An order for evening prayer using material from the Methodist Worship Book.

Opening prayer

Be swift, O God, to save us.
Come quickly, Lord, to help us.

May my prayer be like incense set before you,
and the lifting of my hands like the evening offering.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

Prayer of penitence

Most merciful God,
I confess to you before the whole company of heaven
that I have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what I have failed to do.
Forgive me my sins,
heal me by your Spirit
and raise me to new life in Christ. Amen.

If we confess our sins,
God is faithful and just,
and will forgive our sins,
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Amen. Thanks be to God.

Hymn

Hail, gladdening Light, of his pure glory poured
Who is the immortal Father, heavenly, blest,
Holiest of holies, Jesus Christ our Lord!

Now we are come to the sun’s hour of rest;
The lights of evening round us shine;
We hymn the Father, Son and Holy Spirit divine.

Worthiest art thou at all times to be sung
With undefiled tongue,
Son of our God, giver of life, alone;
Therefore in all the world thy glories, Lord, they own.

Prayer of the Evening

O God, in whom there is no darkness,
with whom the night is as the day:
enlighten us by your presence,
that waking or sleeping
we may dwell in your peace,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Psalm 8

O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Reading: Revelation 22: 1 - 5

The angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.

Nunc Dimittis

Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:
your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

Prayers

Christ, through whom all things were made,
sustain all creation.

Christ, exalted in the lowest and the least,
give us humility.

Christ, present in the poor and the oppressed
fill me with compassion.

Christ, forsaken in the hungry and the homeless,
minister to them through my hands.

Christ, present in word, sacrament and sign,
grant me your peace.

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, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Closing prayer

Lord, our God,
at the ending of this day,
and in the darkness and silence of this night,
cover us with healing and forgiveness,
that we may take our rest in peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We will lie down in peace and take our rest;
for you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.

Acknowledgments: Methodist Worship Book