the land and the earth were born,* from age to age you are God. You turn us back to the dust and say,* 'Go back, O child of earth.' For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past* and like a watch in the night. You sweep us away like a dream;* we fade away suddenly like the grass. In the morning it is green and flourishes;* in the evening it is dried up and withered. For we consume away in your displeasure;* we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation. Our iniquities you have set before you,* and our secret sins in the light of your countenance. When you are angry, all our days are gone;* we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The span of our life is seventy years, perhaps in strength even eighty;* yet the sum of them is but labour and sorrow, for they pass away quickly and we are gone. Who regards the power of your wrath?* who rightly fears your indignation? So teach us to number our days* that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry?* be gracious to your servants. Satisfy us by your lovingkindness in the morning;* so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us* and the years in which we suffered adversity. Show your servants your works* and your splendour to their children. May the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us;* prosper the work of our hands; prosper our handiwork. Psalm 91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High,* abides under the shadow of the Almighty. He shall say to the Lord, 'You are my refuge and my stronghold,* my God in whom I put my trust.' He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter* and from the deadly pestilence. He shall cover you with his pinions, and you shall find refuge under his wings;* his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of any terror by night,* nor of the arrow that flies by day; Of the plague that stalks in the darkness,* nor of the sickness that lays waste at midday. A thousand shall fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand,* but it shall not come near you. Your eyes have only to behold* to see the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your refuge,* and the Most High your habitation. There shall no evil happen to you,* neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over you,* to keep you in all your ways. They shall bear you in their hands,* lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and adder;* you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet. Because he is bound to me in love, therefore will I deliver him;* I will protect him, because he knows my name. He shall call upon me and I will answer him;* I am with him in trouble, I will rescue him and bring him to honour. With long life will I satisfy him,* and show him my salvation. Psalm 92 It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,* and to sing praises to your name, O Most High; To tell of your lovingkindness early in the morning* and of your faithfulness in the night season; On the psaltery and on the lyre* and to the melody of the harp. For you have made me glad by your acts, O Lord;* and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands. Lord, how great are your works!* your thoughts are very deep. The dullard does not know, nor does the fool understand,* that though the wicked grow like weeds, and all the workers of iniquity flourish, They flourish only to be destroyed for ever;* but you, O Lord, are exalted for evermore. For lo, your enemies, O Lord, lo, your enemies shall perish,* and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn you have exalted like the horns of wild bulls;* I am anointed with fresh oil. My eyes also gloat over my enemies,* and my ears rejoice to hear the doom of the wicked who rise up against me. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,* and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord* shall flourish in the courts of our God; They shall still bear fruit in old age;* they shall be green and succulent; That they may show how upright the Lord is,* my rock, in whom there is no fault. FIRST READING [Wisdom 6:12-21]: Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty, for she will be found sitting at the gate. To fix one?s thought on her is perfect understanding, and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care, because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought. The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction, and concern for instruction is love of her, and love of her is the keeping of her laws, and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality, and immortality brings one near to God; so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom. Therefore if you delight in thrones and sceptres, O?monarchs over the peoples, honour wisdom, so that you may reign for ever. HYMN Words: John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892) Tune: Albano, St Hugh, Walsall, Tallis Ordinal O Lord and Master of us all, Whate'er our name or sign, We own Thy sway, we hear Thy call, We test our lives by Thine. Thou judgest us: Thy purity Doth all our lusts condemn; The love that draws us nearer Thee Is hot with wrath to them. Our thoughts lie open to Thy sight; And, naked to Thy glance, Our secret sins are in the light Of Thy pure countenance. Yet, weak and blinded though we be, Thou dost our service own; We bring our varying gifts to Thee, And Thou rejectest none. Apart from Thee all gain is loss, All labour vainly done; The solemn shadow of Thy Cross Is better than the sun. Our Friend, our Brother, and our Lord, What may Thy service be? Nor name, nor form, nor ritual word, But simply following Thee. We faintly hear, we dimly see; In differing phrase we pray; But, dim or clear, we own in Thee The Light, the Truth, the Way SECOND READING [1 Peter 4:7-11]: The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers. Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Holy Father, you have reconciled us to yourself in Christ; by your Spirit you enable us to live as your children. We pray for personal relationships the home, and family life.... children deprived of home.... friends, relations and neighbours.... relationships in daily life and work.... those who are estranged.... ministries of care and healing... Holy Father, we give you thanks for the obedience of Christ fulfilled in the cross, his bearing of the sin of the world, his mercy for the world, which never fails.... for the joy of human love and friendship, the lives to which our own are bound, the gift of peace with you and each other.... for the communities in whose life we share and all relationships in which reconciliation may be known.... Help us to share in Christ's ministry and to love and serve one another in peace; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who in the unity of the Spirit is one with you for ever. Amen. Eternal Father, our refuge from generation to generation, in Christ your salvation has dawned for your people: prosper the work of our hands that the promise of your glorious kingdom may be fulfilled in our midst; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Lord God, who taught Elizabeth of Hungary to recognize and reverence Christ in the poor of this world: by her example strengthen us to love and serve the afflicted and the needy and so to honour your Son, the servant king, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer Send your Holy Spirit upon your Church that in all our words and works we may serve you better and love you more. