Vida Scudder
Vida Dutton Scudder was born on December 15, 1861, the child of Congregationalist missionaries in India. In the 1870s, Vida and her mother were confirmed in the Episcopal Church by Bishop Phillips Brooks. After studying English literature at Smith College and Oxford University, Scudder began teaching at Wellesley College. Her love of scholarship was matched by her social conscience and deep spirituality. As a young woman, Scudder founded the College Settlements Association, joined the Society of Christian Socialists, and began her lifelong association with the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross in 1889, a community living in the world and devoted to intercessory prayer.
In 1893, Scudder took a leave of absence from Wellesley to work with Helena Stuart Dudley to found Denison House in Boston. Stresses from teaching and her activism led to a breakdown in 1901. After two years’ recuperation in Italy, she returned renewed and became even more active in church and socialist groups; she started a group for Italian immigrants at Denison House and took an active part in organizing the Women’s Trade Union League. In 1911, Scudder founded the Episcopal Church Socialist League, and formally joined the Socialist party. Her support of the Lawrence, Massachusetts, textile workers’ strike in 1912 drew a great deal of criticism and threatened her teaching position. Though she initially supported World War I, she joined the Fellowship of Reconciliation in 1923, and by the 1930s was a firm pacifist.
Throughout her life Scudder’s primary relationships and support network were women. After retirement, she authored 16 books on religious and political subjects, combining her intense activism with an equally vibrant spirituality. “If prayer is the deep secret creative force that Jesus tells us it is, we should be very busy with it,” she wrote characteristically, adding that there was one sure way “of directly helping on the Kingdom of God. That way is prayer. Social intercession may be the mightiest force in the world.” Vida Scudder died on October 9, 1954. HWHM
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/f8kf55kt
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life. John 8
Lord,
ground us in the reality
found only in relationship.
Keep us from the worst danger of the mystic:
the quest of spiritual privilege
leading to aloofness from the common lot
that we may acknowledge
that it is through creating,
not possessing, that life is created. Amen. Scudder
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: Vida Scudder
Tune: Passion Chorale https://tinyurl.com/4j9twb2x
THY Kingdom, Lord, we long for,
Where love shall find its own,
And brotherhood triumphant
Our years of pride disown.
Thy captive people languish
In mill and mart and mine;
We lift to Thee their anguish,
We wait Thy promised Sign!
Thy Kingdom, Lord, Thy Kingdom,
All secretly it grows;
In faithful hearts forever
His seed the Sower sows.
Yet ere its consummation
Must dawn a mighty doom.
For judgment and salvation
The Son of Man shall come.
If now perchance in tumult
His destined Sign appear,–
The Rising of the People,–
Dispel our coward fear!
Let comforts that we cherish,
Let old tradition die;
Our wealth, our wisdom perish,
So that He draw but nigh!
In wrath and revolution
The Sign may be displayed,
But by Thy grace we’ll greet it
With spirits unafraid.
The awestruck heart presages
An Advent dread and sure;
It hails the hope of ages–
Its Master in the poor.
Beyond our fierce confusions,
Our strife of speech and sword,
Our wars of class and nation,
We wait Thy certain Word.
The Church and the Hour
The meek and poor in spirit
Who in Thy promise trust
The Kingdom shall inherit,
The blessing of the Just.
PSALMS
Psalm 47 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/sk7c3h7)
1 Clap your hands together, all ye people *
O sing unto God with the voice of melody.
2 For the Lord is high, and to be feared *
he is the great King upon all the earth.
3 He shall subdue the people under us *
and the nations under our feet.
4 He shall choose out an heritage for us *
even the worship of Jacob, whom he loved.
5 God is gone up with a merry noise *
and the Lord with the sound of the trump.
6 O sing praises, sing praises unto our God *
O sing praises, sing praises unto our King.
7 For God is the King of all the earth *
sing ye praises with understanding.
8 God reigneth over the heathen *
God sitteth upon his holy seat.
9 The princes of the people are joined
unto the people of the God of Abraham *
for God, which is very high exalted,
doth defend the earth, as it were with a shield.
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 48 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/rhcanfm)
1 Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised *
in the city of our God, even upon his holy hill.
2 The hill of Sion is a fair place, and the joy of the whole earth *
upon the north-side lieth the city of the great King;
God is well known in her palaces as a sure refuge.
3 For lo, the kings of the earth *
are gathered, and gone by together.
4 They marvelled to see such things *
they were astonished, and suddenly cast down.
5 Fear came there upon them, and sorrow *
as upon a woman in her travail.
6 Thou shalt break the ships of the sea *
through the east-wind.
7 Like as we have heard, so have we seen
in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God *
God upholdeth the same for ever.
8 We wait for thy loving-kindness, O God *
in the midst of thy temple.
