AN OUTLINE ORDER FOR MORNING PRAYER DURING SEASON OF EPIPHANY
THE GATHERING
Gathering Prayer (from the Disciple's Prayer Book, 1992):
All Creator, we give you thanks for all you are and all you bring to us for our visit within your creation. In Jesus, you place the Gospel in the Centre of this Sacred Circle through all of which all creation is related.
You show us the way to live a generous and compassionate life. Give us your strength to live together with respect and commitment as we grow in your spirit, for you are God, now and forever. Amen.
Gathering Psalm of Praise (Psalm 100)
Leader 1 O be joyful in the Lord, all the earth; *
serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song.
2 Know that the Lord is God; *
it is he that has made us and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and bless his name.
4 For the Lord is gracious; his steadfast love is everlasting, *
and his faithfulness endures from generation to generation.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
All as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
The Psalm of the Day is said.
At the end of the Psalm, the following may be said.
Leader Glory to God, Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit:
All as it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen.
An appointed Reading from the Scriptures is read. After a period of silent reflection the following is said.
Leader Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
All Thanks be to God
GOSPEL CANTICLE
The Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah) is normally said.
All Christ gave them as a light to the nations that his salvation might reach to the ends of the earth.
Leader 1 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, *
who has come to his people and set them free.
2 He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, *
born of the house of his servant David.
3 Through his holy prophets God promised of old *
to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all that hate us,
4 To show mercy to our ancestors, *
and to remember his holy covenant.
5 This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
6 Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
7 And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
8 To give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of all their sins.
9 In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
10 To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1.68-79
All Glory to God, Source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now and will be for ever. Amen.
Christ gave them as a light to the nations that his salvation might reach to the ends of the earth.
THE PRAYERS OF THE COMMUNITY
Intercessions are offered for the world, the church and ourselves.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Leader Being made one by the power of the Spirit, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray:
All Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
THE CONCLUSION
Leader May Christ, who sends us to the nations, give us the power of his Spirit.
All Amen.
Leader Let us bless the Lord.
All Thanks be to God.