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer and closing prayer are adapted from material found in Book of Common Order, 1994, The Church of Scotland. The second collect is from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. P> The numerous "St. Elizabeth's Hospitals" throughout the world are for the most part named, not for the Biblical Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, but for this princess of Hungary. She was concerned for the relief of the poor and the sick, and with her husband's consent she used her dowry money for their relief. During a famine and epidemic in 1226, while her husband was away in Italy, she sold her jewels and established a hospital where she nursed the sick, and opened the royal granaries to feed the hungry. After her husband's death in 1227, her inlaws, who opposed her "extravagances," expelled her from Wartburg. Finally an arrangement was negotiated with them that gave her a stipend. She became a Franciscan tertiary (lay associate) and devoted the remainder of her life to nursing and charity. She sewed garments to clothe the poor, and went fishing to feed them. Oremus was first devised in November 1993, as a response to a question on the ANGLICAN email list about how individuals might keep the forthcoming Advent more effectively. The intention was and is to make available a form of the "Daily Office", traditional in format, sufficiently brief and relevant to be used by as many readers as possible, and not duplicating any other form likely to be already used by members. Steve Benner undertook to create the Office and to post it each day, and he did this for nearly two years, from its first appearance on Thursday, 18 November 1993, until 13 September 1995. For the next fifteen months, Simon Kershaw compiled the Office, and from 1996-January 1998, Steve Benner and Simon Kershaw alternated responsibility for the compilation of the Office. Steve has continued to produce the daily office since January 1998; Simon has since become responsible for programming the feed for Common Worship - Daily Prayer (see link on our site). Oremus serves to nourish each of us in our daily prayer and bible reading; to introduce more people to the tradition of the Daily Office; to strengthen the sense of community of the group by the knowledge that our fellow members are using the same form of prayer, and by our prayers for one another; to strengthen our Anglican identity in our prayers for the Anglican Communion; and to greaten our Christian love in our prayers for our fellow Christians and for all people. While we do this work as a volunteer effort, it requires your support to help keep it going. Please consider making a donation in support by going to our website. From steve.benner at oremus.org Thu Nov 19 20:14:17 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:14:17 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 20 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091119201417.0DF74313C19@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Friday, November 20, 2009 Edmund, King of the East Angles, Martyr, 870 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God of all gods. that you gave your beloved Son in covenant for us. He lived as we must live; he died as we must die. You raised him from death's dark domain, and set us free to live for ever. He speaks for us before your throne, and brings us grace to help in time of need. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 102 Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come before you;* hide not your face from me in the day of my trouble. Incline your ear to me;* when I call, make haste to answer me, For my days drift away like smoke,* and my bones are hot as burning coals. My heart is smitten like grass and withered,* so that I forget to eat my bread. Because of the voice of my groaning* I am but skin and bones. I have become like a vulture in the wilderness,* like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake and groan;* I am like a sparrow, lonely on a housetop. My enemies revile me all day long,* and those who scoff at me have taken an oath against me. For I have eaten ashes for bread* and mingled my drink with weeping. Because of your indignation and wrath* you have lifted me up and thrown me away. My days pass away like a shadow,* and I wither like the grass. But you, O Lord, endure for ever,* and your name from age to age. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to have mercy upon her;* indeed, the appointed time has come. For your servants love her very rubble,* and are moved to pity even for her dust. The nations shall fear your name, O Lord,* and all the kings of the earth your glory. For the Lord will build up Zion,* and his glory will appear. He will look with favour on the prayer of the homeless;* he will not despise their plea. Let this be written for a future generation,* so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord. For the Lord looked down from his holy place on high;* from the heavens he beheld the earth; That he might hear the groan of the captive* and set free those condemned to die; That they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord,* and his praise in Jerusalem; When the peoples are gathered together,* and the kingdoms also, to serve the Lord. He has brought down my strength before my time;* he has shortened the number of my days; And I said, 'O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days;* your years endure throughout all generations. 'In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,* and the heavens are the work of your hands; 'They shall perish, but you will endure; they all shall wear out like a garment;* as clothing you will change them, and they shall be changed; 'But you are always the same,* and your years will never end. 'The children of your servants shall continue,* and their offspring shall stand fast in your sight.' Psalm 103 Bless the Lord, O my soul,* and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul,* and forget not all his benefits. He forgives all your sins* and heals all your infirmities; He redeems your life from the grave* and crowns you with mercy and lovingkindness; He satisfies you with good things,* and your youth is renewed like an eagle's. The Lord executes righteousness* and judgement for all who are oppressed. He made his ways known to Moses* and his works to the children of Israel. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy,* slow to anger and of great kindness. He will not always accuse us,* nor will he keep his anger for ever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins,* nor rewarded us according to our wickedness. For as the heavens are high above the earth,* so is his mercy great upon those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west,* so far has he removed our sins from us. As a father cares for his children,* so does the Lord care for those who fear him. For he himself knows whereof we are made;* he remembers that we are but dust. Our days are like the grass;* we flourish like a flower of the field; When the wind goes over it, it is gone,* and its place shall know it no more. But the merciful goodness of the Lord endures for ever on those who fear him,* and his righteousness on children's children; On those who keep his covenant* and remember his commandments and do them. The Lord has set his throne in heaven,* and his kingship has dominion over all. Bless the Lord, you angels of his, you mighty ones who do his bidding,* and hearken to the voice of his word. Bless the Lord, all you his hosts,* you ministers of his who do his will. Bless the Lord, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion;* bless the Lord, O my soul. FIRST READING [Wisdom 7:15-22a]: May God grant me to speak with judgement, and to have thoughts worthy of what I have received; for he is the guide even of wisdom and the corrector of the wise. For both we and our words are in his hand, as are all understanding and skill in crafts. For it is he who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists, to know the structure of the world and the activity of the elements; the beginning and end and middle of times, the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons, the cycles of the year and the constellations of the stars, the natures of animals and the tempers of wild animals, the powers of spirits and the thoughts of human beings, the varieties of plants and the virtues of roots; I learned both what is secret and what is manifest, for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me. There is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen, irresistible. HYMN Words: Josiah Conder (1789-1855) Tune: Federal Street Great King of saints! enthroned on high, Under Thy care Thy churches live: Thou dost their various wants supply And well-appointed elders give. For pastors may Thy name be blest, Who teach the doctrines of the Lord: On deacons may Thy favour rest, Chosen according to Thy word. While they their works assigned fulfil, O may their souls with grace be crowned! And patience, sympathy and zeal, With meekness, in their lives abound. Sound in the faith, in conscience clear, Ever may they in conduct prove Sober and just, devout, sincere, Guided by wisdom from above. And when their service here is done, Their labours and their conflicts o'er, Then may they wait before Thy throne In heaven to praise Thee evermore. SECOND READING [1 Peter 5:1-7]: Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it?not for sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away. In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for ?God opposes the proud,??but gives grace to the humble.? Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Gracious God and Father, you have given your Son for us all, that his death might be our life and his affliction our peace. We pray for the suffering... the hungry.... the refugees.... the prisoners.... the persecuted.... all who bring sin and suffering to others.... ministries of care and relief.... the Church in all its work, especially Gracious God and Father, we give you thanks for the cross of Christ at the heart of creation, the presence of Christ in our weakness and strength, the power of Christ to transform our suffering.... for all ministries of healing, all agencies of relief, all that sets men free from pain, fear and distress.... for the assurance that your mercy knows no limit, and for the privilege of sharing your work of renewal through prayer. In darkness and in light, in trouble and in joy, help us to trust your love, to serve your purpose and to praise your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. In the beginning, O God, you laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands; have pity on our human frailty and cast us not away like clothing that is worn, for you alone are our salvation for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Eternal God, whose servant Edmund kept faith to the end, both with you and with his people, and glorified you by his death: grant us such steadfastness of faith that, with the noble army of martyrs, we may come to enjoy the fullness of the resurrection life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer Send your Holy Spirit upon your Church that in all our words and works we may serve you better and love you more. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer and closing prayer are adapted from material found in Book of Common Order, 1994, The Church of Scotland. The second collect is from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. When the heathen Anglo-Saxons invaded Christian Britain in the 400's, they eventually established seven kingdoms: Essex, Wessex, Sussex (East Saxons, West Saxons, and South Saxons), Mercia, Northumbria, and East Anglia (three kingdoms of the Angles), and the Jute kingdom of Kent. (The borders between these ancient kingdoms are still borders between regions speaking English with different accents today.) Under the influence of missionaries from the Celts and from continental Europe, these peoples bcame Christian, only to be faced themselves by a wave of heathen invaders. Edmund was born about 840, became King of East Anglia in about 855, and in 870 faced a horde of marauding Danes, who moved through the countryside, burning churches and slaughtering villages wholesale. On reaching East Anglia, their leaders confronted Edmund and offered him peace on condition that he would rule as their vassal and forbid the practice of the Christian faith. Edmund refused this last condition, fought, and was captured. He was ill-treated and killed. His burial place is the town of Bury St. Edmunds. From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri Nov 20 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 21 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091120170000.E059C313C8D@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Saturday, November 21, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, O God of all gods. that you gave your beloved Son in covenant for us. He lived as we must live; he died as we must die. You raised him from death's dark domain, and set us free to live for ever. He speaks for us before your throne, and brings us grace to help in time of need. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 105 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name;* make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him,* and speak of all his marvellous works. Glory in his holy name;* let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Search for the Lord and his strength;* continually seek his face. Remember the marvels he has done,* his wonders and the judgements of his mouth, O offspring of Abraham his servant,* O children of Jacob his chosen. He is the Lord our God;* his judgements prevail in all the world. He has always been mindful of his covenant,* the promise he made for a thousand generations: The covenant he made with Abraham,* the oath that he swore to Isaac, Which he established as a statute for Jacob,* an everlasting covenant for Israel, Saying, 'To you will I give the land of Canaan* to be your allotted inheritance.' When they were few in number,* of little account and sojourners in the land, Wandering from nation to nation* and from one kingdom to another, He let no one oppress them* and rebuked kings for their sake, Saying, 'Do not touch my anointed* and do my prophets no harm.' Then he called for a famine in the land* and destroyed the supply of bread. He sent a man before them,* Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet in fetters;* his neck they put in an iron collar. Until his prediction came to pass,* the word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him;* the ruler of the peoples set him free. He set him as master over his household,* as a ruler over all his possessions, To instruct his princes according to his will* and to teach his elders wisdom. Israel came into Egypt,* and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham. The Lord made his people exceedingly fruitful;* he made them stronger than their enemies; Whose heart he turned, so that they hated his people,* and dealt unjustly with his servants. He sent Moses his servant,* and Aaron whom he had chosen. They worked his signs among them,* and portents in the land of Ham. He sent darkness and it grew dark;* but the Egyptians rebelled against his words. He turned their waters into blood* and caused their fish to die. Their land was overrun by frogs,* in the very chambers of their kings. He spoke and there came swarms of insects* and gnats within all their borders. He gave them hailstones instead of rain,* and flames of fire throughout their land. He blasted their vines and their fig trees* and shattered every tree in their country. He spoke and the locust came,* and young locusts without number, Which ate up all the green plants in their land* and devoured the fruit of their soil. He struck down the firstborn of their land,* the firstfruits of all their strength. He led out his people with silver and gold;* in all their tribes there was not one that stumbled. Egypt was glad of their going,* because they were afraid of them. He spread out a cloud for a covering* and a fire to give light in the night season. They asked and quails appeared,* and he satisfied them with bread from heaven. He opened the rock and water flowed,* so the river ran in the dry places. For God remembered his holy word* and Abraham his servant. So he led forth his people with gladness,* his chosen with shouts of joy. He gave his people the lands of the nations,* and they took the fruit of others' toil, That they might keep his statutes* and observe his laws. Alleluia! FIRST READING [Wisdom 7:22-8:1]: There is in Wisdom a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen, irresistible, beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle. For wisdom is more mobile than any motion; because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things. For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her. For she is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. Although she is but one, she can do all things, and while remaining in herself, she renews all things; in every generation she passes into holy souls and makes them friends of God, and prophets; for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom. She is more beautiful than the sun, and excels every constellation of the stars. Compared with the light she is found to be superior, for it is succeeded by the night, but against wisdom evil does not prevail. She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well. HYMN Words: Edward Churton (1800-1874) Tune: Haarlem (7775) God of grace, O let Thy light Bless our dim and blinded sight; Like the day-spring on the night, Bid Thy grace to shine. To the nations led astray Thine eternal love display; Let Thy truth direct their way Till the world be Thine. Praise to Thee, the faithful Lord; Let all tongues in glad accord Learn the good thanksgiving word, Ever praising Thee. Let them moved to gladness sing, Owning Thee their Judge and King; Righteous truth shall bloom and spring Where Thy rule shall be. Praise to Thee, all faithful Lord; Let all tongues in glad accord Speak the good thanksgiving word, Heart-rejoicing praise. So the fruitful earth's increase, Bounty of the God of peace, Never in its course shall cease Through the length of days; While His grace our life shall cheer, Furthest lands shall own His fear, Brought to Him in worship near, Taught His mercy's ways. SECOND READING [1 Peter 5:8-end]: Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. Through Silvanus, whom I consider a faithful brother, I have written this short letter to encourage you, and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. Your sister church in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Eternal God, you have declared in Christ the completion of all your purpose of love. We pray for those in need: the tempted and despairing.... the sick and handicapped.... the aged... and the dying.... the ministries of care and healing.... those who mourn.... Eternal God, we give thanks for the triumphs of the gospel that herald your salvation the signs of renewal that declare the coming of your kingdom, the human lives that reveal your work of grace.... for all those who have died in faith.... for the unceasing praise of the company of heaven, the promise to those who mourn that all tears shall be wiped away, the pledge of death destroyed and victory won.... for our foretaste of eternal life through baptism and eucharist, our hope in the Spirit, and the communion of saints.... May we live by faith, walk in hope and be renewed in love, until the world reflects your glory and you are all in all. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen. Merciful God, you brought your people out of slavery and led them to freedom in the promised land; feed us on our journey with the bread of heaven that we may hunger and thirst for righteousness until your kingdom comes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer Send your Holy Spirit upon your Church that in all our words and works we may serve you better and love you more. Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer and closing prayer are adapted from material found in Book of Common Order, 1994, The Church of Scotland. From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun Nov 22 17:00:00 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 23 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091122170000.3D51F313C43@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Monday, November 23, 2009 Clement, Bishop of Rome, Martyr, c.100 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, God our Father, for with the oil of gladness you have anointed Christ the Lord, your only Son, to be our great high priest and king of all creation. As priest, he offered himself once for all upon the altar of the cross and redeemed the human race by this perfect sacrifice of peace. As king he claims dominion over all your creatures, that he may bring before your infinite majesty a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 110:1-5 The Lord said to my lord, 'Sit at my right hand,* until I make your enemies your footstool.' The Lord will send the sceptre of your power out of Zion,* saying, 'Rule over your enemies round about you. 'Princely state has been yours from the day of your birth,* in the beauty of holiness have I begotten you, like dew from the womb of the morning.' The Lord has sworn and he will not recant:* 'You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.' Psalm 111 Alleluia! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,* in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the deeds of the Lord!* they are studied by all who delight in them. His work is full of majesty and splendour,* and his righteousness endures for ever. He makes his marvellous works to be remembered;* the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. He gives food to those who fear him;* he is ever mindful of his covenant. He has shown his people the power of his works* in giving them the lands of the nations. The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice;* all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever,* because they are done in truth and equity. He sent redemption to his people; he commanded his covenant for ever;* holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;* those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise endures for ever. Psalm 112 Alleluia! Happy are they who fear the Lord* and have great delight in his commandments! Their descendants will be mighty in the land;* the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in their house,* and their righteousness will last for ever. Light shines in the darkness for the upright;* the righteous are merciful and full of compassion. It is good for them to be generous in lending* and to manage their affairs with justice. For they will never be shaken;* the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance. They will not be afraid of any evil rumours;* their heart is right; they put their trust in the Lord. Their heart is established and will not shrink,* until they see their desire upon their enemies. They have given freely to the poor,* and their righteousness stands fast for ever; they will hold up their head with honour. The wicked will see it and be angry; they will gnash their teeth and pine away;* the desires of the wicked will perish. Psalm 113 Alleluia! Give praise, you servants of the Lord;* praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be blessed,* from this time forth for evermore. >From the rising of the sun to its going down* let the name of the Lord be praised. The Lord is high above all nations,* and his glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, who sits enthroned on high,* but stoops to behold the heavens and the earth? He takes up the weak out of the dust* and lifts up the poor from the ashes. He sets them with the princes,* with the princes of his people. He makes the woman of a childless house* to be a joyful mother of children. FIRST READING [Wisdom 9:1-4, 9-11]: O?God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy, who have made all things by your word, and by your wisdom have formed humankind to have dominion over the creatures you have made, and rule the world in holiness and righteousness, and pronounce judgement in uprightness of soul, give me the wisdom that sits by your throne, and do not reject me from among your servants. With you is wisdom, she who knows your works and was present when you made the world; she understands what is pleasing in your sight and what is right according to your commandments. Send her forth from the holy heavens, and from the throne of your glory send her, that she may labour at my side, and that I may learn what is pleasing to you. For she knows and understands all things, and she will guide me wisely in my actions and guard me with her glory. HYMN Words: Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871) Meter: 76 76 D O Jesus Christ, the Saviour, We only look to Thee; 'Tis in Thy love and favour Our souls find liberty. While Satan fiercely rages And shipwreck oft we fear, 'Tis this our grief assuages, That Thou art always near. Yes, though the tempest round us Seems safety to defy, Though rocks and shoals surround us And swell the billows high; Thou dost from death protect us And cheer us by Thy love; Thy counsels, too, direct us Safe to the rest above. There, with what joy reviewing Past conflicts, dangers, fears, Thy hand our foes subduing And drying all our tears; Our hearts with rapture burning, The path we shall retrace, Where now our souls are learning The riches of Thy grace. O then how loud the chorus Shall to Thy name resound, >From all at rest before us, >From all Thy grace hath found! One joyful song for ever Each heart, each lip shall raise, The praise of our Redeemer, Our God and Saviour's praise. SECOND READING [2 Peter 