Lent Compline – Night Prayer Week 3

There is Hope in Gardens! – The Many Shades of Green

+The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen.
Our help is in the name of the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

A period of silence for reflection on the past day may follow.

The following words of penitence are used:

O Lord, you have created us in your image; yet so often we wander from your pathway. But we rejoice Lord you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You. Look with your eyes of love upon our imperfections and pardon all our shortcomings, that we may be filled with the brightness of Your light and become the image of Your goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Absolution
+ God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit bless, keep and forgive you and in His lovingkindness grant you his grace and the comfort of His peace. Amen

Short Reflection
God of creation, we meet You here in colour and scent, texture and pattern, the humble perfection of all that grows.
Out of our restlessness we come, to still our minds and open our senses to beauty.
In your name we cherish the web of life, light and shadow, bee and butterfly, the shy birds that return when we leave.

Bless this land, bless this soil.
Our hands, our tools be blessed, our toil and rest.
From seed to leaf, from flower to fruit, bless the garden, bless the growers.
(Daniel Rutland; Celtic Daily Prayer Book Two, The Northumberland Community)

Before the ending of the day:
Calm and still me, O Lord
And keep me from harm, O Lord.
Let all that causes me dis-ease cease, O Lord.
And enfold me in Your peace

May our daily tasks hallow
our nightly prayers.
May our sleep be deep and soft
So our tasks for tomorrow may be fresh

The Word of God – Psalmody
The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil; for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long. (Psalm 23)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning is now, and shall be for ever. Amen

Scripture Reading
Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.’ And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1.11-12

Silence is kept

Gospel Canticle

The Nunc Dimittis (The Song of Simeon)
Now Lord you let your servant go in peace: your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel. (Luke 2.29-32)
+ Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the | Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

Prayers – Intercessions – You may wish to pause the video as you offer your intercessions:

Collect for the third week of Lent
Eternal God, give us insight
to discern your will for us,
to give up what harms us,
and to seek the perfection we are promised
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Shared from the Lectionary app. Material subject to copyright

Visit this place, O Lord, we pray,
and drive far from it the snares of the enemy;
may your holy angels dwell with us and guard us in peace,
and may your blessing be always upon us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Creator God,
may every breath we take be for your glory,
may every footstep show you as our way,
that, trusting in your presence in this world,
we may, beyond this life, still be with you
where you are alive and reign
for ever and ever. Amen

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 Conclusion
In peace we will lie down and sleep;
for you alone, Lord, make us dwell in safety.
Abide with us, Lord Jesus,
for the night is at hand and the day is now past.
As the night watch looks for the morning,
so do we look for you, O Christ.

+May God bless us,
that in us may be found love and humility, obedience and thanksgiving, discipline, gentleness and peace.
And the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you now and always. Amen.

This video is made using a standard laptop, a webcam and no special recording equipment or editing software.
The video was recorded in one sitting with no editing, it is an attempt to create as near to live viewing as possible.

Rev Derek Akker