An Evening Prayer for Advent

The Nativity of our Lord

Using elements of the 1928 BCP’s Order for Daily Evening Prayer and Family Prayer with a few imports, here is what I compiled for my family’s use as we prayerfully await the Nativity of our Lord.  The prayers in bold are those which both Julie and I say whereas those in normal print are what I say in leading the prayer.

Advent Evening Prayer

Opening Scripture

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws which he set before us.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.  Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.  Amen.

The Collect for the First Sunday of Advent

Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever.  Amen.

The Lighting of the Candle(s)

First Week

• O Emmanuel, Jesus Christ, desire of every nation, Savior of all peoples, come and dwell among us. Amen.

Second Week

• O King of all nations, Jesus Christ, only joy of every heart, come and save your people. Amen.

Third Week

• O Key of David, Jesus Christ, the gates of heaven open at your command, come and show us the way to salvation. Amen.

Fourth Week

• O Wisdom, holy Word of God, Jesus Christ, all things are in your hands, come and show us the way to salvation.  Amen.

Confession of Sin, Etc.

Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.

Most merciful God, who art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and hast promised forgiveness to all those who confess and forsake their sins; we come before thee in an humble sense of our own unworthiness, acknowledging our manifold transgressions of thy righteous laws.  But, O gracious Father, who desirest not the death of a sinner, look upon us, we beseech thee, in mercy, and forgive us all our transgressions.  Make us deeply sensible of the great evil of them; and work in us an hearty contrition; that we may obtain forgiveness at thy hands, who art ever ready to receive humble and penitent sinners; for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ, our only Savior and Redeemer.  Amen.

O Lord, open thou our lips

And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

Praise ye the Lord.

The Lord’s Name be praised.

The Propers

The Psalms

The First Lesson

The Second Lesson

The Thanksgiving

To our prayers, O Lord, we join our unfeigned thanks for all thy mercies; for our being, our reason, and all other endowments and faculties of soul and body; for our health, friends, food, and raiment, and all the other comforts and conveniences of life.  Above all, we adore thy mercy in sending thy only Son into the world, to redeem us from sin and eternal death, and in giving us the knowledge and sense of our duty towards thee.  We bless thee for thy patience with us, notwithstanding our many and great provocations; for all the directions, assistances, and comforts of thy Holy Spirit; for thy continual care and watchful providence over us through the whole course of our lives; and particulary for the mercies and benefits of the past day; beseeching thee to continue these thy blessings to us, and to give us grace to show our thankfulness in a sincere obedience to his laws, through whose merits and intercession we received them all, thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Additional Prayers

Prayer for God’s Protection through the Night Following

In particular, we beseech thee to continue thy gracious protection to us this night.  Defend us from all dangers and mischiefs, and from the fear of them; that we may enjoy such refreshing sleep as may fit us for the duties of the coming day.  And grant us grace always to live in such a state that we may never be afraid to die; so that, living and dying, we may be thine, through the merits and satisfaction of thy Son Christ Jesus, in whose Name we offer up these our imperfect prayers. Amen.

Concluding Prayer

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

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