
Elizabeth Fry
Elizabeth Gurney was born at Earlham in Norfolk in 1780. At the age of twenty, she married Joseph Fry, a London merchant and a strict Quaker. She was admitted as a minister in the Society of Friends and became a noted preacher. The appalling state of the prisons came to her notice and she devoted much of her time to the welfare of female prisoners in Newgate. In 1820 she took part in the formation of a nightly shelter for the homeless in London. She travelled all over Europe in the cause of prison reform. She was a woman of a strong Christian and evangelistic impulse and this inspired all her work. She died on this day in 1845. EH
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/492hwvfc
Let them thank the Lord for his mercy,
his wonders for the children of men,
for he satisfies the thirsty soul,
and the hungry he fills with good things. Psalm 107
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5
O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia!
HYMN: Michael A Perry ©
Tune: O Jesu https://tinyurl.com/mr3aspy4
1 How shall they hear the word of God
unless his truth is told?
How shall the sinful be set free,
the sorrowful consoled?
To all who speak the truth today,
impart your Spirit, Lord, we pray.
2 How shall they call to God for help
unless they have believed?
How shall the poor be given hope,
the prisoner reprieved?
To those who help the blind to see,
give light and love and clarity.
3 How shall the gospel be proclaimed
that sinners may repent?
How shall the world find peace at last
if heralds are not sent?
So send us, Lord, for we rejoice
to speak of Christ with life and voice.
PSALMS
Psalm 65 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9fmulwv)
1 Thou, O God, art praised in Sion *
and unto thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem.
2 Thou that hearest the prayer *
unto thee shall all flesh come.
3 My misdeeds prevail against me *
O be thou merciful unto our sins.
4 Blessed is the man, whom thou choosest, and receivest unto thee *
he shall dwell in thy court, and shall be satisfied
with the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
5 Thou shalt shew us wonderful things in thy righteousness,
O God of our salvation *
thou that art the hope of all the ends of the earth,
and of them that remain in the broad sea.
6 Who in his strength setteth fast the mountains *
and is girded about with power.
7 Who stilleth the raging of the sea *
and the noise of his waves, and the madness of the people.
8 They also that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth shall be afraid at thy tokens *
thou that makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to praise thee.
9 Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it *
thou makest it very plenteous.
10 The river of God is full of water *
thou preparest their corn, for so thou providest for the earth.
11 Thou waterest her furrows,
thou sendest rain into the little valleys thereof *
thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase of it.
12 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness *
and thy clouds drop fatness.
13 They shall drop upon the dwellings of the wilderness *
and the little hills shall rejoice on every side.
14 The folds shall be full of sheep *
the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn,
that they shall laugh and sing.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 66 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/ybnhonff)
1 O be joyful in God, all ye lands *
sing praises unto the honour of his Name,
make his praise to be glorious.
2 Say unto God, O how wonderful art thou in thy works *
through the greatness of thy power
shall thine enemies be found liars unto thee.
3 For all the world shall worship thee *
sing of thee, and praise thy Name.
4 O come hither, and behold the works of God *
how wonderful he is in his doing toward the children of men.
5 He turned the sea into dry land *
so that they went through the water on foot; there did we rejoice thereof.
6 He ruleth with his power for ever; his eyes behold the people *
and such as will not believe shall not be able to exalt themselves.
7 O praise our God, ye people *
and make the voice of his praise to be heard;
8 Who holdeth our soul in life *
and suffereth not our feet to slip.
9 For thou, O God, hast proved us *
thou also hast tried us, like as silver is tried.
10 Thou broughtest us into the snare *
and laidest trouble upon our loins.
11 Thou sufferedst men to ride over our heads *
we went through fire and water,
and thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
12 I will go into thine house with burnt-offerings *
and will pay thee my vows, which I promised with my lips,
and spake with my mouth, when I was in trouble.
13 I will offer unto thee fat burnt-sacrifices, with the incense of rams *
I will offer bullocks and goats.
14 O come hither, and hearken, all ye that fear God *
and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul.
15 I called unto him with my mouth *
and gave him praises with my tongue.
