We hear God’s CALL TO WORSHIP in Psalm 100, known as the Jubilate Deo
Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands;
serve the Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
Know this: The Lord himself is God;
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting;
and his faithfulness endures from age to age.
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 the Sarum Breviary
God, author of eternal light, shine forth eternal day on us who watch for you, so that our lips may praise you, our life may bless you, and our meditations may glorify you, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We hear God’s CALL TO REPENTANCE in 1 John 1:8–9; Isaiah 1:18; Isaiah 55:7
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them; and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
We respond with CONFESSION using the words of Alcuin of York
Almighty and merciful God, the fountain of all goodness, you know the thoughts of our hearts. We confess to you that we have sinned against you and done evil in your sight. Wash us, we pray, from the stains of our past sins, and give us grace and strength to put away all that is harmful; so that, set free from the bondage of sin, we may bring forth worthy fruits of repentance.
Eternal Light, shine into our hearts.
Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil.
Eternal Power, be our support.
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance.
Eternal Mercy, have mercy on us;
so that with all our heart, and mind, and strength, we may seek your face, and be brought by your infinite mercy into your holy presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We hear God’s teaching for our lives in THE READING OF THE LAW in Romans 12:9–21
Let your love be sincere. Hate the wrong; cling to the right. In the love of the community of the Lord’s followers, be affectionate to one another; in showing respect, set an example of deference to one another; never flagging in zeal; fervent in spirit; serving the Master; rejoicing in your hope; steadfast under persecution; persevering in prayer; relieving the wants of Christ’s people; devoted to hospitality.
Bless your persecutors – bless and never curse. Rejoice with those who are rejoicing, and weep with those who are weeping. Let the same spirit of sympathy animate you all, not a spirit of pride; enjoy the company of ordinary people. Do not think too highly of yourselves. Never return injury for injury. Aim at doing what everyone will recognize as honorable. If it is possible, as far as rests with you, live peaceably with everyone.
Never avenge yourselves, dear friends, but make way for the wrath of God; for scripture declares – ‘“It is for me to avenge, I will requite,” says the Lord.’ Rather – ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him to drink. By doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head.’
Never be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
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 49:1–8 · Audite hæc, omnes
1Hear this, all you peoples; hearken, all you who dwell in the world, *
you of high degree and low, rich and poor together.
2My mouth shall speak of wisdom, *
and my heart shall meditate on understanding.
3I will incline my ear to a proverb *
and set forth my riddle upon the harp.
4Why should I be afraid in evil days, *
when the wickedness of those at my heels surrounds me,
5The wickedness of those who put their trust in their goods, *
and boast of their great riches?
6We can never ransom ourselves, *
or deliver to God the price of our life;
7For the ransom of our life is so great, *
that we should never have enough to pay it,
8In order to live for ever and ever, *
and never see the grave.
We pray a PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION in the words of the Mozarabic Rite
Show the light of your countenance upon us, Lord, that the going-forth of your Word may give light and understanding, to nourish the hearts of the humble; and that while our desire is set on your commandments, we may receive with open heart your spirit of wisdom and understanding.
We hear God speaking to us in THE READING for the dayProverbs 8:1–21
Tuesday, 6 July 2027 · Ordinary Time
1Doesn’t wisdom cry out?
Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
2On the top of high places by the way,
where the paths meet, she stands.
3Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4“I call to you men!
I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
5You simple, understand prudence!
You fools, be of an understanding heart!
6Hear, for I will speak excellent things.
The opening of my lips is for right things.
7For my mouth speaks truth.
Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8All the words of my mouth are in righteousness.
There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9They are all plain to him who understands,
right to those who find knowledge.
10Receive my instruction rather than silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold.
11For wisdom is better than rubies.
All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.
12“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling.
Find out knowledge and discretion.
13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.
I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
14Counsel and sound knowledge are mine.
I have understanding and power.
15By me kings reign,
and princes decree justice.
16By me princes rule,
nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
17I love those who love me.
Those who seek me diligently will find me.
18With me are riches, honour,
enduring wealth, and prosperity.
19My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,
my yield than choice silver.
20I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the middle of the paths of justice,
21that I may give wealth to those who love me.
I fill their treasuries.
World English Bible. Or read it at Bible Gateway in the NRSV: Proverbs 8:1–21 · the short form, Proverbs 8:1–6.
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 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 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 Hugh Cameron
For the life which you have given and preserved,
the world in which we dwell,
and the hope of everlasting blessedness,
we thank you, O God.
For the pains and distresses which have moulded us as clay is moulded by the potter,
and for the consolations which so often like springs in the desert have refreshed our weariness,
we thank you, O God.
For comfort and help in sorrow,
in pain,
in bereavement,
and when flesh and heart failed,
we thank you, O God.
For the warnings of your spirit speaking to our spirits when the sky was bright and all people spoke well of us,
we thank you, O God.
For the life and doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ,
for his love and sacrifice,
for his boundless compassion,
and for the glorious company of those who have followed him in weakness unto victory,
we thank you, O God.
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.