Opening Sentence
Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Joel 2:13
Confession
Let us 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.
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 Lent
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.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.
Venite Psalm 95:1-7
Come let us sing to the Lord; *
let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving
*
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *
and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it, *
and his hands have molded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
*
Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!
Antiphon
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy: Come let us adore him.
Psalm 51 Miserere mei, Deus
Gloria Patri
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.
Old Testament Lesson
Lamentations 1:1-2,6-12 (NRSV)
1 How lonely sits the city
that once was full of people!
How like a widow she has become,
she that was great among the nations!
She that was a princess among the provinces
has become a vassal.
2 She weeps bitterly in the night,
with tears on her cheeks;
among all her lovers
she has no one to comfort her;
all her friends have dealt treacherously with her,
they have become her enemies.
6 From daughter Zion has departed
all her majesty.
Her princes have become like stags
that find no pasture;
they fled without strength
before the pursuer.
7 Jerusalem remembers,
in the days of her affliction and wandering,
all the precious things
that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into the hand of the foe,
and there was no one to help her,
the foe looked on mocking
over her downfall.
8 Jerusalem sinned grievously,
so she has become a mockery;
all who honored her despise her,
for they have seen her nakedness;
she herself groans,
and turns her face away.
9 Her uncleanness was in her skirts;
she took no thought of her future;
her downfall was appalling,
with none to comfort her.
"O LORD, look at my affliction,
for the enemy has triumphed!"
10 Enemies have stretched out their hands
over all her precious things;
she has even seen the nations
invade her sanctuary,
those whom you forbade
to enter your congregation.
11 All her people groan
as they search for bread;
they trade their treasures for food
to revive their strength.
Look, O LORD, and see
how worthless I have become.
12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass
by?
Look and see
if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,
which was brought upon me,
which the LORD inflicted
on the day of his fierce anger.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Canticle 9 The First Song of Isaiah
Ecce, Deus Isaiah 12:2-6
Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold
and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water
with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say,
*
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the
peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord,
for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion,
ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
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.
New Testament Lesson
2 Corinthians 1:1-7 (NRSV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will
of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God that is in Corinth, including all the saints
throughout Achaia:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, 4 who consoles
us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those
who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves
are consoled by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are
abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.
6 If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation;
if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you
experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that
we are also suffering. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken; for we
know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in
our consolation .
Gospel
Mark 11:12-25 (NRSV)
12 On the following day, when they came from
Bethany, he was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree
in leaf, he went to see whether perhaps he would find anything
on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it
was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, "May no one
ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it.
15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and
began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying
in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who sold doves; 16 and he would not allow
anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 He was teaching
and saying, "Is it not written,
'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'?
But you have made it a den of robbers."
18 And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they
kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him,
because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. 19 And
when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.
20 In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered
away to its roots. 21 Then Peter remembered and said to him,
"Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered."
22 Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly I
tell you, if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown
into the sea,' and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe
that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you.
24 So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that
you have received it, and it will be yours.
25 "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything
against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive
you your trespasses."
Canticle 19 The Song of the Redeemed
Magna et mirabilia Revelation 15:3-4
O ruler of the universe, Lord God,
great deeds are they that you have done, *
surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth, *
O King of all the ages
Who can fail to do you homage, Lord
and sing the praises of your Name
for you only are the Holy One.
All nations will draw near and
fall down before you
because your just and holy works have been revealed.
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.
Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his
only son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
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.
Suffrages A
Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.
Collect of the Day: Monday in Holy Week
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other that the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Peace
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
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
World Cycle of Prayer
We pray for the people of Iceland.
Ecumenical Cycle of Prayer
We pray for our sisters and brothers, members of the Vineyard Christian Fellowship.
The Vineyard Christian Fellowship
For All Sorts and Conditions
O God, the creator and preserver of all, we humbly beseech you for all sorts and conditions of people; that you would be pleased to make your ways known unto them, your saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for your holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by your good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; that it may please you to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.
For the Poor and Neglected
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For Those Who Live Alone
Almighty God, whose Son had nowhere to lay his head: Grant that those who live alone may not be lonely in their solitude, but that, following in his steps, they may find fulfillment in loving you and their neighbors; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Prayer Attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
General Thanksgiving
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.
Thanks be to God.May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13