Evening Prayer on Thursday — Thursday, 29 October 2026 — James Hannington, Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa, Martyr in Uganda, 1885 [Lesser Festival]

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us. O 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: Blessed be God for ever.

or a suitable hymn,

or A Song of God’s Chosen One

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

3 The spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

4 He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear,

5 But with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.

6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.

7 The calf, the lion and the fatling together, with a little child to lead them.

8 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11.1,2,3b-4a,6,9

Glory 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. Amen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 18*

The Lord my God shall make my darkness to be bright.

1 I love you, O Lord my strength. The Lord is my crag, my fortress and my deliverer,

2 My God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation and my stronghold.

3 I cried to the Lord in my anguish and I was saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death entwined me and the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

5 The cords of the Pit fastened about me and the snares of death entangled me.

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God for help.

7 He heard my voice in his temple and my cry came to his ears.

8 The earth trembled and quaked; the foundations of the mountains shook; they reeled because he was angry.

9 Smoke rose from his nostrils and a consuming fire went out of his mouth; burning coals blazed forth from him.

10 He parted the heavens and came down and thick darkness was under his feet.

11 He rode upon the cherubim and flew; he came flying on the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness his covering round about him, dark waters and thick clouds his pavilion.

13 From the brightness of his presence, through the clouds burst hailstones and coals of fire.

14 The Lord also thundered out of heaven; the Most High uttered his voice with hailstones and coals of fire.

15 He sent out his arrows and scattered them; he hurled down lightnings and put them to flight.

16 The springs of the ocean were seen, and the foundations of the world uncovered at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your displeasure.

17 He reached down from on high and took me; he drew me out of the mighty waters.

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, from foes that were too mighty for me.

19 They came upon me in the day of my trouble; but the Lord was my upholder.

20 He brought me out into a place of liberty; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

21 The Lord rewarded me after my righteous dealing; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me,

22 Because I had kept the ways of the Lord and had not gone wickedly away from my God,

23 For I had an eye to all his laws, and did not cast out his commandments from me.

24 I was also wholehearted before him and kept myself from iniquity;

25 Therefore the Lord rewarded me after my righteous dealing, and according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

26 With the faithful you show yourself faithful; with the true you show yourself true;

27 With the pure you show yourself pure, but with the crooked you show yourself perverse.

28 For you will save a lowly people and bring down the high looks of the proud.

29 You also shall light my candle; the Lord my God shall make my darkness to be bright.

30 By your help I shall run at an enemy host; with the help of my God I can leap over a wall.

31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried in the fire; he is a shield to all who trust in him.

32 For who is God but the Lord, and who is the rock except our God?

33 It is God who girds me about with strength and makes my way perfect.

34 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet so that I tread surely on the heights.

35 He teaches my hands to fight and my arms to bend a bow of bronze.

36 You have given me the shield of your salvation; your right hand upholds me and your grace has made me great.

37 You enlarge my strides beneath me, yet my feet do not slide.

38 I will pursue my enemies and overtake them, nor turn again until I have destroyed them.

39 I will smite them down so they cannot rise; they shall fall beneath my feet.

40 You have girded me with strength for the battle; you will cast down my enemies under me;

41 You will make my foes turn their backs upon me and I shall destroy them that hate me.

42 They will cry out, but there shall be none to help them; they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer.

43 I shall beat them as small as the dust on the wind; I will cast them out as the mire in the streets.

44 You will deliver me from the strife of the peoples; you will make me the head of the nations.

45 A people I have not known shall serve me; as soon as they hear me, they shall obey me; strangers will humble themselves before me.

46 The foreign peoples will lose heart and come trembling out of their strongholds.

47 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock! Praised be the God of my salvation,

48 Even the God who vindicates me and subdues the peoples under me!

49 You that deliver me from my enemies, you will set me up above my foes; from the violent you will deliver me;

50 Therefore will I give you thanks, O Lord, among the nations and sing praises to your name,

51 To the one who gives great victory to his king and shows faithful love to his anointed, to David and his seed for ever.

The Lord my God shall make my darkness to be bright.

From your royal throne, O God, you sent your living Word to pierce the gloom of oppression; so, in our souls’ night, come with your saving help and penetrate our darkness with the rays of your glory in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

Glory 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.

Isaiah 35

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.

Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.’

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveller, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;

they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Canticle

Great and Wonderful, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 63 (page 621), may be said

All nations shall come and worship you, O Christ, and share in the feast of your kingdom. Alleluia.

1 Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty.

2 Just and true are your ways, O ruler of the nations.

3 Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord? for you alone are holy.

4 All nations shall come and worship in your presence: for your just dealings have been revealed.

Revelation 15.3, 4

To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might, for ever and ever. Amen.

All nations shall come and worship you, O Christ, and share in the feast of your kingdom. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

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

Matthew 11.2-19

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written,

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”

Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John came; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. Let anyone with ears listen!

‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another,

“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.”

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’

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

Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned. I have called you by name; you are mine. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.

from Isaiah 43

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said, or A Song of Christ’s Appearing (page 621) may be said

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Luke 1.46-55

Glory 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.

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

Local government, community leaders All who provide local services Those who work with young or elderly people Schools, colleges and universities Emergency and rescue organizations

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

Most merciful God, who strengthened your Church by the steadfast courage of your martyr James Hannington: grant that we also, thankfully remembering his victory of faith, may overcome what is evil and glorify your holy name; 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. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray

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. 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

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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Conclusion

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. Thanks 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.

Implemented by Simon Kershaw at Crucix. Implementation copyright © Simon Kershaw, 2002–2021.