9 O God, according to thy Name, so is thy praise unto the world’s end *
thy right hand is full of righteousness.
10 Let the mount Sion rejoice, and the daughter of Judah be glad *
because of thy judgements.
11 Walk about Sion, and go round about her *
and tell the towers thereof.
12 Mark well her bulwarks, set up her houses *
that ye may tell them that come after.
13 For this God is our God for ever and ever *
he shall be our guide unto death.
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 49 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/v8qpz99)
1 O hear ye this, all ye people *
ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world;
2 High and low, rich and poor *
one with another.
3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom *
and my heart shall muse of understanding.
4 I will incline mine ear to the parable *
and shew my dark speech upon the harp.
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of wickedness *
and when the wickedness of my heels compasseth me round about?
6 There be some that put their trust in their goods *
and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches.
7 But no man may deliver his brother *
nor make agreement unto God for him;
8 For it cost more to redeem their souls *
so that he must let that alone for ever;
9 Yea, though he live long *
and see not the grave.
10 For he seeth that wise men also die, and perish together *
as well as the ignorant and foolish, and leave their riches for other.
11 And yet they think that their houses shall continue for ever *
and that their dwelling-places shall endure
from one generation to another;
and call the lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless, man will not abide in honour *
seeing he may be compared unto the beasts that perish;
this is the way of them.
13 This is their foolishness *
and their posterity praise their saying.
14 They lie in the hell like sheep, death gnaweth upon them,
and the righteous shall have domination over them in the morning *
their beauty shall consume in the sepulchre out of their dwelling.
15 But God hath delivered my soul from the place of hell *
for he shall receive me.
16 Be not thou afraid, though one be made rich *
or if the glory of his house be increased ;
17 For he shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth *
neither shall his pomp follow him.
18 For while he lived, he counted himself an happy man *
and so long as thou doest well unto thyself,
men will speak good of thee.
19 He shall follow the generation of his fathers *
and shall never see light.
20 Man being in honour hath no understanding *
but is compared unto the beasts that perish.
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 47 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-47.mp3)
1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; *
shout to God with a cry of joy.
2 For the LORD Most High is to be feared; *
he is the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdues the peoples under us, *
and the nations under our feet.
4 He chooses our inheritance for us, *
the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
5 God has gone up with a shout, *
the LORD with the sound of the ram’s-horn.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; *
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is King of all the earth; *
sing praises with all your skill.
8 God reigns over the nations; *
God sits upon his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the peoples have gathered together *
with the people of the God of Abraham.
10 The rulers of the earth belong to God, *
and he is highly exalted.
Psalm 48 (Plainsong: http://oremus.org/chant/Psalm-48.mp3)
1 Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised; *
in the city of our God is his holy hill.
2 Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the hill of Zion, *
the very center of the world and the city of the great King.
3 God is in her citadels; *
he is known to be her sure refuge.
4 Behold, the kings of the earth assembled *
and marched forward together.
5 They looked and were astounded; *
they retreated and fled in terror.
6 Trembling seized them there; *
they writhed like a woman in childbirth,
like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.
7 As we have heard, so have we seen,
in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God; *
God has established her for ever.
8 We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God, *
in the midst of your temple.
9 Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to the world’s end; *
your right hand is full of justice.
10 Let Mount Zion be glad and the cities of Judah rejoice, *
because of your judgments.
11 Make the circuit of Zion; walk round about her; *
count the number of her towers.
12 Consider well her bulwarks; examine her strongholds; *
that you may tell those who come after.
13 This God is our God for ever and ever; *
he shall be our guide for evermore.
Psalm 49 (Gregorian Tone 1d)
2 Hear this, all you peoples,
give ear, all who dwell in the world,
3 people both high and low,
rich and poor alike!
4 My mouth will utter wisdom.
The reflections of my heart offer insight.
5 I will incline my ear to a mystery; ‘
with the harp I will set forth my problem.
6 Why should I fear in evil days
the malice of the foes who surround me,
7 those who trust in their wealth,
and boast of the vastness of their riches?
8 No man can ransom a brother,
nor pay a price to God for his life.
9 How high is the price of his soul!
The ransom can never be enough!
10 No one can buy life unending,
nor avoid going down to the pit.
11 Anyone sees that the wise will die;
the foolish will perish with the senseless,
and leave their wealth to others.
12 Their graves are their homes forever,
their dwelling place from age to age,
though lands were called by their names.
13 The honor of man does not endure;
he is like the beasts that perish.
14 This is the way of the foolish,
the outcome of those pleased with their lot:
15 like sheep they are driven to Sheol,
where death shall become their shepherd,
and the upright shall have dominion.
Their outward show wastes away with the morning,
and Sheol becomes their home.
16 But God will ransom my soul from the grasp of Sheol;
for he indeed will receive me.
17 Then do not fear when a man grows rich,
when the glory of his house increases.
18 He takes nothing with him when he dies,
his glory does not follow him below.
Though he flattered himself while he lived,
“People will praise you for all your success,”
20 yet you will go to join your forebears,
and will never see the light any more.
21 The honor of man does not endure;
he is like the beasts that perish.
PRAYER
Gracious God,
you have built us up like living stones into a holy house,
with Jesus Christ our precious cornerstone.
Set us as a city on a hill,
shining with the light of your steadfast love
and proclaiming your praise to the ends of the earth;
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. BCW2018
THE WORD OF GOD
READING: 2 Samuel 2:1-11
After this David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” The Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” He said, “To Hebron.” So David went up there, along with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David brought up the men who were with him, every one with his household, and they settled in the towns of Hebron. Then the people of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
When they told David, “It was the people of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him! Now may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you! And I, too, will reward you because you have done this thing. Therefore let your hands be strong and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
But Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbaal son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. He made him king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. Ishbaal, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
HYMN: Bernard of Clairvaux; trans. Edward Caswall
Tune: Kilmarnock https://tinyurl.com/5n8ufwz7
1 Jesu, the very thought of thee
with sweetness fills the breast;
but sweeter far thy face to see,
and in thy presence rest.
2 No voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
nor can the memory find
a sweeter sound than Jesu’s name,
the Saviour of mankind.
3 O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
to those who ask how kind thou art,
how good to those who seek!
4 But what to those who find? Ah, this
nor tongue nor pen can show;
the love of Jesus, what it is
none but his loved ones know.
5 Jesu, our only joy be thou,
as thou our prize wilt be;
in thee be all our glory now,
and through eternity.
READING: 2 Corinthians 12:14-18
Here I am, ready to come to you this third time, and I will not be a burden because I do not want what is yours but you, for children ought not to save up for their parents but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for you. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? Be that as it may, I did not burden you. But, crafty person that I am, did I take you in by deceit? Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves with the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same footsteps?
HYMN: Charles Wesley
Tune: Eaton https://tinyurl.com/3jzrrfjs
1 Give me the faith which can remove
and sink the mountain to a plain;
give me the childlike praying love
Which longs to build Thy house again;
Thy love, let it my heart o’er pow’r,
and all my simple soul devour.
2 I would the precious time redeem,
and longer live for this alone;
to spend and to be spent for them
Who have not yet my Savior known;
fully on these my mission prove,
and only breathe, to breathe Thy love.
3 My talents, gifts, and graces, Lord,
into Thy blessed hands receive;
and let me live to preach Thy Word,
and let me to Thy glory live;
my every sacred moment spend
in publishing the sinner’s Friend.
4 Enlarge, inflame, and fill my heart
With boundless, fervent love divine,
so shall I all my strength exert,
and love them with a zeal like Thine,
and lead them to Thy open side,
the sheep, for whom the Shepherd died.
READING: Luke 11:14-26
Now Jesus was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?—for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it returns, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
CANTICLE Isaiah 12:2-6 (BCP 2019/James Turle)
Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
THE PRAYERS COS, alt.
Loving God,
we pray for all who are ill:
ease their pain, calm their restlessness;
give them such trust in you
that they may know
they are always in your keeping.
Bless all who care for them:
give them such trust in you
that they may win new strength;
and may their love and tireless patience
bring your grace and comfort
to those who suffer.
Remember your Church on earth.
Enable Christian people
to walk with Christ in their daily lives
and to work for the coming of his kingdom.
Strengthen the witness of the Church
in this parish and in every place,
that the world may learn to live your truth
and seek your peace.
Remember the nations of the world.
Bring to an end all war and strife;
break down the barriers of race and creed,
that all may live
as members of one family of God.
Remember our country.
Preserve us as a people
from all that is degrading,
and raise us to the righteousness
of serving your will.
Remember those who have died in the faith,
especially those known and dear to us.
Grant us a living hope,
and bring us, when our days on earth are over,
to share the joys of everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Setting by Eric Wyse:2
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;
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.
Most gracious God, who sent your beloved Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Raise up in thy Church witnesses who, after the example of thy servant Vida Dutton Scudder, stand firm in proclaiming the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. HWHM
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
BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
HWHM Holy Women, Holy Men © 2010 The Church Pension Fund.
COS Common Order, © 1994 Church of Scotland
BCW2018 Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 2018
The main scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). The modern language version of Psalms 47 and 48 is from the The Book of Common Prayer (1979) and is sung by Ryland Angel. Psalm 49 is from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles ©2010, 2018 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. ©2020 as recorded for the Chants and Rants YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@chantsandrants. The canticle was recorded for the St Bernard Breviary https://www.bernardbreviary.com/chant-helps
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 © 2026 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.
