St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, Ireland

Image Source = Wikipedia

Prayer Source = Evening Prayer Two from the Book of Common Prayer (2004), of the Church of Ireland

The priest says:

Beloved in Christ,

we come together to offer to Almighty God

our worship and praise and thanksgiving,

to confess our sins and to receive God’s forgiveness,

to hear his holy word proclaimed,

to bring before him our needs and the needs of the world,

and to pray that in the power of his Spirit

we may serve him and know the greatness of his love.

The people kneel and keep silence.

Heavenly Father,

we have sinned against you and against our neighbour

in thought and word and deed,

through negligence, through weakness,

through our own deliberate fault;

by what we have done

and by what we have failed to do.

We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us,

forgive us all that is past;

and grant that we may serve you in newness of life

to the glory of your name.  Amen.

The priest says:

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent,

have mercy on you,

pardon and deliver you from all your sins,

confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,

and keep you in eternal life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The following is how A Late Evening Office, from the Book of Common Prayer (2004), of the Church of Ireland, begins:

Blessed be our God for all time, now and forever more.  Amen.

Glory to you, our God, glory be to you,

Holy Spirit, Comforter,

treasure of all goodness and giver of life,

come and dwell in us,

cleanse us from all sin,

and in your love bring us to salvation.

Holy God, holy and strong,

holy and immortal,

have mercy on us.

The 2004 Irish Prayer Book is available online:

http://ireland.anglican.org/index.php?do=worship&id=12

I have found the 2004 Book of Common Prayer of the Church of Ireland online in PDF format.  The Irish outdid themselves.  One of their liturgies is “A Late Evening Office,” from which I take the following prayer verbatim.

KRT

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Lord Almighty,

come and scatter the darkness of our hearts

by the light of your presence;

that we may know you

the Light of the world

and the one true God,

blessed this night and forevermore.  Amen.

Image Source = Wikipedia

The following absolution comes from Evening Prayer Two, from the Book of Common Prayer (2004), of the Church of Ireland.  This is the absolution for when no priest is present.

KRT

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Merciful Lord,

grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,

that we may be cleansed of all our sins,

and serve you with a quiet mind;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Seeds

Image Source = Sanjay Acharya

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brown_Flax_Seeds.jpg)

Prayer Source = James G. Kirk, When We Gather:  A Book of Prayers for Worship, Year C (Philadelphia, PA:  Geneva Press, 1985)

Corresponds to Proper 9

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2010/12/18/proper-9-year-a/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/proper-9-year-b/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/proper-9-year-c/

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Said in unison:

You who make all things new, look with mercy as we confess our sin.  The seeds of destruction find fertile soil within us; we nurture them to fruition.  We pluck the yield and find it delightful; we rejoice in the evil harvest we have sown.  Save us from our love of sinning, O God.  Teach us to sow your Holy Spirit, and reap eternal life.

Prayer of Praise and Adoration for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/prayer-of-praise-and-adoration-for-the-seventh-sunday-after-pentecost/

Prayer of Dedication for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/prayer-of-dedication-for-the-seventh-sunday-after-pentecost/

Colored Water Fountain, U.S. South, Twentieth Century

Image Source = Wikipedia

Prayer Source = James G. Kirk, When We Gather:  A Book of Prayers for Worship, Year C (Philadelphia, PA:  Geneva Press, 1985), p. 42

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Said in unison:

Forgive our vain repetitions, O God of mercy, for our deeds do not match our words of belief.  We mouth pious slogans but fail to correct injustice.  We claim to be righteous, while practicing bigotry and rejecting others.  We glory in your gifts that bring success or comfort, yet we deny neighbors their right to prosper.  Help us to confess Christ risen for all people, and forgive our failure to translate faith into action.

