Evening Prayer (Evensong) in Contemporary Language

¶ Evening Prayer
Christmas Season
Sunday, 4 January 2026
The Second Sunday of Christmas

Preparation

O God, make speed to save us.
AllO Lord, make haste to help us.

You laid the foundation of the earth
Alland the heavens are the work of your hands. Alleluia.

One or more of the following is said or sung:

this or another prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Sovereign God,
our light and our salvation,
to you be glory and praise for ever.
To dispel the darkness of our night
you sent forth your Son, the firstborn of all creation,
to be the Christ, the light of the world.
Rejoicing in the mystery of the Word made flesh,
we acclaim him Emmanuel, as all creation sings to you:
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
AllBlessed be God for ever.

A Song of God’s Descending (page 552), the following or another suitable hymn

Of the Father’s heart begotten,
ere the world from chaos rose,
he is Alpha: from that fountain
all that is and has been flows;
he is Omega, of all things
yet to come the mystic close,
evermore and evermore.

O how blest that wondrous birthday,
when the Maid the curse retrieved,
brought to birth mankind’s salvation,
by the Holy Ghost conceived;
and the Babe, the world’s redeemer,
in her loving arms received,
evermore and evermore.

Sing, ye heights of heaven, his praises;
angels and archangels, sing!
Wheresoe’er ye be, ye faithful,
let your joyous anthems ring,
every tongue his name confessing,
countless voices answering,
evermore and evermore.

Prudentius, tr: R F Davis
(Tune: 87 87 87 7)

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.
AllAmen.

The Word of God

Psalmody

The appointed psalmody is said.

Psalm 135.1-14 [15-end]

Refrain: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.

1 Alleluia.
Praise the name of the Lord; ♦
give praise, you servants of the Lord,

2 You that stand in the house of the Lord, ♦
in the courts of the house of our God.

3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; ♦
make music to his name, for it is lovely.

4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself ♦
and Israel for his own possession. R

5 For I know that the Lord is great ♦
and that our Lord is above all gods.

6 The Lord does whatever he pleases
in heaven and on earth, ♦
in the seas and in all the deeps.

7 He brings up the clouds from the ends of the earth; ♦
he makes lightning with the rain
and brings the winds out of his treasuries.  R

8 He smote the firstborn of Egypt, ♦
the firstborn of man and beast.

9 He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, ♦
upon Pharaoh and all his servants.

10 He smote many nations ♦
and slew mighty kings:

11 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, the king of Bashan, ♦
and all the kingdoms of Canaan.

12 He gave their land as a heritage, ♦
a heritage for Israel his people. R

13 Your name, O Lord, endures for ever ♦
and shall be remembered through all generations.

14 For the Lord will vindicate his people ♦
and have compassion on his servants. R

[

15 The idols of the nations are but silver and gold, ♦
the work of human hands.

16 They have mouths, but cannot speak; ♦
eyes have they, but cannot see;

17 They have ears, but cannot hear; ♦
neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18 Those who make them shall become like them, ♦
and so will all who put their trust in them. R

19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel; ♦
O house of Aaron, bless the Lord.

20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi; ♦
you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.

21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion, ♦
who dwells in Jerusalem.
Alleluia.

]

Refrain: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.

Wise and gracious God,
save us from the idols of our hearts
and keep us in your living presence,
that we may become a people for your praise
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Each psalm or group of psalms may end with

AllGlory 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.

Isaiah 41.21 – 42.4

Set forth your case, says the Lord;
   bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob.
Let them bring them, and tell us
   what is to happen.
Tell us the former things, what they are,
   so that we may consider them,
and that we may know their outcome;
   or declare to us the things to come.
Tell us what is to come hereafter,
   that we may know that you are gods;
do good, or do harm,
   that we may be afraid and terrified.
You, indeed, are nothing
   and your work is nothing at all;
   whoever chooses you is an abomination.

I stirred up one from the north, and he has come,
   from the rising of the sun he was summoned by name.
He shall trample on rulers as on mortar,
   as the potter treads clay.
Who declared it from the beginning, so that we might know,
   and beforehand, so that we might say, ‘He is right’?
There was no one who declared it, none who proclaimed,
   none who heard your words.
I first have declared it to Zion,
   and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good tidings.
But when I look there is no one;
   among these there is no counsellor
   who, when I ask, gives an answer.
No, they are all a delusion;
   their works are nothing;
   their images are empty wind.

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
   my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
   he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry or lift up his voice,
   or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
   and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
   he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
   until he has established justice in the earth;
   and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

Canticle

A Song of Redemption, or another suitable canticle, for example, number 68 (page 626) or number 73 (page 631), may be said.

Refrain:

AllChrist is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation. Alleluia.

1The Father has delivered us from the dominion of darkness, ♦
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son;

2In whom we have redemption, ♦
the forgiveness of our sins.

3He is the image of the invisible God, ♦
the firstborn of all creation.

4For in him all things were created, ♦
in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.

5All things were created through him and for him, ♦
he is before all things and in him all things hold together.

6He is the head of the body, the Church, ♦
he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.

7In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell; ♦
and through him God was pleased to reconcile all things.

Colossians 1.13-18a, 19, 20a

AllGlory 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.

AllChrist is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation. Alleluia.

Scripture Reading

One or more readings appointed for the day are read.

The reading(s) may be followed by a time of silence.

Colossians 1.1-14

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

A suitable song or chant, or a responsory in this or another form, may follow

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
full of grace and truth.
AllThe Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
full of grace and truth.
And we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father’s only son,
Allfull of grace and truth.
Glory to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
AllThe Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
full of grace and truth.

from John 1

Gospel Canticle

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary) is normally said, or the Nunc dimittis (The Song of Simeon) (page 613) may be said

Refrain:

AllWhen peaceful silence lay over all,
and night was in the midst of her swift course:
from your royal throne, O God, down from the heavens,
leapt your almighty Word.

1My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; ♦
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2From this day all generations will call me blessed; ♦
the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.

3He has mercy on those who fear him, ♦
from generation to generation.

4He has shown strength with his arm ♦
and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5Casting down the mighty from their thrones ♦
and lifting up the lowly.

6He has filled the hungry with good things ♦
and sent the rich away empty.

7He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, ♦
to remember his promise of mercy,

8The promise made to our ancestors, ♦
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1.46-55

AllGlory 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.

Refrain:

AllWhen peaceful silence lay over all,
and night was in the midst of her swift course:
from your royal throne, O God, down from the heavens,
leapt your almighty Word.

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 364–365

¶ The Church, especially in places of conflict
¶ The Holy Land, for peace with justice, and reconciliation
¶ Refugees and asylum seekers
¶ Homeless people
¶ Families with young children

A form of prayer found on page 378 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

Almighty God,
in the birth of your Son
you have poured on us the new light of your incarnate Word,
and shown us the fullness of your love:
help us to walk in his light and dwell in his love
that we may know the fullness of his joy;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AllAmen.

The Lord’s Prayer is said

Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

AllOur 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)

Rejoicing in the presence of God here among us,
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us

AllOur 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

May God, who has called us out of darkness
into his marvellous light,
bless us and fill us with peace.
AllAmen.

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.
AllThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.