Liturgical Resources:

An Order for Night Prayer.

Welcome.

A Time of Silence.

Benediction.
Leader: Blessed be the Lord day by day.
All: Blessed be the Lord night by night.
Leader: God is to us a God who saves,
All: who bears us as His burden.
Leader: He is the God of our deliverence.
All: By God the Lord do we escape death.
Leader: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.

Confession.
Leader: God is a Holy God, and we are normal people. Here the God of Heaven meets the dwellers of earth. As we seek to hear and speak with God we recognise that we fall short of the standards that he sets, for many reasons. So let us not hide our sins, but be aware of them, and ask for God's forgiveness, so that we may draw closer in peace.

All: Holy God,
holy & strong,
holy & immortal,
have mercy on us.
Leader: May God, ever-loving,
God, all-powerful,
God, ever-gracious,
Forgive us our sins, and grant us His Peace. Amen

A hymn, song or chant.

A Reading.

A Time of Silence.

A Reading from the Gospels,
Leader: This is God's word.
All: Blessed are those who live by it!

A Time of Silence.

Leader: Come Lord,
All: and cover me with the night.
Leader: Spread your grace over us,
All: you assured us you would do.

Leader: Your promises are more than all the stars in the sky.;
All: Your mercy is deeper than the night.
Leader: Lord, it will be cold.
All: the night comes; the end comes; you come.

Lord, we wait for you,
day and night.

A Time for Prayers - in silence or aloud.

Collect.

A Blessing.

Leader: In peace, we will lie down and sleep:
All: For you alone Lord, make us dwell in safety.
Leader: Abide with us, Lord Jesus,
All: For the night is at hand and the day is now past.
Leader: As the night-watch looks for the morning,
All: So do we look for you, O Lord.

Leader: May the love of the Word made flesh enfold us,
his joy fill our lives,
his peace be in our hearts;
and the blessing of God be with us,
this night and always.Amen.

Dismissal.

Leader: Now, Lord, let us, your servants, go in peace,
All: in the presence of your Spirit. Amen.

All are welcome to remain in stillness for as long, or as short, a time, as they wish.

This page last updated March 2002. An Order for Night Prayer is ©1997 Dr. S.N.Mousir-Harrison.
It incorporates material from the Franciscan Order for Night Prayer(©1992 The European Province of the Society of St Francis) and from 'An African Prayer Book' (©1995 Desmond Tutu).

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