1:1-11]: Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants in the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: We pray for the coming of God(s kingdom. You sent your Son to bring news to the poor, sight to the blind, freedom to captives and salvation to your people: anoint us with your Spirit; rouse us to work in his name: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Send us to bring help to the poor and freedom to the oppressed: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Send us to tell the world the good news of your healing love: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Send us to those who mourn to bring joy and gladness instead of grief: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Send us to proclaim that the time is here for you to save your people: Father, by your Spirit bring in your kingdom. Lord of the Church hear our prayer, and make us one in mind and heart to serve you in Christ our Lord. Amen. When you came among us in majesty, O God, you took the form of a servant. May we whom you call to your priestly service work to establish justice on earth, that we may inherit your kingdom in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Creator and Father of eternity, whose martyr Clement bore witness with his blood to the love he proclaimed and the gospel that he preached: give us thankful hearts as we celebrate your faithfulness, revealed to us in the lives of your saints, and strengthen us in our pilgrimage as we follow your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer May Christ our King make us faithful and strong to do his will, that we may reign with him in glory; Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. Clement is counted as the third bishop of Rome (after the apostles). His predecessors are Linus and Cletus (or Anacletus, or Anencletus), about whom almost nothing is known. They are simply names on a list. Clement is a little more than this, chiefly because he wrote a letter to the Corinthians, which was highly valued by the early church, and has been preserved to the present day. The letter itself does not carry his name, but is merely addressed from the congregation at Rome to the congregation at Corinth. However, a letter from Corinth to Rome a few decades later refers to "the letter we received from your bishop Clement, which we still read regularly." Other early writers are unanimous in attributing the letter to Clement. Perhaps because this letter made his name familiar, he has had an early anonymous sermon (commonly called II Clement) attributed to him, and is a character in some early religious romances (e.g. the Clementine Recognitions). One story about Clement is that he was put to death by being tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea. Accordingly, he is often depicted with an anchor, and many churches in port towns intended to minister chiefly to mariners are named for him. The Epistle of Clement to The Corinthians (also called I Clement) can be found in collections of the writings of the Apostolic Fathers, such as the Penguin Paperback Early Christian Writings, translated by Maxwell Staniforth. The letter is commonly dated around 96 AD, but an earlier date is suggested by John Robinson in his Redating the New Testament. The letter is occasioned by the fact that a group of Christians at Corinth had banded together against their leaders and had deposed them from office. Clement writes to tell them that they have behaved badly, and to remind them of the importance of Christian unity and love. He speaks at length of the way in which each kind of official in the church has his own function for the good of the whole. The letter is an important witness to the early Christian understanding of Church government, but an ambiguous witness in that we are never told precisely why the Corinthians had deposed their leaders, and therefore the letter can be read as saying that presbyters ought not to be deposed without reasonable grounds, or as saying that they cannot be deposed on any grounds at all. [James Kiefer, abridged] From steve.benner at oremus.org Fri Nov 27 20:26:42 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:26:42 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 28 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091127202642.69D8E313C1F@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Saturday, November 28, 2009 Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, God our Father, for with the oil of gladness you have anointed Christ the Lord, your only Son, to be our great high priest and king of all creation. As priest, he offered himself once for all upon the altar of the cross and redeemed the human race by this perfect sacrifice of peace. As king he claims dominion over all your creatures, that he may bring before your infinite majesty a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. Psalm 132 Lord, remember David* and all the hardships he endured; How he swore an oath to the Lord* and vowed a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: 'I will not come under the roof of my house,* nor climb up into my bed; 'I will not allow my eyes to sleep,* nor let my eyelids slumber; 'Until I find a place for the Lord,* a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.' 'The Ark! We heard it was in Ephrathah;* we found it in the fields of Jearim. 'Let us go to God's dwelling place;* let us fall upon our knees before his footstool.' Arise, O Lord, into your restingplace,* you and the ark of your strength. Let your priests be clothed with righteousness;* let your faithful people sing with joy. For your servant David's sake,* do not turn away the face of your anointed. The Lord has sworn an oath to David;* in truth, he will not break it: 'A son, the fruit of your body* will I set upon your throne. 'If your children keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them,* their children will sit upon your throne for evermore.' For the Lord has chosen Zion,* he has desired her for his habitation: 'This shall be my restingplace for ever;* here will I dwell, for I delight in her. 'I will surely bless her provisions,* and satisfy her poor with bread. 'I will clothe her priests with salvation,* and her faithful people will rejoice and sing. 'There will I make the horn of David flourish;* I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. As for his enemies, I will clothe them with shame;* but as for him, his crown will shine.( Psalm 133 O how good and pleasant it is,* when a family lives together in unity! It is like fine oil upon the head* that runs down upon the beard, Upon the beard of Aaron,* and runs down upon the collar of his robe. It is like the dew of Hermon* that falls upon the hills of Zion. For there the Lord has ordained the blessing:* life for evermore. Psalm 134 Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,* you that stand by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord;* the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion. Psalm 135 Alleluia! Praise the name of the Lord;* give praise, you servants of the Lord, You who stand in the house of the Lord,* in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;* sing praises to his name, for it is lovely. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself* and Israel for his own possession. For I know that the Lord is great,* and that our Lord is above all gods. The Lord does whatever pleases him, in heaven and on earth,* in the seas and all the deeps. He brings up rain clouds from the ends of the earth;* he sends out lightning with the rain, and brings the winds out of his storehouse. It was he who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,* the firstborn both of human and beast. He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt,* against Pharaoh and all his servants. He overthrew many nations* and put mighty kings to death: Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, the king of Bashan,* and all the kingdoms of Canaan. He gave their land to be an inheritance,* an inheritance for Israel his people. O Lord, your name is everlasting;* your renown, O Lord, endures from age to age. For the Lord gives his people justice* and shows compassion to his servants. The idols of the heathen are silver and gold,* the work of human hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak;* eyes have they, but they cannot see. They have ears, but they cannot hear;* neither is there any breath in their mouth. Those who make them are like them,* and so are all who put their trust in them. Bless the Lord, O house of Israel;* O house of Aaron, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, O house of Levi;* you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion,* who dwells in Jerusalem. Alleluia! FIRST READING [Wisdom 13:1-9]: For all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature; and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know the one who exists, nor did they recognize the artisan while paying heed to his works; but they supposed that either fire or wind or swift air, or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water, or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world. If through delight in the beauty of these things people assumed them to be gods, let them know how much better than these is their Lord, for the author of beauty created them. And if people were amazed at their power and working, let them perceive from them how much more powerful is the one who formed them. For from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator. Yet these people are little to be blamed, for perhaps they go astray while seeking God and desiring to find him. For while they live among his works, they keep searching, and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are beautiful. Yet again, not even they are to be excused; for if they had the power to know so much that they could investigate the world, how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things? HYMN Words: Horatius Bonar (1808-1889) Tune: Leominster A few more years shall roll, A few more seasons come, And we shall be as those that rest Asleep within the tomb. Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that great day; Oh, wash me in Thy precious blood And take my sins away. A few more suns shall set O'er these dark hills of time, And we shall be where suns are not A far serener clime. Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that bright day; Oh, wash me in Thy precious blood And take my sins away. A few more storms shall beat On this wild rocky shore, And we shall be where tempests cease, And surges swell no more. Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that calm day; Oh, wash me in Thy precious blood And take my sins away. A few more struggles here, A few more partings o'er, A few more toils, a few more tears, And we shall weep no more. Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that blest day; Oh, wash me in Thy precious blood And take my sins away. 'Tis but a little while And He shall come again, Who died that we might live-who lives That we with Him may reign: Then, O my Lord, prepare My soul for that glad day; Oh, wash me in Thy precious blood And take my sins away. SECOND READING [2 Peter 3:11-end]: Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: United in the company of all the faithful and looking for the coming of the kingdom, let us offer our prayers to God, the source of all life and holiness. Merciful Lord, strengthen all Christian people by your Holy Spirit that we may live as a royal priesthood and a holy nation to the praise of Christ Jesus our Saviour. Lord, have mercy. Bless N our bishop, and all ministers of your Church, that by faithful proclamation of your word we may be built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets into a holy temple in the Lord. Lord, have mercy. Empower us by the gift of your Holy and Lifegiving Spirit that we may be transformed into the likeness of Christ from glory to glory. Lord, have mercy. Give to the world and its peoples the peace that comes from above, that they may find Christ's way of freedom and life. Lord, have mercy. Hold in your embrace all who witness to your love in the service of the poor and needy; all those who minister to the sick and dying; and all who bring light to those in darkness. Lord, have mercy. Touch and heal all those whose lives are scarred by sin or disfigured by pain, that, raised from death to life in Christ, their sorrow may be turned to eternal joy. Lord, have mercy. Remember in your mercy those gone before us who have been wellpleasing to you from eternity; preserve us who live here in your faith, guide us to your kingdom, and grant us your peace at all times. Lord, have mercy. Hasten the day when those who fear you in every nation will come from east and west, from north and south, and sit at table in your kingdom. Lord, have mercy. And so we give you thanks for the whole company of your saints in glory, with whom in fellowship we join our prayers and praises; by your grace may we, like them, be made perfect in your love. Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honour and power, be to our God for ever and ever. Amen. Jesus, Son of David, Mighty One of God, you have called us to be priests of the new covenant: clothe us with righteousness, make us faithful and give us hearts to shout for joy in your salvation. To you be glory for ever! Amen. Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Savior has taught us. - The Lord's Prayer May Christ our King make us faithful and strong to do his will, that we may reign with him in glory; Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. From steve.benner at oremus.org Sat Nov 28 17:03:13 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:03:13 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 29 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091128170313.6A3EA313C14@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Sunday, November 29, 2009 The First Sunday of Advent Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, loving God, ever faithful to your promises and ever close to your church. The earth rejoices in hope of the Savior's coming and looks forward with longing to his return at the end of time. You call us to prepare our hearts and remove that which hinders us from the joy and hope his presence will bestow. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. http://www.oremus.org/advocant.html Psalm 139 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 trace my journeys and my restingplaces* and are acquainted with all my ways. Indeed, there is not a word on my lips,* but you, O Lord, know it altogether. You press upon me behind and before* and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;* it is so high that I cannot attain to it. Where can I go then from your Spirit?* 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 will lead me* and your right hand hold me fast. If I say, 'Surely the darkness will cover me,* and the light around me turn to night', Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day;* darkness and light to you are both alike. For you yourself created my inmost parts;* you knit me together in my mother's womb. I will thank you because I am marvellously made;* your works are wonderful and I know it well. My body was not hidden from you,* while I was being made in secret and woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb; all of them were written in your book;* they were fashioned day by day, when as yet there was none of them. How deep I find your thoughts, O God!* how great is the sum of them! If I were to count them, they would be more in number than the sand;* to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours. Search me out, O God, and know my heart;* try me and know my restless thoughts. Look well whether there be any wickedness in me* and lead me in the way that is everlasting. Psalm 140 Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers;* protect me from the violent, Who devise evil in their hearts* and stir up strife all day long. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent;* adder's poison is under their lips. Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;* protect me from the violent, who are determined to trip me up. The proud have hidden a snare for me and stretched out a net of cords;* they have set traps for me along the path. I have said to the Lord, 'You are my God;* listen, O Lord, to my supplication. 'O Lord God, the strength of my salvation,* you have covered my head in the day of battle. 'Do not grant the desires of the wicked, O Lord,* nor let their evil plans prosper. