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Community Universalist Church

Daily Office

Morning · Wednesday, 18 February 2026 · Ordinary Time

We hear God's CALL TO WORSHIP in Psalm 150

Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his holy place.

Praise him in the sky, his stronghold.
Praise him for his deeds of power.
Praise him for his boundless greatness.

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 to God with ADORATION using the words of Jonathan Edwards

Almighty God, all true virtue consists, at its root and in its essence, in you. For you are not only infinitely greater and more excellent than all other being, but you are the head of the whole system of existence; the foundation and fountain of all being and all beauty; the one from whom everything is perfectly derived, and on whom everything is most absolutely and perfectly dependent; the one from whom, through whom, and to whom belongs all being and all perfection; whose own being and beauty is the sum and fullness of all existence and excellence — far more than the sun is the source and fullness of all the light and brightness of the day. Amen.

We hear God’s CALL TO REPENTANCE in 1 John 4:7-8, 20-21

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God, and knows God. The person who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.

If someone says ‘I love God,’ and yet hates others, they are a liar. For the person who does not love their brother or sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. Indeed, we have this command from Christ: Those who love God must also love each other.

We respond with CONFESSION using the words of Augustine of Hippo

Cleanse me from my secret faults, O Lord, and spare your servant from the power of the enemy. I contend not in judgment with you, who are the truth; I fear to deceive myself, lest my iniquity lie to itself. Therefore I contend not in judgment with you; for if you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall abide it? Amen.

We hear God’s teaching for our lives in THE READING OF THE LAW in Leviticus 19:13

You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him.

The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.

We PRAISE God in the INVITATORY PSALM, the VenitePsalm 95:1-7 · Venite, exultemus

1O come, let us sing to the Lord; *
let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

2Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, *
and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.

3For the Lord is a great God, *
and a great King above all gods.

4In his hand are all the corners of the earth, *
and the strength of the hills is his also.

5The sea is his, and he made it; *
and his hands prepared the dry land.

6O come, let us worship and bow down, *
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

7For he is the Lord our God, *
and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

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 82 · Deus stetit

1God takes his stand in the council of heaven; *
he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:

2“How long will you judge unjustly, *
and show favor to the wicked?

3Save the weak and the orphan; *
defend the humble and needy;

4Rescue the weak and the poor; *
deliver them from the power of the wicked.

5They do not know, neither do they understand; they go about in darkness; *
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6Now I say to you, ‘You are gods, *
and all of you children of the Most High;

7Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, *
and fall like any prince.’”

8Arise, O God, and rule the earth, *
for you shall take all nations for your own.

We pray a PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION in words from the Universalist "Gospel Liturgy"

Father of all, through your holy word you granted us the light of life. May the Scriptures be opened to our thoughts so our hearts may burn within us, and when it is towards evening and the time of day is far spent, may Christ continue to abide with us by faith, so that the night may be radiant with the promise of a morning without clouds.

We hear God speaking to us in THE READING for the dayLeviticus 19:1–18

Wednesday, 18 February 2026 · Ordinary Time

1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘You shall be holy; for I, the LORD your God, am holy.

3“ ‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.

4“ ‘Don’t turn to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.

5“ ‘When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. 6It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day. If anything remains until the third day, it shall be burnt with fire. 7If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It will not be accepted; 8but everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the holy thing of the LORD, and that soul shall be cut off from his people.

9“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10You shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.

11“ ‘You shall not steal.

“ ‘You shall not lie.

“ ‘You shall not deceive one another.

12“ ‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

13“ ‘You shall not oppress your neighbour, nor rob him.

“ ‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.

14“ ‘You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God. I am the LORD.

15“ ‘You shall do no injustice in judgement. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favouritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbour in righteousness.

16“ ‘You shall not go around as a slanderer amongst your people.

“ ‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbour. I am the LORD.

17“ ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbour, and not bear sin because of him.

18“ ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD.

World English Bible. Or read it at Bible Gateway in the NRSV: Leviticus 19:1–18 · the short form, Leviticus 19:13–18.

We REFLECT in silence

We greet the day with THE SONG OF ZECHARIAH, the Benedictus Luke 1:68-79

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
    he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
    born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies,
    from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
    and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,
    to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear,
    holy and righteous in his sight
    all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
    by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
    the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
    and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

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 Thomas à Kempis

Grant me, most loving Lord, to rest in you above every creature; above all health and beauty; above all glory and honor; above all power and dignity; above all knowledge and skill; above all riches and arts; above all joy and exultation; above all fame and praise; above all sweetness and consolation; above all hope and promise; above all merit and desire; above all gifts and rewards which you can give and pour forth; above all joy and jubilation which the mind is able to receive and feel; in a word, above angels and archangels and all the army of heaven; above all things visible and invisible; and above everything which you, my God, are not. Amen.

We silently pray PERSONAL PRAYER

Followed by

Amen

We pray a PRAYER FOR UNITY OF ALL PEOPLE

God, you have made of one blood all nations of the earth, and your will is that all your children should be gathered into one family of love: break down, we pray you, the walls that divide us; deliver us from hardness of heart and from contempt for those who differ from us; and hasten the time when all shall dwell together in that peace which passes understanding, knowing you as Father and one another as brothers and sisters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whom there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, but all are one. Amen.

We pray a PRAYER OF GENERAL THANKSGIVING in the words of Hubert Louis Simpson

We thank you for the good things of this life: for food and clothing and shelter; for work to do and zest in the doing of it. We thank you for the perpetual touch of the divine in life, for the image of yourself in the human soul; for the vigor of youth, the wisdom of age, and for all the lessons of experience; the steps by which we climb to higher things; for the courage of the brave, the indignation of the righteous, the kindness of the thoughtful, and all that makes us human and keeps us Godlike.

Amen.

A concluding BENEDICTION or blessing Numbers 6:24-26

The Lord bless us and keep us;
the Lord make his face to shine upon us,
and be gracious to us;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon us,
and give us peace.

Amen.