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Community Universalist Church

Daily Office

Evening · Thursday, 15 January 2026 · Ordinary Time

We hear God's CALL TO WORSHIP in Psalm 136:1–3

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his mercy endures for ever.

Give thanks to the God of gods,
    for his mercy endures for ever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for his mercy endures for ever.

We listen in silence for God's still small voice, CENTERING ourselves, becoming aware of God's presence within us and around us

We respond with CONFESSION using the words of the Anselm of Canterbury

Lord, I am bowed down and can only look downward; raise me up that I may look upward. My iniquities have gone over my head; they overwhelm me; and, like a heavy load, they weigh me down. Free me from them; unburden me, that the pit of iniquities may not close over me.

Be it mine to look up to your light, even from afar, even from the depths. Teach me to seek you, and reveal yourself to me, when I seek you, for I cannot seek you, except you teach me, nor find you, except you reveal yourself. Let me seek you in longing, let me long for you in seeking; let me find you in love, and love you in finding

We PRAISE God in the EVENING PSALMPsalm 141:1-3 · Domine, clamavi

1Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me, *
and consider my voice when I cry to you.

2Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as the incense; *
and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.

3Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, *
and keep the door of my lips.

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father
    and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
    is now and ever shall be,
    world without end.
Amen.

We PRAISE God in THE PSALM OF THE DAYPsalm 14 · Dixit insipiens

1The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” *
All are corrupt and commit abominable acts; *
there is none who does any good.

2The Lord looks down from heaven upon us all, *
to see if there is any who is wise, *
if there is one who seeks after God.

3Every one has proved faithless; all alike have turned bad; *
there is none who does good; no, not one.

4Have they no knowledge, all those evildoers *
who eat up my people like bread *
and do not call upon the Lord?

5See how they tremble with fear, *
because God is in the company of the righteous.

6Their aim is to confound the plans of the afflicted, *
but the Lord is their refuge.

7Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come out of Zion! *
when the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, *
Jacob will rejoice and Israel be glad.

We hear God speaking to us in THE READING for the dayGenesis 6:5–8

Thursday, 15 January 2026 · Ordinary Time

5The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil. 6The LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart. 7The LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground—man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky—for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favour in the LORD’s eyes.

World English Bible. Or read it at Bible Gateway in the NRSV: Genesis 6:5–8 · the full passage, Genesis 6:5–22.

We REFLECT in silence

We sing to God in THE CANTATE DOMINOPsalm 98 · Cantate Domino

1O sing to the Lord a new song, *
for he has done marvelous things.

2With his own right hand and with his holy arm *
he has won himself the victory.

3The Lord declared his salvation; *
his righteousness he has openly shown in the sight of the nations.

4He has remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel, *
and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

5Show yourselves joyful to the Lord, all you lands; *
sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

6Praise the Lord upon the harp; *
sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

7With trumpets also and the sound of the horn, *
O show yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.

8Let the sea make a noise, and all that is in it, *
the round world, and those who dwell therein.

9Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, *
for he has come to judge the earth.

10With righteousness shall he judge the world, *
and the peoples with equity.

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father
    and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
    is now and ever shall be,
    world without end.
Amen.

We pray the LORD'S PRAYER as Jesus taught his disciples, in those words which are most meaningful to us

Our [ Father / Mother / Creator ] in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our [ trespasses / sins ]
as we forgive those who [ trespass / sin ] against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

We pray a PRAYER OF INTERCESSION in the words of the Book of Common Prayer

Almighty God, the fountain of wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking; we ask you to have compassion upon our weaknesses; and those things, which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, grant to give us for the worthiness of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We silently pray PERSONAL PRAYER

Followed by

Amen

We pray a PRAYER OF 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 ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

A concluding BENEDICTION or blessing

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

Amen.