Hello my fellow Anglicans/Episcopalians (and Old Catholics too 
). My college ministry, Canterbury, will be using a new Vespers Liturgy based upon the '79 BCP and Praise God: Common Prayer at Taize. I just thought i'd share it with you guys... and offer an alternative to debating all the time
----
Opening sentences
Officiant: Blessed be our God at all times, now and always and for ever and ever.
People: Amen
Officiant: Glory to you, our God! Glory to you!
Holy Spirit, Lord and Comforter,
Spirit of truth everywhere present,
Filling all that exists,
Treasury of good gifts and Source of life,
Come and dwell in us,
Cleanse us from all sin
And in your love bring us to salvation:
People: God, holy; God strong and holy; God, holy and immortal; have pity on us.
Invitatory and Psalter
Officiant: O God, make speed to save us.
People: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Officiant and People say together
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!
The Psalm or Psalms appointed
Officiant and People say together
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!
The Lesson
Reader: A reading from ________
The Lesson or Lessons appointed
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Antiphon
The Antiphon may be read responsively or in unison.
Song of Mary
Sing and rejoice, O people of God,
For I have come to dwell among you.
My soul sings praises to the Lord,
My spirit glorifies my Savior, my God!
For he has stooped to his humble servant,
And henceforth all ages will call me greatly blessed.
The Almighty chose me for his wonders;
Holy is his Name!
His love endures through the ages
To all who revere him;
He displays the strength of his arm,
And he scatters the conceited.
He will topple all the powerful from their thrones,
And raise up all the humble.
He feeds all the hungry with good cheer,
And sends the rich away empty-handed.
He lifts up his own servant Israel,
Ever remembering his love,
His ancient promise made to our fathers
In his oath to Abraham and to his race evermore.
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.
Some time is taken for silent contemplation
The Prayers
Officiant: O Christ, remember us in your Kingdom,
People: Lord, teach us to pray: OUR FATHER
O: Let our prayers rise before you like incense,
P: And our hands like an evening offering.
O: Let us pray to the Lord with all our heart and all our mind:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: Lord Almighty, God of our fathers, we implore you in your great mercy, hear us and have pity on us:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We pray for all Christians: may their lives be signs of joy and hope:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We pray for bishops, and all who serve in your Church: may your Church be a place of welcome, open to all humanity:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We pray for all in authority: help them and direct them in their decisions to establish justice and a society of sharing and peace:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We call to memory our fathers, mothers, our sisters and brothers now at rest in Christ; unite us, Lord, more and more in the joy of all your saints:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We pray you, Lord, to keep us your servants in life, in peace, and in health according to your kind will toward us:
P: Have pity, Lord.
Time is taken for additional petitions both silent and aloud.
The Collect
Officiant: The Lord be with you,
People: and also with you.
Officiant: Let us pray to the Lord;
A Short period of silence is kept, followed by a suitable collect
Closing Prayers and Blessing
Officiant: Lord, God Almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity.
People: Amen.
O: Let us bless the Lord,
P: Thanks be to God.
O: May the Lord bless us, the Maker of heaven and earth.
P: Amen.
). My college ministry, Canterbury, will be using a new Vespers Liturgy based upon the '79 BCP and Praise God: Common Prayer at Taize. I just thought i'd share it with you guys... and offer an alternative to debating all the time ----
Vespers
Opening sentences
Officiant: Blessed be our God at all times, now and always and for ever and ever.
People: Amen
Officiant: Glory to you, our God! Glory to you!
Holy Spirit, Lord and Comforter,
Spirit of truth everywhere present,
Filling all that exists,
Treasury of good gifts and Source of life,
Come and dwell in us,
Cleanse us from all sin
And in your love bring us to salvation:
People: God, holy; God strong and holy; God, holy and immortal; have pity on us.
Invitatory and Psalter
Officiant: O God, make speed to save us.
People: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Officiant and People say together
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!
The Psalm or Psalms appointed
Officiant and People say together
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!
The Lesson
Reader: A reading from ________
The Lesson or Lessons appointed
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Antiphon
The Antiphon may be read responsively or in unison.
Song of Mary
Sing and rejoice, O people of God,
For I have come to dwell among you.
My soul sings praises to the Lord,
My spirit glorifies my Savior, my God!
For he has stooped to his humble servant,
And henceforth all ages will call me greatly blessed.
The Almighty chose me for his wonders;
Holy is his Name!
His love endures through the ages
To all who revere him;
He displays the strength of his arm,
And he scatters the conceited.
He will topple all the powerful from their thrones,
And raise up all the humble.
He feeds all the hungry with good cheer,
And sends the rich away empty-handed.
He lifts up his own servant Israel,
Ever remembering his love,
His ancient promise made to our fathers
In his oath to Abraham and to his race evermore.
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.
Some time is taken for silent contemplation
The Prayers
Officiant: O Christ, remember us in your Kingdom,
People: Lord, teach us to pray: OUR FATHER
O: Let our prayers rise before you like incense,
P: And our hands like an evening offering.
O: Let us pray to the Lord with all our heart and all our mind:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: Lord Almighty, God of our fathers, we implore you in your great mercy, hear us and have pity on us:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We pray for all Christians: may their lives be signs of joy and hope:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We pray for bishops, and all who serve in your Church: may your Church be a place of welcome, open to all humanity:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We pray for all in authority: help them and direct them in their decisions to establish justice and a society of sharing and peace:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We call to memory our fathers, mothers, our sisters and brothers now at rest in Christ; unite us, Lord, more and more in the joy of all your saints:
P: Have pity, Lord.
O: We pray you, Lord, to keep us your servants in life, in peace, and in health according to your kind will toward us:
P: Have pity, Lord.
Time is taken for additional petitions both silent and aloud.
The Collect
Officiant: The Lord be with you,
People: and also with you.
Officiant: Let us pray to the Lord;
A Short period of silence is kept, followed by a suitable collect
Closing Prayers and Blessing
Officiant: Lord, God Almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity.
People: Amen.
O: Let us bless the Lord,
P: Thanks be to God.
O: May the Lord bless us, the Maker of heaven and earth.
P: Amen.
