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      Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and repents of evil. Joel 2:13

      CONFESSION OF SIN

      Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

      Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen.

      INVITATORY AND PSALTER

      Lord, open our lips.      And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

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

      Psalm 100      Jubilate

      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.

      Psalm 137:1-6

      By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, *      when we remembered you, O Zion.      As for our harps, we hung them up *      on the trees in the midst of that land.      For those who led us away captive asked us for a song,      and our oppressors called for mirth: *      "Sing us one of the songs of Zion."      How shall we sing the LORD's song *      upon an alien soil?      If I forget you, O Jerusalem, *      let my right hand forgets its skill.      Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth      if I do not remember you, *      if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

      Psalm 144

      Blessed be the LORD my rock! *      who trains my hands to fight and my fingers to battle;      My help and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, *      my shield in whom I trust,      who subdues the peoples under me.      O LORD, what are we that you should care for us? *      mere mortals that you should think of us?      We are like a puff of wind; *      our days are like a passing shadow.      Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down; *      touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.      Hurl the lightning and scatter them; *      shoot out your arrows and rout them.      Stretch out your hand from on high; *      rescue me and deliver me from the great waters,      from the hand of foreign peoples,      Whose mouths speak deceitfully *      and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.      O God, I will sing to you a new song; *      I will play to you on a ten-stringed lyre.      You give victory to kings *      and have rescued David your servant.      Rescue me from the hurtful sword *      and deliver me from the hand of foreign peoples,      Whose mouths speak deceitfully *      and whose right hand is raised in falsehood.      May our sons be like plants well nurtured from their youth, *      and our daughters like sculptured corners of a palace.      May our barns be filled to overflowing with all manner of crops; *      may the flocks in our pastures increase by thousands and tens of thousands;      may our cattle be fat and sleek.      May there be no breaching of the walls, no going into exile, *      no wailing in the public squares.      Happy are the people of whom this is so! *      happy are the people whose God is the LORD!

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

      THE LESSONS

      Exodus 10:21 - 11:8 (NRSV)

      Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt." So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was dense darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. People could not see one another, and for three days they could not move from where they were; but all the Israelites had light where they lived. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses, and said, "Go, worship the LORD. Only your flocks and your herds shall remain behind. Even your children may go with you." But Moses said, "You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings to sacrifice to the LORD our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must choose some of them for the worship of the LORD our God, and we will not know what to use to worship the LORD until we arrive there." But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was unwilling to let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Take care that you do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die." Moses said, "Just as you say! I will never see your face again."

      The LORD said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go from here; indeed, when he lets you go, he will drive you away. Tell the people that every man is to ask his neighbor and every woman is to ask her neighbor for objects of silver and gold." The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, Moses himself was a man of great importance in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's officials and in the sight of the people. Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go out through Egypt. Every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the female slave who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the livestock. Then there will be a loud cry throughout the whole land of Egypt, such as has never been or will ever be again. But not a dog shall growl at any of the Israelites - not at people, not at animals - so that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. Then all these officials of yours shall come down to me, and bow low to me, saying, 'Leave us, you and all the people who follow you.' After that I will leave." And in hot anger he left Pharaoh.

      Canticle: A Song of Creation      Benedicite, omnia opera Domini      Song of the Three Young Men, 35-65

      Invocation

      Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

      I The Cosmic Order

      Glorify the Lord, you angels and all powers of the Lord, *      O heavens and all waters above the heavens.      Sun and moon and stars of the sky, glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew, *      all winds and fire and heat.      Winter and Summer, glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold, *      drops of dew and flakes of snow,      Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      Glorify the Lord, O nights and days, *      O shining light and enfolding dark.      Storm clouds and thunderbolts, glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

      II The Earth and its Creatures

      Let the earth glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills,      and all that grows upon the earth, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas, and streams, *      O whales and all that move in the waters.      All birds of the air, glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild, *      and all you flocks and herds.      O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

      III The People of God

      Let the people of God glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      Glorify the Lord, O priests and servants of the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      Glorify the Lord, O spirits and souls of the righteous, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      You that are holy and humble of heart, glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

      Doxology

      Let us glorify the Lord: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.      In the firmament of his power, glorify the Lord, *      praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

      2 Corinthians 4:13-18 (NRSV)

      But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture - "I believed, and so I spoke" - we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

      So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

      Canticle: Song of the Redeemed      Magna et mirabilia      Revelation 15:3-4

      O ruler of the universe, Lord God,      great deeds are they that you have done, *      surpassing human understanding.      Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth, *      O King of all the ages.

      Who can fail to do you homage, Lord      and sing the praises of your Name? *      for you only are the Holy One.      All nations will draw near and fall down before you *      because your just and holy works have been revealed.

      Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:*      as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

      THE APOSTLES' CREED

      I believe in God, the Father almighty,      creator of heaven and earth.      I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.      He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit      and born of the Virgin Mary.      He suffered under Pontius Pilate,      was crucified, died, and was buried.      He descended to the dead.      On the third day he rose again.      He ascended into heaven,      and is seated at the right hand of the Father.      He will come again to judge the living and the dead.      I believe in the Holy Spirit,      the holy catholic Church,      the communion of saints,      the forgiveness of sins,      the resurrection of the body,      and the life everlasting. Amen.

      THE PRAYERS

      Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name,      your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.      Give us today our daily bread.      Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.      Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.      For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.

      Show us your mercy, O Lord;      And grant us your salvation.      Clothe your ministers with righteousness;      Let your people sing with joy.      Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;      For only in you can we live in safety.      Lord, keep this nation under your care;      And guide us in the way of justice and truth.      Let your way be known upon earth;      Your saving health among all nations.      Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;      Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.      Create in us clean hearts, O God;      And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

      Collect of the Day: Charles Henry Brent, Bishop of the Philippines and of Western New York, 1929

      Heavenly Father, whose Son prayed that we all might be one: Deliver us from arrogance and prejudice, and give us wisdom and forbearance, that, following your servant Charles Henry Brent, we may be united in one family with all who confess the Name of your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

      Collect for Saturday in the Fifth Week of Lent

      O Lord, in your goodness you bestow abundant graces on your elect: Look with favor, we entreat you, upon those who in these Lenten days are being prepared for Holy Baptism, and grant them the help of your protection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

      A Collect for Saturdays

      Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

      [A Prayer for Haiti      by Josh Thomas

      O Father of the poor and Mother of the oppressed: Enfold in your arms the suffering people of Haiti. Comfort those in mourning; relieve those in pain; give shelter to the homeless and hope to those in despair. Feed your people, O God, with bread both earthly and divine, and give them your water and wine. Help them bury the dead, nurse the sick and wounded, and raise their faith and dignity, for they are some of your dearest children. Silence those who falsely claim that Haiti is somehow accursed; proclaim the truth that this vibrant, creative nation still shines as a beacon of freedom throughout the Americas. And help the people of Haiti, with the nations of the world and the people of means, to rebuild their colorful land in the image of your Son Jesus Christ, who knows our suffering because he took our mortal pain into his body on the Cross, then rose again to live and reign with you and the Holy Comforter. Amen.]

      Prayer for Chile:      In Time of Calamity

      O God, merciful and compassionate, you are ever ready to hear the prayers of those who put their trust in you: Graciously hear us who call upon you for the relief of suffering in Chile, and grant your help in this their need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

      For Mission

      Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.

      (Please add your own prayers here.)

      Let us bless the Lord.      Thanks be to God.

      May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13+

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