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.