Night Prayer

Gathering

The angels of God keep watch over us through the night,
and quiet the powers of darkness.

The Spirit of God guide us through the night,
and lead us to the peace of God’s Kingdom.

It does us no good to rush and hurry, rise up early, stay up late, put off our rest, and eat the food of anxiety, worry and dread throughout the day and night.  For those who are children of God, we are given all that we need, even while we sleep.

Silence

My brothers and sisters, our help is in the name of the Lord,
who is making the heavens and the earth.

Dear God, 

We thank you for all that is good, for our creation and for our lives, for our role as stewards of planet earth, for the gifts of life and our neighbors, for your love which is without limit and eternal.  We thank you O God, most holy and beloved, our Companion, the Light upon our pathway, our bright and guiding evening star.  Amen.

We repent the wrongs we have done:

Silence

We have wounded your Spirit.
God of Creation, heal our brokenness.

We are lost in the darkness.
Light of God, who shines in the darkness, transfigure us.

We forget that we are in your hands.
Spirit of God, lead us to our home in You.

Forever loving, forever living God, it is in You in whom we live and move and have our being.  All that we are, all we have been, and all we will ever be is known to you.  You know us and love us to the deepest corners of our broken hearts.  You know all that wakes us in the night with worry.  God shines into you a light that banishes all darkness, even in the depths of your hearts.  God blows the Holy Spirit through you, drying pools of bitter tears, even in the depths of your heart.  Forgiving God, flood now your children’s hearts with sweet, renewing, living water that they may live abundantly, love relentlessly and serve unceasingly in their peaceful slumber and in their rising service.  

Amen.

The Word

Eternal God, open our ears and open our lips,
that our ears may hear your Word and our mouths may proclaim your praise.

Psalm

Reading

The Prayers

Into your hands, O God, I commend my spirit,
for you have redeemed me, O God of truth and love.

Keep me, O God, as the apple of your eye;
hide me under the shadow of your wings.

Preserve us, O God, while waking, and guard us while sleeping,
that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep may rest in your peace.

Praise be to God, I have lived to see this day.  God’s promise is fulfilled, and my duty done.

At last you have given me peace, for I have seen with my own eyes
the salvation you have prepared for all nations - a light to the world in its darkness,
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

O most Compassionate Life-giver, in whom we live and move and have our being,

may we forever honor and praise your name; Establish Your rule of justice, peace and love; 

throughout our neighborhoods, country and world.

With the things for life we need, feed us.  From the hurts we inflict on one another, forgive us. In passing on your forgiveness to others, inspire us. 
In times of trial, strengthen us. From darkness too great to bear, spare us.
From the binding chains of evil, free us.

For yours is the kingdom of justice, the power of love and the reign of glory
now and for ever.  Amen.

Concluding Prayers

I will lie down in peace and take my rest,
for it is in God alone that I live without fear.

Let us bless the Compassionate life giver,
let us praise God above all else forever.

May God’s name be praised beyond the edges of the universe,
with glory and exaltation forever.

Lord, it is night.

The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.

It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
help us to let it go.

The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and 

the darkness of our own lives
rest in you. 

The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all who are dear to us,
and all who have no peace in your embrace.

The night, though dark, proclaims the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to the new day,
new joys, new possibilities.

In your name we pray.
Amen.

Blessing

Christ be within us to keep us, beside us to guard us,
before us to lead us, behind us to protect us,
beneath us to support us, above us to bless us.

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen.