On the Service of Evening Prayer
For our 2020 Advent Midweek services we will be using the service of Evening Prayer (LSB 243). This is different from the service of Vespers that we used last year. I think the music will be easier and more intuitive, even if it is new for you. I’ve put a video on our YoutTube Channel called “Evening Prayer Sample” where you can listen to some of the new music we’ll be singing. The link is pasted below:
Though we often focus on the music of our services, I also want to walk through the text of the service itself.
Evening Prayer opens with the “Service of Light” rather than an opening hymn. Ideally the service is conducted when it is already dark out, and so with candles being lit, we recite responsively that “Jesus is the Light of the World; the Light no Darkness can overcome” (John 8:12, John 1:5). While we are in the darkness, we pray for the Lord to stay with us, just as the disciples did on the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:29). Then we pray for Jesus’ light to scatter the darkness, and illuminate His Church (1 Cor. 4:5, 2 Cor. 4:6).
Then the Phos Hilaron (Joyful Light) is sung. This is the oldest known Christian hymn text, written and used as far back as the 3rd or 4th century AD. We have a wonderful heritage to still be singing these words today. Having sung the hymn, a prayer is spoken or chanted giving thanks for Jesus’ light in the Darkness.
After the “Service of the Light”, we move into the Psalmody. Psalm 141 has long been used as an evening Psalm in Church, with the famous words “Let my prayer rise before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice”. To sing this Psalm is to pray for our hearts to return to our God at the close of this day.
Almost all of the service up to this point is sung or chanted. It will be new material for many of you, but our accompanist(s) will help guide us along.
Having sung Psalm 141, then the Office Hymn is sung, usually centered around the coming readings or church year. Then the readings are read, with a short spoken response, and a sermon is given.
In response to the sermon, the congregation sings a Biblical Canticle, often the words of Mary in the “Magnificat” from Luke 1:46-55. While Mary’s song was unique to her being chosen by God to bear his Son, all Christians may pray these words knowing that God has chosen us all as his children. We do not glorify ourselves that he has loved us, but as Mary did, we magnify the Lord.
While Evening Prayer has its own unique musical setting of the Magnificat, I have elected for this Advent to use a hymn paraphrase that will be a familiar and easy tune to sing. Once we become familiar and more comfortable with the other sung sections of Evening Prayer, I’ll then look at having us learn the other sung parts.
Then from the Magnificat we move into the prayers, using the familiar litany form: “In peace let us pray to the Lord; Lord have Mercy…”. While there is an option to sing these prayers, I will have us speak them for this Advent. Again, as we become more familiar with this service, I’ll introduce more of the sung portions.
Following the prayers, there will be a familiar blessing of the Lord and a benediction shared. These too will be spoken for now. Having heard our God’s Benediction, we’ll depart by singing an evening themed hymn.
As always, feel free to reach out with any questions about this service or others.
In Christ,
Pastor Gaschler