This new day has dawned; thanks be to God.

I begin this day seeking your presence to guide me, teach me and lead me. God, help me to be open to your generous gift of love; to share my faith with willingness; to delight in the beauty of your creation; to seek you out in the people I meet; to know you in the quietness, to sense you in the busyness. This I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

The Psalm

From the depths of my heart: O God, I hear your call to turn my heart to

you. Hear now those things for which I seek forgiveness...

[A moment of silence to reflect]

From the depth of my heart, O God: I believe and trust in your loving forgiveness and generosity. I know that when I open my heart to you and see myself as you see me, you will pour the blessing of your forgiving grace upon me. Amen.

BIBLE READING…

You are blessed, O God of all creation, for freedom and justice comes from you. You have presented before us a Child who is our Saviour.

He is the One promised by the prophets, the One to save us from all evil.

From the time of Abraham, O God, you promised us freedom, from the time of the covenant you made with him.

You call us to come and worship you, freely, to follow the way of holiness and righteousness. To prepare the way for the One who is of God; the One

who brings salvation, the One who brings us forgiveness.

The dawn of tender love and compassion will be light upon us, and light beneath our feet; a light in the darkness of our days, a light which leads

to peace. Amen.

PERSONAL PRAYER ENDING WITH ‘OUR FATHER…’

God of grace, untangle my confused thoughts and hear the words I cannot find, so that the words I speak and the prayers I offer will be acceptable in

your sight. May I live this day according to your will, and in the love of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Join us each day for Evening Prayer on Zoom. Here's the code:

592 850 026

(or press the "Join" button, below)

----------------------------------

You, Lord, are my lamp; you turn my darkness into light:

In the light of the Risen Christ I see your face.

God of all that is and ever shall be, be with me now as I pause at this evening time. Thank you for the words I have heard spoken and shared this day. Thank you for everything with which I have been blessed today.

Thank you for the company that I have shared, for the times I have spentalone and for your constant presence with me. Amen.

[A moment of silence to reflect]

In the quietness I reflect upon my day. I give thanks to God for the joys of this day. I seek God’s comfort for all that has hurt me this day. I ask your forgiveness for any wrong I have done this day. May I know that forgiveness flows out from God’s generous love. Amen.

BIBLE READING… 

Mary’s Song of Praise (rewritten)

I will praise you, O God; my spirit is full of joyfulness when I think of you.

You have looked upon me, and seen how I can serve you.

Through you, I shall be a blessing to generations still to come, through all you have brought to fruition from within me.

Your name is holy and merciful, showing mercy upon all who come to know you; in your arm there is strength to lift up the unseen and

voiceless of this world.

You will feed those who hunger for your word and will send away those who refuse to listen.

As you have been with Israel, Abraham and all our ancestors in remembrance and mercy, so your presence will continue to be with their

descendants for ever. Amen.

PERSONAL PRAYER ENDING WITH ‘OUR FATHER…’ Closing Prayer

O God, as your light has guided my feet, your wisdom my thoughts and words, your love my actions and deeds, may the light of your presence

be with me and watch over me through the darkening of this evening. Lead me into quiet rest, and peace, to rise anew to serve you in the coming day. In the name of Jesus. Amen

The Breaking of Bread

This is a short liturgy that you can use in your home while our churches are closed, due to the Coronavirus pandemic.  You will need to find a time and a place when you can be quiet for the Breaking of Bread; you might wish to do this on your own or share it with others at home.  It will be helpful if you have:

• A small table or flat space;

• A cloth to lay over it;

• A Scripture reading (such as John 6:51);

• Some bread (obviously!)

Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

(John 6:51)

Blest are you, Lord, God of all creation,

thanks to your goodness this bread we offer:

fruit of the earth, work of our hands,

it will become the bread of life.

Blessed be God forever.  Amen.

Let us pray…

Lord Jesus Christ, bread of angels, true bread of everlasting life, be pleased to bless this bread, as you once blessed the five loaves in the wilderness, so that all who eat of it may derive health in body and soul;

when we break this bread, may it remind us of our fellowship and the sustaining food of your love;

in its broken fragments, may we recognise your broken body and the promise of life that flows from your Cross;

when we share this bread, may we find the hope and promise of your resurrection and the new life it promises; we ask this of you who live and reign forever and ever.  Amen. 

The bread is sprinkled with water.

You may wish to sprinkle the bread with a few drops of clean water, 

as a reminder of your Baptism and of God’s biding presence

on the journey of our lives.

We pray with courage and confidence in the words of the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father, 

who art in heaven, 

hallowed be thy name;

Thy kingdom come;

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, 

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, 

the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever.  Amen.

The bread is broken and shared, reminding us that the body of Jesus was broken on the cross on Good Friday; yet out of that despair came the promise of hope, new life and resurrection that we proclaim at Easter.  Jesus is risen.  Alleluia!

Prayer after the breaking of bread

Living God, in this breaking of bread, we have shared in your eternal kingdom. May we who taste this mystery forever serve you in faith, hope, and love. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Lord God our Father,

through our Saviour Jesus Christ

you have assured your children of eternal life

and in baptism have made us one with him:

uphold us at every stage of life’s journey

and raise us to new life in your love,

in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,

by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

A simple recipe for making your own bread can be found by pressing the following button: