We hear God’s CALL TO WORSHIP in Psalm 117:1–2
Praise the Lord, all you nations:
laud him, all you peoples.
For his mighty love is over us:
the Lord is faithful forever.
Hallelujah.
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 Leonine Sacramentary
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and always give more than either we desire or deserve, pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things that our conscience is afraid of, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
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 107:1–7 · Confitemini Domino
1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, *
and his mercy endures for ever.
2Let all those whom the Lord has redeemed proclaim *
that he redeemed them from the hand of the foe.
3He gathered them out of the lands; *
from the east and from the west, *
from the north and from the south.
4Some wandered in desert wastes; *
they found no way to a city where they might dwell.
5They were hungry and thirsty; *
their spirits languished within them.
6Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, *
and he delivered them from their distress.
7He put their feet on a straight path *
to go to a city where they might dwell.
We hear God speaking to us in THE READING for the dayEzra 1:1–4
Tuesday, 23 June 2026 · Ordinary Time
1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the LORD’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
2“Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3Whoever there is amongst you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel (he is God), which is in Jerusalem. 4Whoever is left, in any place where he lives, let the men of his place help him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, in addition to the free will offering for God’s house which is in Jerusalem.’ ”
World English Bible. Or read it at Bible Gateway in the NRSV: Ezra 1:1–4 · the full passage, Ezra 1:1–11.
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 Zacharias Ursinus, Heidelberg Catechism
Almighty God, heavenly Father, grant us first rightly to know you, and to sanctify, glorify and praise you in all your works, in which your power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy and truth are clearly displayed; and further, that we may so order and direct our whole lives, our thoughts, words and actions, that your name may never be blasphemed, but rather honored and praised on our account. 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.