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the poor* and render justice to the needy. Surely, the righteous will give thanks to your name,* and the upright shall continue in your sight. FIRST READING [Malachi 3:1-6; 4:4-6]: See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight?indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner?s fire and like fullers? soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. Then I will draw near to you for judgement; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O?children of Jacob, have not perished. Remember the teaching of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse. HYMN Words: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, Philipp Nicolai (1556-1608) translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878) Tune: Wachet auf Wake, awake, for night is flying! The watchmen on the heights are crying: Awake, Jerusalem, at last! Midnight hears the welcome voices, And at the thrilling cry rejoices: Come forth, ye virgins, night is past! The Bridegroom comes; awake, Your lamps with gladness take; Hallelujah! And for His marriage feast prepare, For ye must go to meet Him there. Zion hears the watchmen singing, And all her heart with joy is springing; She wakes, she rises from her gloom; For her Lord comes down all glorious, The strong in grace, in truth victorious; Her Star is risen, her Light is come! Ah come, Thou bless?d One God's own belov?d Son; Hallelujah! We follow till the halls we see Where Thou hast bid us sup with Thee. Now let all the heavens adore Thee, And men and angels sing before Thee, With harp and cymbal's clearest tone; Of one pearl each shining portal, Where we are with the choir immortal Of angels round Thy dazzling throne; Nor eye hath seen, nor ear Hath yet attained to hear What there is ours; But we rejoice, and sing to Thee Our hymn of joy eternally. SECOND READING [Matthew 25:1-13]: Jesus said, ?Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ?Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.? Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ?Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.? But the wise replied, ?No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.? And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ?Lord, lord, open to us.? But he replied, ?Truly I tell you, I do not know you.? Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.' The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: My brothers and sisters, as we look to the coming of the Lord let us bring our prayers to him. We pray for the Church: in this Advent season may she prepare the way of the Lord with penitence for the failings of the past and a renewed commitment to live and work in the service of God and of all God?s children. We pray for all those who are, or who have been, victims of abuse: may they be given justice for the wrongs inflicted on them, and healing for the damage that has been caused to them. We pray for all who are entrusted with the care of children and vulnerable people: may they always unselfishly exercise the responsibility given to them with a true and loving concern for the well-being of those in their care. We pray for the leaders of the nations; for the world leaders as they prepare for their meeting in Copenhagen: may they be inspired by a true concern for the future of the world we all share, and especially for those in it who are poorest and most vulnerable. We pray for those who live with HIV and Aids, that they may receive the help they need and be freed from prejudice and discrimination; and we pray too for all who are working to prevent the spread of the disease. We pray for all migrants and those who live far from home: may they be welcomed and valued in the communities in which they have come to live and work. Almighty Father, we ask you to increase our love and confirm our hearts in holiness, as we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; and we make our prayers through the same Christ, your Son our Lord. Amen. Faithful God, your promises stand unshaken through all generations: Renew us in hope, that we may be awake and alert watching for the glorious return of Jesus Christ, our judge and savior, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Awaiting his coming in glory, let us pray as our Savior has taught us: - The Lord's Prayer O Son of God, our Savior, today we await your coming, and tomorrow we shall see your glory. Reveal the good news to all of us who long for your arrival. Come, Love incarnate, do not delay. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from _Chalice Worship_, (c) Chalice Press, 1997. Reproduced with permission. From steve.benner at oremus.org Sun Nov 29 23:49:46 2009 From: steve.benner at oremus.org (Steve Benner) Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:49:46 +0000 (GMT) Subject: OREMUS: 30 November 2009 Message-ID: <20091129234946.6BD18313C19@justus2.anglican.org> ******************************************************* Visit our website at http://www.oremus.org for more resources, a link to our store in association with Amazon and other opportunities to support this ministry. This ministry can only continue with your support. ******************************************************* OREMUS for Monday, November 30, 2009 Saint Andrew the Apostle Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim your praise. Blessed are you, loving God, for the witness of your apostle Andrew, who by his preaching of the Christ, your Son and by his martyrdom shared in the suffering and the glory of all those called by Christ as his followers. For these and all your mercies, we praise you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God for ever! An opening canticle may be sung. http://www.oremus.org/advocant.html Psalm 144 Blessed be the Lord my rock!* who trains my hands to fight and my fingers to battle; My help and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer,* my shield in whom I trust, who subdues the peoples under me. O Lord, what are we that you should care for us?* mere mortals that you should think of us? We are like a puff of wind;* our days are like a passing shadow. Bow your heavens, O Lord, and come down;* touch the mountains and they shall smoke. Hurl the lightning and scatter them;* shoot out your arrows and rout them. Stretch out your hand from on high;* rescue me and deliver me from the great waters, from the hand of foreign peoples, Whose mouths speak deceitfully* and whose right hand is raised in falsehood. O God, I will sing to you a new song;* I will play to you on a tenstringed lyre. You give victory to kings* and have rescued David your servant. Rescue me from the hurtful sword* and deliver me from the hand of foreign peoples, Whose mouths speak deceitfully* and whose right hand is raised in falsehood. May our sons be like plants well nurtured from their youth,* and our daughters like sculptured corners of a palace. May our barns be filled to overflowing* with all manner of crops; May the flocks in our pastures increase by thousands and tens of thousands;* may our cattle be fat and sleek. May there be no breaching of the walls, no going into exile,* no wailing in the public squares. Happy are the people of whom this is so!* happy are the people whose God is the Lord! Psalm 145 I will exalt you, O God my King,* and bless your name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless you* and praise your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised;* there is no end to his greatness. One generation shall praise your works to another* and shall declare your power. I will ponder the glorious splendour of your majesty* and all your marvellous works. They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts,* and I will tell of your greatness. They shall publish the remembrance of your great goodness;* they shall sing of your righteous deeds. The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,* slow to anger and of great kindness. The Lord is loving to everyone* and his compassion is over all his works. All your works praise you, O Lord,* and your faithful servants bless you. They make known the glory of your kingdom* and speak of your power; That the peoples may know of your power* and the glorious splendour of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;* your dominion endures throughout all ages. The Lord is faithful in all his words* and merciful in all his deeds. The Lord upholds all those who fall;* he lifts up those who are bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord,* and you give them their food in due season. You open wide your hand* and satisfy the needs of every living creature. The Lord is righteous in all his ways* and loving in all his works. The Lord is near to those who call upon him,* to all who call upon him faithfully. He fulfils the desire of those who fear him,* he hears their cry and helps them. The Lord preserves all those who love him,* but he destroys all the wicked. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord;* let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. Psalm 146 Alleluia! Praise the Lord, O my soul!* I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth,* for there is no help in them. When they breathe their last, they return to earth,* and in that day their thoughts perish. Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!* whose hope is in the Lord their God; Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them;* who keeps his promise for ever; Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,* and food to those who hunger. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind;* the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; The Lord loves the righteous; the Lord cares for the stranger;* he sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked. The Lord shall reign for ever,* your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Alleluia! FIRST READING [Ezekiel 47:1-12]: Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple towards the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me round on the outside to the outer gate that faces towards the east; and the water was coming out on the south side. Going on eastwards with a cord in his hand, the man measured one thousand cubits, and then led me through the water; and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was up to the waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, 'Mortal, have you seen this?' Then he led me back along the bank of the river. As I came back, I saw on the bank of the river a great many trees on one side and on the other. He said to me, 'This water flows towards the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant waters, the water will become fresh. Wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes. People will stand fishing beside the sea from En-gedi to En-eglaim; it will be a place for the spreading of nets; its fish will be of a great many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.' HYMN Words: Cecil Frances Alexander, (1818-1895) 1852 Tune: St. Andrew, St. Oswald, Restoration, Merton http://www.oremus.org/hymna l/j/j026.html Hit "Back" in your browser to return to Oremus. Jesus calls us; o'er the tumult of our life's wild, restless sea, day by day his clear voice soundeth, saying, "Christian, follow me;" as, of old, Saint Andrew heart it by the Galilean lake, turned from home and toil and kindred, leaving all for his dear sake. Jesus calls us from the worship of the vain world's golden store; from each idol that would keep us, saying, "Christian, love me more." In our joys and in our sorrows, days of toil and hours of ease, still he calls, in cares and pleasures, "Christian, love me more than these." Jesus calls us! By thy mercies, Savior, may we hear thy call, give our hearts to thine obedience, serve and love thee best of all. SECOND READING [John 1:35-42]: The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, 'Look, here is the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, 'What are you looking for?' They said to him, 'Rabbi' (which translated means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' He said to them, 'Come and see.' They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas' (which is translated Peter). The Benedictus (Morning), the Magnificat (Evening), or Nunc dimittis (Night) may follow. Prayer: Encouraged by our fellowship with all the saints, let us make our prayers to the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Father, your Son called men and women to leave the past behind them and to follow him as his disciples in the way of the cross. Look with mercy upon those whom he has called today, marked with the cross and made his disciples within the Church... Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Your Son told his disciples not to be afraid, and at Easter breathed on them his gift of peace. Look with mercy upon the world into which he sent them out, and give it that peace for which it longs Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Your Son formed around him a company who were no longer servants but friends, and he called all those who obeyed him his brother and sister and mother. Look with mercy upon our families and friends and upon the communities in which we share Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Your Son sent out disciples to preach and to heal the sick. Look with mercy on all those who yearn to hear the good news of salvation, and renew among your people the gifts of healing Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Your Son promised to those who followed him that they would sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and would share the banquet of the kingdom. According to your promise, look with mercy on those who have walked with Christ in this life and now have passed through death Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Almighty God, who gave such grace to your apostle Saint Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ and brought his brother with him call us by your holy Word, and give us grace to follow you without delay and to tell the good news of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Awaiting his coming in glory, let us pray as our Savior has taught us: - The Lord's Prayer O Son of God, our Savior, today we await your coming, and tomorrow we shall see your glory. Reveal the good news to all of us who long for your arrival. Come, Love incarnate, do not delay. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen. ******************************************************* The psalms are from _Celebrating Common Prayer_ (Mowbray), (c) The Society of Saint Francis 1992, which is used with permission. The biblical passage is from The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright (c) 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from _Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England_, material from which is included in this service is copyright (c) The Archbishops' Council, 2000. The opening prayer of thanksgiving and the closing sentence are adapted from _Chalice Worship_, (c) Chalice Press, 1997. Reproduced with permission. Most references to Andrew in the New Testament simply include him on a list of the Twelve Apostles, or group him with his brother, Simon Peter. But he appears acting as an individual three times in the Gospel of John. When a number of Greeks (perhaps simply Greek-speeking Jews) wish to speak with Jesus, they approach Philip, who tells Andrew, and the two of them tell Jesus (Jn 12:20-22). (It may be relevant here that both "Philip" and "Andrew" are Greek names.) Before Jesus feeds the Five Thousand, it is Andrew who says, "Here is a lad with five barley loaves and two fish." (Jn 6:8f) And the first two disciples whom John reports as attaching themselves to Jesus (Jn 1:35-42) are Andrew and another disciple (whom John does not name, but who is commonly supposed to be John himself -- John never mentions himself by name, a widespread literary convention). Having met Jesus, Andrew then finds his brother Simon and brings him to Jesus. Thus, on each occasion when he is mentioned as an individual, it is because he is instrumental in bringing others to meet the Saviour. In the Episcopal Church, the Fellowship of Saint Andrew is devoted to encouraging personal evangelism, and the bringing of one's friends and colleagues to a knowledge of the Gospel of Christ. Just as Andrew was the first of the Apostles, so his feast is taken in the West to be the beginning of the Church Year. The First Sunday of Advent is defined to be the Sunday on or nearest his feast. Several centuries after the death of Andrew, some of his relics were brought by a missionary named Rule to Scotland, to a place then known as Fife, but now known as St. Andrew's, and best known as the site of a world-famous golf course and club. For this reason, Andrew is the patron of Scotland. [James Kiefer, abridged]