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/sixth-sunday-after-the-epiphany-year-b/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/sixth-sunday-after-the-epiphany-year-a/

Prayer of Praise and Adoration for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/prayer-of-praise-and-adoration-for-the-sixth-sunday-after-epiphany/

Prayer of Dedication for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/prayer-of-dedication-for-the-sixth-sunday-after-epiphany/

Statue of Reconciliation, St. Michel’s Cathedral, Coventry, England, United Kingdom

Image Source = Rebecca Kennison

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:UK_Coventry_Statue-of-Reconcilliation.jpg)

Prayer Source = James G. Kirk, When We Gather:  A Book of Prayers for Worship, Year C (Philadelphia, PA:  Geneva Press, 1985), p. 38

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Said in unison:

If love is patient, why are we irritable?  If love is kind, why are we hostile?  If love is not jealous or boastful, why do we flaunt our achievements in the presence of others?  O God, in Jesus you have shown love which forgives imperfection; only in him can we forsake childish ways.  Forgive our lack of love, and have mercy upon us.

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/fourth-sunday-after-the-epiphany-year-b/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/fourth-sunday-after-the-epiphany-year-a/

Prayer of Dedication for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/prayer-of-dedication-for-the-fourth-sunday-after-epiphany/

Prayer of Praise and Adoration for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/prayer-of-praise-and-adoration-for-the-fourth-sunday-after-epiphany/

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Image Source = Daniel Mayer

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Paria_View_at_Bryce_Canyon_NP.jpg)

Prayer Source = James G. Kirk, When We Gather:  A Book of Prayers for Worship, Year C (Philadelphia, PA:  Geneva Press, 1985)

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Said in unison:

God of abounding grace, have mercy upon us.  Our valleys are deep when we are encompassed with care.  Our mountains are high when our burdens are heavy.  We grope in the maze of our tangled alliances, and reap the pain of bad choices and ignorant gambles.  You promised that all flesh shall see your salvation.  Show us the straight path and the smooth way that lead to your righteousness, through Jesus Christ, who is the way.  Amen.

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/eighth-day-of-advent-second-sunday-of-advent-year-b/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/09/15/eighth-day-of-advent-second-sunday-of-advent-year-a/

Poster for Wall Street (1987)

Image Source = Wikipedia

Wall Street, of course, is the film in which Gordon Gekko, the Michael Douglas character, says, “Greed is good.”

KRT

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Prayer Source = James G. Kirk, When We Gather:  A Book of Prayers for Worship, Year C (Philadelphia, PA:  Geneva Press, 1985)

Corresponds to Proper 21

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/proper-21-year-c/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/proper-21-year-b/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/proper-21-year-a/

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Said in unison:

God of grace, we stand in need of your forgiveness.  Desiring to be rich, we fall into temptation.  Love of money ensnares us.  Enough does not satisfy:  the more we acquire, the greater our greed becomes.  We become prosperous in our own eyes, and poor in your sight.  Rescue us from self-destruction through Christ, the giver of life.

Prayer of Praise and Adoration for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/prayer-of-praise-and-adoration-for-the-nineteenth-sunday-after-pentecost/

Prayer of Dedication for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/prayer-of-dedication-for-the-nineteenth-sunday-after-pentecost/

Old Main Hall, Andrew College, Cuthbert, Georgia, U.S.A.

Image Source = Robbie Honerkamp

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Andrew_College_-_Old_Main.jpg)

Andrew College takes its name from Bishop James Osgood Andrew, a slaveholder.  His case triggered the 1844-1845 schism in the Methodist Episcopal Church and the 1845 formation of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, which allowed its bishops to own slaves, at least until 1865 and the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  The Southern denomination reunited with its parent body in 1939, however, and both groups are predecessor bodies of The United Methodist Church (1968-present).

I grew up United Methodist, steeped in that denomination’s history.

KRT

Prayer Source = James G. Kirk, When We Gather:  A Book of Prayers for Worship, Year C (Philadelphia, PA:  Geneva Press, 1985)

Corresponds to Proper 23

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/proper-23-year-c/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/proper-23-year-b/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/proper-23-year-a/

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Said in unison:

In the name of Christ Jesus, descended from David and risen in glory, we make our confession.  Disputes arise within congregations; brothers and sisters quarrel.  Hostility fractures the body; conflict leads to suspicion and pain.  Forgive us, O God, when we continue to bear grudges; reconcile us to our neighbor as you redeem us of sin.

Prayer of Praise and Adoration for the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/prayer-of-praise-and-adoration-for-the-twenty-first-sunday-after-pentecost/

Prayer of Dedication for the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/prayer-of-dedication-for-the-twenty-first-sunday-after-pentecost/