Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer on Saturday
Saturday, 17 October 2026
Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Martyr, c.107 [Lesser Festival]

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.
AllO Lord, make haste to help us.

The Blessing of Light (page 110) may replace the Preparation at Evening Prayer on any occasion.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

A prayer of thanksgiving (page 110),

Blessed are you, Lord God, creator of day and night:
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As darkness falls you renew your promise
to reveal among us the light of your presence.
By the light of Christ, your living Word,
dispel the darkness of our hearts
that we may walk as children of light
and sing your praise throughout the world.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
AllBlessed be God for ever.

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Light

1The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom then shall I fear? ♦
The Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom then shall I be afraid?

2Though a host encamp against me,
my heart shall not be afraid, ♦
and though there rise up war against me,
yet will I put my trust in him.

3One thing have I asked of the Lord
and that alone I seek: ♦
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,

4To behold the fair beauty of the Lord ♦
and to seek his will in his temple.

5For in the day of trouble
he shall hide me in his shelter; ♦
in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me
and set me high upon a rock.

6Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation
with great gladness; ♦
I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Psalm 27.1, 3-6, 8

AllGlory 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.

This opening prayer may be said

That this evening may be holy, good and peaceful,
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God,
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 118

Refrain: I will give thanks to you,
for you have become my salvation.

1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; ♦
his mercy endures for ever.

2 Let Israel now proclaim, ♦
‘His mercy endures for ever.’

3 Let the house of Aaron now proclaim, ♦
‘His mercy endures for ever.’

4 Let those who fear the Lord proclaim, ♦
‘His mercy endures for ever.’ R

5 In my constraint I called to the Lord; ♦
the Lord answered and set me free.

6 The Lord is at my side; I will not fear; ♦
what can flesh do to me?

7 With the Lord at my side as my saviour, ♦
I shall see the downfall of my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord ♦
than to put any confidence in flesh.

9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord ♦
than to put any confidence in princes. R

10 All the nations encompassed me, ♦
but by the name of the Lord I drove them back.

11 They hemmed me in, they hemmed me in on every side, ♦
but by the name of the Lord I drove them back.

12 They swarmed about me like bees;
they blazed like fire among thorns, ♦
but by the name of the Lord I drove them back.

13 Surely, I was thrust to the brink, ♦
but the Lord came to my help. R

14 The Lord is my strength and my song, ♦
and he has become my salvation.

15 Joyful shouts of salvation ♦
sound from the tents of the righteous:

16 ‘The right hand of the Lord does mighty deeds;
the right hand of the Lord raises up; ♦
the right hand of the Lord does mighty deeds.’

17 I shall not die, but live ♦
and declare the works of the Lord.

18 The Lord has punished me sorely, ♦
but he has not given me over to death. R

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, ♦
that I may enter and give thanks to the Lord.

20 This is the gate of the Lord; ♦
the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me ♦
and have become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders rejected ♦
has become the chief cornerstone.

23 This is the Lord’s doing, ♦
and it is marvellous in our eyes.

24 This is the day that the Lord has made; ♦
we will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Come, O Lord, and save us we pray. ♦
Come, Lord, send us now prosperity.

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; ♦
we bless you from the house of the Lord.

27 The Lord is God; he has given us light; ♦
link the pilgrims with cords
right to the horns of the altar. R

28 You are my God and I will thank you; ♦
you are my God and I will exalt you.

29 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; ♦
his mercy endures for ever.

Refrain: I will give thanks to you,
for you have become my salvation.

Saving God,
open the gates of righteousness,
that your pilgrim people may enter
and be built into a living temple
on the cornerstone of our salvation,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory 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.

If there are two Scripture readings, the first may be read here, or both may be read after the canticle.

Ecclesiasticus 28.14-end

Slander has shaken many,
   and scattered them from nation to nation;
it has destroyed strong cities,
   and overturned the houses of the great.
Slander has driven virtuous women from their homes,
   and deprived them of the fruit of their toil.
Those who pay heed to slander will not find rest,
   nor will they settle down in peace.
The blow of a whip raises a welt,
   but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones.
Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,
   but not as many as have fallen because of the tongue.
Happy is one who is protected from it,
   who has not been exposed to its anger,
who has not borne its yoke,
   and has not been bound with its fetters.
For its yoke is a yoke of iron,
   and its fetters are fetters of bronze;
its death is an evil death,
   and Hades is preferable to it.
It has no power over the godly;
   they will not be burned in its flame.
Those who forsake the Lord will fall into its power;
   it will burn among them and will not be put out.
It will be sent out against them like a lion;
   like a leopard it will mangle them.
As you fence in your property with thorns,
   so make a door and a bolt for your mouth.
As you lock up your silver and gold,
   so make balances and scales for your words.
Take care not to err with your tongue,
   and fall victim to one lying in wait.

or Ezekiel 36.16-36

Canticle

A Song of God’s Love, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 53 (page 606), may be said

Refrain:

AllGod’s love was revealed among us
so that we might live through Jesus. Alleluia.

1Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God; ♦
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

2Whoever does not love does not know God, ♦
for God is love.

3In this the love of God was revealed among us, ♦
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through him.

4In this is love,
not that we loved God but that he loved us, ♦
and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.

5Beloved, since God loved us so much, ♦
we ought also to love one another.

6For if we love one another, God abides in us, ♦
and God’s love will be perfected in us.

1 John 4.7-11, 12b

AllGlory 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.

AllGod’s love was revealed among us
so that we might live through Jesus. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

John 14.15-end

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.’

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

Your salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
AllYour salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
AllThat glory may dwell in our land.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllYour salvation is near to those who fear you;
that glory may dwell in our land.

from Psalm 85

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said,
or A Song of Praise (page 627) may be said

Refrain:

All Those who gave up their lives for Christ and followed in the Way
rejoice with God now and for ever. Alleluia.

1My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; ♦
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2From this day all generations will call me blessed; ♦
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.

3He has mercy on those who fear him, ♦
from generation to generation.

4He has shown strength with his arm ♦
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5Casting down the mighty from their thrones ♦
and lifting up the lowly.

6He has filled the hungry with good things ♦
and sent the rich away empty.

7He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, ♦
to remember his promise of mercy,

8The promise made to our ancestors, ♦
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

AllGlory 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.

Refrain:

All Those who gave up their lives for Christ and followed in the Way
rejoice with God now and for ever. Alleluia.

Prayers

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered
¶ for peace
¶ for individuals and their needs

Prayers may include the following concerns from the cycle on pages 362–363

¶ Our homes, families, friends and all whom we love
¶ Those whose time is spent caring for others
¶ Those who are close to death
¶ Those who have lost hope
¶ The worship of the Church

One of the forms of prayer found on pages 362–371 may be used.

These responses may be used

Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer

(or)

Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Silence may be kept.

The Collect of the day is said

Feed us, O Lord, with the living bread
and make us drink deep of the cup of salvation
that, following the teaching of your bishop Ignatius
and rejoicing in the faith
      with which he embraced a martyr's death,
we may be nourished for that eternal life
      for which he longed;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur 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.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

(or)

Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur 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

All The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore.
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

© The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England, 2000–2005
Official Common Worship apps, books and eBooks are available from Church House Publishing.

The Bible readings (other than the psalms) are from The New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002–2021.