Evening Prayer on Saturday — Saturday, 5 September 2026 — First Evening Prayer of Creation in Christ

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 Light

1 The 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?

2 Though 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.

3 One 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,

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

5 For 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.

6 Therefore 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

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 19

The commandment of the Lord is pure and gives light to the eyes.

1 The heavens are telling the glory of God and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

2 One day pours out its song to another and one night unfolds knowledge to another.

3 They have neither speech nor language and their voices are not heard,

4 Yet their sound has gone out into all lands and their words to the ends of the world.

5 In them has he set a tabernacle for the sun, that comes forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber and rejoices as a champion to run his course.

6 It goes forth from the end of the heavens and runs to the very end again, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the simple.

8 The statutes of the Lord are right and rejoice the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and gives light to the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean and endures for ever; the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, dripping from the honeycomb.

11 By them also is your servant taught and in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can tell how often they offend O cleanse me from my secret faults!

13 Keep your servant also from presumptuous sins lest they get dominion over me; so shall I be undefiled, and innocent of great offence.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

The commandment of the Lord is pure and gives light to the eyes.

Christ, the sun of righteousness, rise in our hearts this day, enfold us in the brightness of your love and bear us at the last to heaven’s horizon; for your love’s sake.

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.

Genesis 1.1-5, 26-31

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’

So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Canticle

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

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

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

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

3 In 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.

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

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

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

1 John 4.7-11, 12b

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.

God’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.

Hebrews 1.1-4

Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

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. Your 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. That glory may dwell in our land. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Your 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

You have looked with favour on your lowly servant, from this day all generations will call her blessed.

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.

You have looked with favour on your lowly servant, from this day all generations will call her blessed.

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

Holy and eternal God, you are the Maker of heaven and earth, you are the Word through whom all things were made, and you are the Spirit, the giver of life: draw us into the mystery of your love, that with all creation we may proclaim your praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(or)

O God and Father of all that was, is and ever shall be, help us to be thankful for all that is made at the hands of your Son and through the wisdom of your Spirit, that we may care in heart and in deed for the life of our world, to the praise and glory of your holy name. 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.