THE OFFERTORY. ¶The minister may say, Let us worship God with our offering for his service. ¶The minister may repeat one or more of these or other appropriate passages of Scripture. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them, for this is the law and the prophets. He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Let each man do accordingly as he hath purposed in his heart, not Even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. ¶While the offering is being gathered the choir may sing an appropriate selection. When the offering is presented the minister may receive it with a brief prayer, in his own words or using one of the following, the officers who have gathered it standing, and the congregation sitting with bowed heads. THE PRAYER OF DEDICATION. O God, most merciful and gracious, of whose bounty we have all received, we beseech thee to accept this offering of thy people. Remember in thy love those who brought it, and those for whom it is given, and so follow it with thy blessing that it may promote peace and good-will among men, and advance the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Or this Heavenly Giver, freely we have received, help us freely to give; may the spirit of love hallow all our gifts and make them fruitful in extending the reign of truth and love in human hearts and lives. Amen. Or this Almighty God, our heavenly Father, prosper every good work undertaken by thy church according to thy will, and give unto all of us thy servants the spirit of Him who came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and whose joy it was to do thy will in helping men. Amen. ¶Then let the congregation stand and all sing A HYMN. THE SERMON. ¶After the sermon let the congregation stand and all sing A HYMN. ¶This may be a recessional, if desired. ¶Then let the congregation be seated, with bowed heads, while the minister leads them in THE CLOSING PRAYER. ¶The minister may use his own form of words or one of the following: O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; defend us in the same by thy mighty power, and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always what is righteous in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 Or this Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the words which we have heard this day with our outward ears, may, through thy grace, be so grafted inwardly in our hearts that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honor and praise of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.2 Or this Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee, and dost promise that where two or three are gathered together in thy name, thou wilt grant their requests; fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them, granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come everlasting life. Amen.3 THE BENEDICTION. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. Or this The peace of God which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen. Or this Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. The choir may, if it be desired, chant an "AMEN " at the close of the service. ¶The congregation should remain kneeling or with bowed heads, for a moment of silent prayer, after the service is concluded. THE ORGAN POSTLUDE. 1 Gelasian Sacramentary, A. D. 494. 3 A prayer of St. Chrysostom. OTHER COLLECTS AND PRAYERS FOR OCCASIONAL USE For Grace and Blessing O GOD, Light of the hearts that see thee, and Life of the souls that love thee, and Strength of the thoughts that seek thee; from whom to be turned away is to fall, to whom to be turned is to rise, and in whom to abide is to stand fast forever; grant us now thy grace and blessing as we are here assembled to offer up our common supplications; and though we are unworthy to approach thee, or to ask anything of thee at all, be pleased to hear and to answer us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 For a Right Spirit LORD of all power and might, who art the Author and Giver of all good things; graft in our hearts the love of thy name; increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 For Right Living O LORD, from whom all good things do come, grant to us, thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that are good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.2 For the Spirit of Wisdom O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly, grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldst have us to do, that the spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 For the Grace of God ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve, pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things we are not worthy to ask; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.3 Daily Grace for Daily Needs O GOD, from whom all good things do come, who sendest sunshine and fruitful seasons, be pleased to bestow upon us day by day what we require; grant to each of us the strength he needs to accomplish his task; bless the 1 Scotch Book of Common Order. 2 Gelasian Sacramentary, A.D. 494. 3 Common Prayer. work of our hands and of our minds; and give us grace to serve thee in health or in sickness, in wealth or in poverty. Sanctify to us our joys and our trials, and enable us to seek first thy kingdom and thy righteousness, and to believe that thou wilt add to us all else that is good. Amen.1 Daily Grace for Daily Needs O GOD, most holy, wise and powerful Preserver and Governor of all thy creatures and all their actions; keep us this day in health of body and soundness of mind, in purity of heart and cheerfulness of spirit, in contentment with our lot and charity with our neighbor; and further all our lawful undertakings with thy blessing. In our labor, strengthen us; in our pleasure, purify us; in our difficulties, direct us; in our perils, defend us; in our troubles, comfort us; and supply all our need according to the riches of thy grace in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.? For Stedfast Faith O MOST LOVING FATHER, who willest us to give thanks in all things, to dread nothing but the loss of thee, and to cast all our cares on thee who carest for us; preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, and grant that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which evermore dwells in thee and which thou hast manifested in thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.3 For Divine Help O GOD, the strength of all them that put their trust in thee; mercifully accept our prayers; and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.' For Divine Help O GOD, who art the Guide and Shepherd of all faithful souls, consecrate with thy presence the way our feet may go, and the humblest work will shine, and the roughest places be made plain. Lift us above selfishness and distrust unto faith and hope and charity by a simple and steadfast reliance upon thy holy will. In all things draw us to the mind of Christ, that we may be at one with thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For Vision and Strength O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people who call upon thee, and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 Scotch Book of Common Order. 2 Book of Common Worship, by permission of the Presbyterian Board of Publication. 3 William Bright. 4 Gregorian Sacramentary, A.D. 590. A Prayer for Charity O LORD, who hast taught us that all our doings without Charity are nothing, send thy Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of Charity, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 For Harmony and Concord ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, King of Glory and Lord of heaven and earth, by whose spirit all things are governed, by whose providence all things are ordered, who art the God of peace and of all concord, grant us, we beseech thee, thy heavenly peace and concord, that we may serve thee in true fear, to the praise and glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.? A Prayer for Peace O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels and all just works do proceed, give unto thy servants the peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1 For a Blessing upon Our Work O GOD, who, by the example of thy dear Son, hast warned us that we should work thy works while it is day, before the night cometh when no man can work; keep us from sloth and idleness, and from the misuse of those talents which thou hast committed to our trust. Enable us to perform the several duties of our state and calling with such care and diligence that our work may ever be approved in thy sight; and forasmuch as the needful business of this life is apt to steal away our hearts from thee, give us grace to remember that we have a Master in heaven, and to do everything in singleness of heart, as unto thee and not unto men, that of thee we may receive the reward of the inheritance which thou hast promised; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.3 For Times of Trouble ALMIGHTY GOD, Lord of the storm and of the calm, the vexed sea and the quiet haven, of day and night, of life and of death, grant unto us so to have our hearts stayed upon thy faithfulness, thine unchangingness and love, that whatsoever betide us, however black the cloud or dark the night, with quiet faith trusting in thee, we may look upon thee with untroubled eye, and walking in lowliness towards thee, and in lovingness toward one another, abide all storms and troubles of this mortal life, beseeching thee that they may turn to the soul's true good; we ask it for thy mercy's sake, shown in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.* 1 Common Prayer. 2 Lutheran Service. Scotch Book of Common Order. 4 George Dawson. |