Wednesday Morning Prayer (Easter 3)

Daily Morning Prayer

Officiant	Lord, open our lips.
People	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.  Alleluia

Christ our Passover     
1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22

Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
    therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *
    but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.
Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *
    death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; *
    but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *
    and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
Christ has been raised from the dead, *
    the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
    by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
    so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

Psalm 66:1-8

1	Be joyful in God, all you lands; *     sing the glory of his Name;     sing the glory of his praise.
2	Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! * because of your great strength your enemies cringe before you.
3	All the earth bows down before you, *     sings to you, sings out your Name."

4	Come now and see the works of God, *     how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people.
5	He turned the sea into dry land, so that they went through the water on foot, *     and there we rejoiced in him.
6	In his might he rules for ever; his eyes keep watch over the nations; *     let no rebel rise up against him.
7	Bless our God, you peoples; *     make the voice of his praise to be heard;
8	Who holds our souls in life, *     and will not allow our feet to slip.

At the end of the Psalms is sung or said

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.

Acts 8:1-8

And Saul approved of their killing him.  That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.

4 Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. 5 Philip went down to the city[a] of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah[b] to them. 6 The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 7 for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

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

Officiant	The Lord be with you.
People	And also with you.
Officiant	Let us pray.

Officiant and People

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,      and the power, and the glory,      for ever and ever. Amen. V.    Show us your mercy, O Lord; R.    And grant us your salvation. V.    Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R.    Let your people sing with joy. V.    Give peace, O Lord, in all the world; R.    For only in you can we live in safety. V.    Lord, keep this nation under your care; R.    And guide us in the way of justice and truth. V.    Let your way be known upon earth; R.    Your saving health among all nations. V.    Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; R.    Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. V.    Create in us clean hearts, O God; R.    And sustain us with your Holy Spirit. O God, you have united diverse peoples in the confession of  your Name:  Grant that all who have been born again in the font of Baptism may also be united in faith and love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen. 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.

In the Morning

This is another day, O Lord.  I know not what it will bring

forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be.  If I

am to stand up, help me to stand bravely.  If I am to sit still,

help me to sit quietly.  If I am to lie low, help me to do it

patiently.  And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. 

Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit

of Jesus.  Amen.

Then may be said

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.