16 If I incline unto wickedness with mine heart *
the Lord will not hear me.
17 But God hath heard me *
and considered the voice of my prayer.
18 Praised be God who hath not cast out my prayer *
nor turned his mercy from me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 67 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y7vuwqcm)
1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us *
and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us;
2 That thy way may be known upon earth *
thy saving health among all nations.
3 Let the people praise thee, O God *
yea, let all the people praise thee.
4 O let the nations rejoice and be glad *
for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.
5 Let the people praise thee, O God *
let all the people praise thee.
6 Then shall the earth bring forth her increase *
and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing.
7 God shall bless us *
and all the ends of the world shall fear him.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.
Psalm 65 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-65.mp3)
1 You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; *
to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.
2 To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, *
because of their transgressions.
3 Our sins are stronger than we are, *
but you will blot them out.
4 Happy are they whom you choose
and draw to your courts to dwell there! *
they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house,
by the holiness of your temple.
5 Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness,
O God of our salvation, *
O Hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the seas that are far away.
6 You make fast the mountains by your power; *
they are girded about with might.
7 You still the roaring of the seas, *
the roaring of their waves,
and the clamor of the peoples.
8 Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your
marvelous signs; *
you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy.
9 You visit the earth and water it abundantly;
you make it very plenteous; *
the river of God is full of water.
10 You prepare the grain, *
for so you provide for the earth.
11 You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; *
with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.
12 You crown the year with your goodness, *
and your paths overflow with plenty.
13 May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, *
and the hills be clothed with joy.
14 May the meadows cover themselves with flocks,
and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; *
let them shout for joy and sing.
| 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 66
[Karl Kohlhase http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-66-Kohlhase.mp3)
Refrain:
Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth,
sing the glory of his name;
give unto him glorious praise
Say to God, “How awesome are your works,
Your pow’r is so great that your enemies cringe
All of the earth shall worship you;
They sing praises, sing praises to your name
Come and see what our God has done;
he is awesome in his deeds among men
He turned the sea into dry land;
men passed through the river on foot
There did we rejoice in him,
who rules by His might forever
Whose eyes keep watch o’er the nations,
so rebels may not exalt themselves [Refrain]
Bless our God, all you people,
let the sound of His praises be heard
For He has kept us among the living,
and has not allowed our feet to slip
O God, even though You have tried us,
You have tested like silver is tested
You have led us through fire and through water,
and brought us to the land of abundance
I will come into Your house,
with burnt offerings I will pay my vows
Those which my lips have spoken,
and my mouth promised You in the midst of troubles [Refrain]
Yes, I will offer unto You, burnt offerings of the fatlings
And with the smoke of sacrificial rams,
I’ll bring offerings of bulls and of goats
Come and hear, all you who fear God,
I will tell what He has done for me
I cried aloud unto Him;
He was highly praised with my tongue
Had I clung to sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened
But truly God has listened,
and has heard the sound of my prayer
Bless God who rejected not my prayer
nor removed His love from me [Refrain]
Psalm 67 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-67.mp3)
1 May God be merciful to us and bless us, *
show us the light of his countenance and come to us.
2 Let your ways be known upon earth, *
your saving health among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the nations upon earth.
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has brought forth her increase; *
may God, our own God, give us his blessing.
7 May God give us his blessing, *
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.
| Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
| as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
PRAYER
Light of the world,
you have come into the world’s darkness
and the darkness cannot overwhelm the light.
Let your holy name be known through all the earth,
that all people and nations may praise you
and walk in your ways;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
When David got up the next morning, the Lord’s word came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer: Go and tell David, This is what the Lord says: I’m offering you three punishments. Choose one of them, and that is what I will do to you.
So Gad went to David and said to him, “Will three years of famine come on your land? Or will you run from your enemies for three months while they chase you? Or will there be three days of plague in your land? Decide now what answer I should take back to the one who sent me.”
“I’m in deep trouble,” David said to Gad. “Let’s fall into the Lord’s hands because his mercy is great, but don’t let me fall into human hands.”
So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that very morning until the allotted time. Seventy thousand people died, from Dan to Beer-sheba. But when the divine messenger stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord regretted doing this disaster and said to the messenger who was destroying the people, “That’s enough! Withdraw your hand.” At that time the Lord’s messenger was by the threshing floor of Araunah from Jebus.
When David saw the messenger who was striking down the people, he said, “I’m the one who sinned! I’m the one who has done wrong. But these sheep—what have they done wrong? Turn your hand against me and my household.”
That same day Gad came to David and told him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah from Jebus.” So David went up, following Gad’s instructions, just as the Lord had commanded.
Araunah looked up and saw the king and his servants approaching him. Araunah rushed out and bowed low before the king, his nose to the ground. Araunah said, “Why has my master and king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy this threshing floor from you to build an altar to the Lord, so the plague among the people may come to an end.”
Then Araunah said to David, “Take it for yourself, and may my master the king do what he thinks is best. Here are oxen for the entirely burned offering, and here are threshing boards and oxen yokes for wood. All this, Your Majesty, Araunah gives to the king.” Then he added, “May the Lord your God respond favorably to you!”
“No,” the king said to Araunah. “I will buy them from you at a fair price. I won’t offer up to the Lord my God entirely burned offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. David built an altar there for the Lord and offered entirely burned offerings and well-being sacrifices. The Lord responded to the prayers for the land, and the plague against Israel came to an end.
HYMN: Anna Sophia von Hessen-Darmstadt; trans. George Taylor Rygh
Tune: Werde munter https://tinyurl.com/3ye945ep
1 Speak, O Lord, Thy servant heareth,
To Thy Word I now give heed;
For Thy Word my spirit cheereth,
All Thy Word is truth indeed;
Death’s dread pow’r in me is rife;
Jesus, may Thy Word of life
Fill my soul with love forever,
That I may forsake Thee never.
2 O what blessing to be near Thee
And to hearken to Thy voice;
May I ever love and fear Thee,
That Thy Word may be my choice.
Oft are hardened sinners, Lord,
Struck with terror by Thy Word;
But for sin whoever grieveth,
Comfort sweet and hope receiveth.
3 Precious Jesus, I beseech Thee:
May Thy works take root in me;
May this gift from heav’n enrich me,
So that I bear fruit for Thee;
Take them never from my heart
Till I see Thee as Thou art,
When in bliss I stand before Thee
And in rapture shall adore Thee.
4 All the world is full of sorrow;
Dearest Jesus, comfort me:
Come what may today, tomorrow,
Let me firmly stand with Thee
On Thy Word’s unfalt’ring ground;
When the final call shall sound,
Let me sing in death’s dark mazes
To Thy name my grateful praises.
This is especially true for those who follow after the corrupt cravings of the sinful nature and defy the Lord’s authority.
These reckless, brash people aren’t afraid to insult the glorious ones, yet angels, who are stronger and more powerful, don’t use insults when pronouncing the Lord’s judgment on them. These false teachers are like irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct, born to be captured and destroyed. They slander what they don’t understand and, like animals, they will be destroyed. In this way, they will receive payment for their wrongdoing.
They even enjoy unruly parties in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, taking delight in their seductive pleasures while feasting with you. They are always looking for someone with whom to commit adultery. They are always on the lookout for opportunities to sin. They ensnare people whose faith is weak. They have hearts trained in greed. They are under God’s curse. Leaving the straight path, they have gone off course, following the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the payment of doing wrong. But Balaam was rebuked for his wrongdoing. A donkey, which has no voice, spoke with a human voice and put a stop to the prophet’s madness.
These false teachers are springs without water, mists driven by the wind. The underworld has been reserved for them. With empty, self-important speech, they use sinful cravings and unrestrained immorality to ensnare people who have only just escaped life with those who have wandered from the truth. These false teachers promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of immorality; whatever overpowers you, enslaves you. If people escape the moral filth of this world through the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, then get tangled up in it again and are overcome by it, they are worse off than they were before. It would be better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having come to know it, to turn back from the holy commandment entrusted to them. They demonstrate the truth of the proverb: “A dog returns to its own vomit, and a washed sow wallows in the mud.”
HYMN: Samuel Longfellow
Tune: Song 13 https://tinyurl.com/mr3ff9ne
1 Holy Spirit, Truth divine,
dawn upon this soul of mine.
Voice of God, and inward Light,
wake my spirit, clear my sight.
2 Holy Spirit, Love divine,
glow within this heart of mine.
Kindle ev’ry high desire,
purify me with your fire.
3 Holy Spirit, Pow’r divine,
fill and nerve this will of mine.
Boldly may I always live,
bravely serve and gladly give.
4 Holy Spirit, Law divine,
reign within this soul of mine.
Be my law and I shall be
firmly bound, forever free.
5 Holy Spirit, Peace divine,
still this restless heart of mine.
Speak to calm this tossing sea,
grant me your tranquility.
6 Holy Spirit, Joy divine,
gladden now this heart of mine.
In the desert ways I sing,
spring, O living Water, spring!
While Jesus was saying these things, a certain woman in the crowd spoke up: “Happy is the mother who gave birth to you and who nursed you.”
But he said, “Happy rather are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
CANTICLE Isaiah 60:1-19
(Jered McKenna https://tinyurl.com/y7ccoep2)
Arise shine for your light has come and the glory of God is on you
Arise see when the earth grows dark that the Lord will arise upon you
The Lord will arise upon you
Nations will come to your light lift up your eyes and see
We’ll gather together and come to you
And your love will be all that we know
Your love will be all that we know
The sun will not shine cause you’ll be all the light that we need
and violence will end all the wars that we wage will cease
We will glorify your name
We will glorify your name.
Arise come to the open gates for the Father is welcoming you
Fear not for the Lord brings peace and redemption to all who believe
Redemption to all who believe
Nations will come to your light lift up your eyes and see
We’ll gather together and come to you
And your love will be all that we know
Your love will be all that we know
The sun will not shine cause you’ll be all the light that we need
and violence will end all the wars that we wage will cease
We will glorify your name
We will glorify your name.
THE PRAYERS PWC
God of Jacob, may all who call themselves Christians
become a priestly people to the praise of Christ Jesus our Saviour.
God of compassion, teach us your ways.
May all bishops and other ministers
remain faithful to their calling and rightly proclaim the word of truth.
God of compassion, teach us your ways.
May the leaders of the nations and all in authority
lead their peoples into quiet and peaceable lives.
God of compassion, teach us your ways.
Show your good will to all who live in this city, the poor and the rich,
the elderly and the young, men and women.
God of compassion, teach us your ways.
Help and defend the victims of our society
and those who minister to them.
God of compassion, teach us your ways.
Strengthen the faith of those who are preparing for baptism
and for those who have been recently baptized.
God of compassion, teach us your ways.
Count us among all your faithful witnesses:
all the saints who have found favour in your sight from earliest times,
prophets, apostles, martyrs and those whose names are known to you alone.
God of compassion, teach us your ways.
(Plainsong Mode 2: https://tinyurl.com/yctqq8cf)DL
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today the bread of life;
and 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.
Gracious and loving God,
you bring good tidings to the afflicted,
bind up the broken-hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captives;
we thank you for sending Elizabeth Fry into the prisons
with words of comfort and deeds of care:
grant that all who minister to those in prison
may be filled with your compassion and be bearers of your hope;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen. FATS
Music: https://tinyurl.com/y9efvwm5
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. 2 Cor. 13:14
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
EH Exciting Holiness, Ed. Brother Tristram SSF © European Province of the Society of Saint Francis, 1997
DL © Daniel Lawson; used with permission.
PWC PRAY WITHOUT CEASING: Morning and Evening Prayer for the Seasons of the Church Year Prepared by The Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett on behalf of The Liturgy Task Force of the Anglican Church of Canada, May 2016.
FATS For All the Saints, © The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, 2014
The main scripture readings are © 2011 Common English Bible.
The traditional-language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern versions of Psalms 65 and 67 are from The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and are chanted by Ryland Angel. Psalm 66 is in the version sung by Karl Kohlhase http://www.k4communications.com/karl/index.html.
Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.
Compilation © 2024 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.