Family Prayer: December 26

The Feast of St. Stephen

The Second Day of Christmas

*Opening Sentence: Their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:4

Confession: Let us kneel and confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

*Absolution: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

*Invitatory Saints

Lord, open our lips.

And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Alleluia! The Lord is glorious in his saints: Come let us adore him. Alleluia!

*Jubilate

Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song.

Know this: The Lord himself is God;
he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; give thanks to him and call upon his Name.

For the Lord is good;
his mercy is everlasting; and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

*Sing Psalm 28 (28A)

Responsive Reading: Psalm 30

To you I will cry, O Lord my Rock:

Do not be silent to me,

Lest, if you are silent to me,

I become like those who go down to the pit.

Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to you,

When I lift up my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity,

Who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts.

Give to them according to their deeds,

And according to the wickedness of their endeavors;

Give to them according to the work of their hands;

Render to them what they deserve.

Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands,

He shall destroy them and not build them up.

Blessed be the Lord,

Because he has heard the voice of my supplications!

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusted in him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,

And with my song I will praise him.

The Lord is their strength,

And he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Save your people,

And bless your inheritance;

Shepherd them also,

And bear them up forever. Amen.

Gloria Patri

First Lesson Old Testament Lesson: 2 Chronicles 24:17-22

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

*Sing Hymn #272 “Behold! The Mountain of the Lord”

Second Lesson New Testament Lesson: Acts 6:1-7

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

St. Stephen: All that we know about Stephen is found in Acts 6 & 7. He is known traditionally as one of the first deacons of the church, chosen because he was one “full of the Holy Spirit.” Stephen was an eloquent speaker as well as a provocative one. He declaration that the Temple service was no longer the means by which penitent sinners should seek reconciliation with God enraged the Temple leaders who caused him to be stoned to death. Thus, Stephen became the first martyr of the Church.

Prayer We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at your right hand: where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Apostles’ Creed

The Lord’s Prayer

Suffrages

Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance;

Govern and uphold them, now and always.

Day by day we bless you;

We praise your name for ever.

Lord, keep us from all sin today;

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

Lord, show us your love and mercy;

For we put our trust in you.

In you, Lord, is our hope;

And we shall never hope in vain.

A Collect for Peace (All): O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Mission (All): O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Petitions and Intercessions: Let us pray now for our own needs and those of others.

For our Country (All): Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech you that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion us into one united people. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in your Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we may show forth your praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Oppressed (All): Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer of Self-Dedication (All): Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

General Thanksgiving (All): Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom: Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

*Benediction

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Thanks be to God. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21

Three-fold “Amen.”

Hymn #7: “Now Blessed Be the Lord Our God”