We hear God's CALL TO WORSHIP in Jeremiah 29:11-14
“I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says the LORD, “thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future. You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You shall seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” says the LORD.
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 John Hunter
Almighty God, Spirit of purity and grace, whose salvation is never far from the contrite heart, listen to our confessions of sin, and have mercy upon us.
For our many refusals of your call;
for all our forgotten vows;
for the better purposes which we have suffered to grow weak;
for the excuses we have fashioned to hide from ourselves our unfaithful lives;
for the vindictive passions we have cherished;
for our readiness to blame, and our want of thoughtfulness, patience, kindness, and sympathy;
for all the goodness of life which we have received thanklessly;
for the strength which we have wasted;
for the opportunities which we have neglected;
for all the beauty of this fair world and the love of human hearts which have passed before us and which in our thoughtlessness and care and passion we have not appreciated;
for our selfish comfort amid the wrongs, oppressions, and sorrows of life;
for the counsels of your Word which have spoken to us vainly;
for the grace and truth of your beloved Son which we have slighted;
for the pleadings of your Spirit to which we have not listened;
have mercy upon us, O God.
Amen.
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 64 · Exaudi, Deus
1Hear my voice, O God, when I complain; *
protect my life from fear of the enemy.
2Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, *
from the mob of evildoers.
3They sharpen their tongue like a sword, *
and aim their bitter words like arrows,
4That they may shoot down the blameless from ambush; *
they shoot without warning and are not afraid.
5They hold fast to their evil course; *
they plan how they may hide their snares.
6They say, “Who will see us? who will find out our crimes? *
we have thought out a perfect plot.”
7The human mind and heart are a mystery; *
but God will loose an arrow at them, *
and suddenly they will be wounded.
8He will make them trip over their tongues, *
and all who see them will shake their heads.
9Everyone will stand in awe and declare God’s deeds; *
they will recognize his works.
10The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and put their trust in him, *
and all who are true of heart will glory.
We hear God speaking to us in THE READING for the day1 Samuel 18:1–4
Thursday, 26 March 2026 · Ordinary Time
1When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2Saul took him that day, and wouldn’t let him go home to his father’s house any more. 3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.
World English Bible. Or read it at Bible Gateway in the NRSV: 1 Samuel 18:1–4 · the full passage, 1 Samuel 18:1–16.
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 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 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.