All Hallows Eve Service

All Hallows Eve Service

(Based on The Book of Uncommon Prayer, by Steven L. Case)

Introduction to the Service and Instructions to Participants at Home                                                                                                                                     M. Quinn

Opening Prayer                                                                 The Rev. Elizabeth Ewing

God, we gather in this place on this night to remember. We remember the words of your son when he said, “I am the resurrection and the life. If you believe in me, you will never die but have eternal life.” Many of us have had someone close to us go home to be with you, God. We are selfish to want them here with us instead of with you. Watch over us here, God. It’s only a matter of time before we’re all together again in your arms. Guide us now as we come into our presence. Amen.

Job 4:12 – 21                                                                                                     D. Rasey

12 ‘Now a word came stealing to me,

my ear received the whisper of it.

13 Amid thoughts from visions of the night,

when deep sleep falls on mortals,

14 dread came upon me, and trembling,

which made all my bones shake.

15 A spirit glided past my face;

the hair of my flesh bristled.

16 It stood still,

but I could not discern its appearance.

A form was before my eyes;

there was silence, then I heard a voice:

17 “Can mortals be righteous before* God?

Can human beings be pure before* their Maker?

18 Even in his servants he puts no trust,

and his angels he charges with error;

19 how much more those who live in houses of clay,

whose foundation is in the dust,

who are crushed like a moth.

20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed;

they perish for ever without any regarding it.

21 Their tent-cord is plucked up within them,

and they die devoid of wisdom.”

Psalm 4 (Book of Common Prayer Page 587)                                      L. Davis

1Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause; *

you set me free when I am hard-pressed;

have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2 “You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory; *

how long will you worship dumb idols

and run after false gods?”

3 Know that the LORD does wonders for the faithful; *

when I call upon the LORD, he will hear me.

4 Tremble, then, and do not sin; *

speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.

5 Offer the appointed sacrifices *

and put your trust in the LORD.

6 Many are saying,

  “Oh, that we might see better times!” *

Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O LORD.

7 You have put gladness in my heart, *

more than when grain and wine and oil increase.

8 I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; *

for only you, LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Samuel 28:3-25                                                     B. Snyder – Through Verse 10

M. Quinn – Though Verse 19

  Both Conclude

3 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. Saul had expelled the mediums and the wizards from the land.

4 The Philistines assembled, and came and encamped at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa.

5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.

6 When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, not by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

7 Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ His servants said to him, ‘There is a medium at Endor.’

8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes and went there, he and two men with him. They came to the woman by night. And he said, ‘Consult a spirit for me, and bring up for me the one whom I name to you.’

9 The woman said to him, ‘Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the wizards from the land. Why then are you laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?’

10 But Saul swore to her by the Lord, ‘As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.’

11 Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’ He answered, ‘Bring up Samuel for me.’

12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!’

13 The king said to her, ‘Have no fear; what do you see?’ The woman said to Saul, ‘I see a divine being* coming up out of the ground.’

14 He said to her, ‘What is his appearance?’ She said, ‘An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe.’ So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.

15 Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ Saul answered, ‘I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; so I have summoned you to tell me what I should do.’

16 Samuel said, ‘Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy?

17 The Lord has done to you just as he spoke by me; for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbour David.

18 Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord, and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you today.

19 Moreover, the Lord will give Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me; the Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.’

20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night.

21 The woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, ‘Your servant has listened to you; I have taken my life in my hand, and have listened to what you have said to me.

22 Now therefore, you also listen to your servant; let me set a morsel of bread before you. Eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.’

23 He refused, and said, ‘I will not eat.’ But his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he listened to their words. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

24 Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house. She quickly slaughtered it, and she took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened cakes.

25 She put them before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

Psalm 23 (Book of Common Prayer Page 612)                                    T. Davis

1 LORD is my shepherd; *

I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *

and leads me beside still waters.

3 He revives my soul *

and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

  I shall fear no evil; *

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those

  who trouble me; *

you have anointed my head with oil,

and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days

  of my life, *

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Lighting Candles                                                                      R.Steflik on Keyboard

The candle lighting should be done in silence. Ask each participant to think about a departed loved one. You can send “lighters into the congregation, or you can start one flame and allow it to be passed along until everyone has a light.

Ezekiel 37:1 – 14                                                                                              M.Smith

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.

2 He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.

3 He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’

4 Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.

5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath* to enter you, and you shall live.

6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath* in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.’

7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone.

8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them.

9 Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath:* Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath,* and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’

10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

11 Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.”

12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people.

14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.’

Psalm 143:1 – 12 (Book of Common Prayer Page 798)

                                                                 The Rev. Deacon Kay Drebert

1 LORD, hear my prayer,

and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; *

answer me in your righteousness.

2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, *

for in your sight shall no one living be justified.

3 For my enemy has sought my life;

he has crushed me to the ground; *

he has made me live in dark places like those who

are long dead.

4 My spirit faints within me; *

my heart within me is desolate.

5 I remember the time past;

  I muse upon all your deeds; *

I consider the works of your hands.

6 I spread out my hands to you; *

my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.

7 O LORD, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; *

do not hide your face from me

or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

8 Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,

  for I put my trust in you; *

show me the road that I must walk,

for I lift up my soul to you.

9 Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD, *

for I flee to you for refuge.

10 Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; *

let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

11 Revive me, O LORD, for your Name’s sake; *

for your righteousness’ sake, bring me out of trouble.

12 Of your goodness, destroy my enemies

   and bring all my foes to naught, *

for truly I am your servant.

Closing Prayer

I bind to myself Today                                                                                           M. Quinn

The virtue of love,

In the obedience of angels,

In the hope of resurrection

In prayers of patriarchs and matriarchs

In predictions of prophets,

In preaching of apostles,

In faith of confessors.

I bind to myself today                                                                                         T. Davis

The power of heaven,

the light of the sun,

the brightness of the moon,

the splendor of fire

the flashing of lightning

the swiftness of wind

the depth of sea,

the stability of earth,

The density of rocks.

I bind to myself today                                                                                     L. Davis

God’s power to guide me,

God’s might to uphold me,

God’s wisdom to teach me,

God’s eye to watch over me,

God’s word to give me speech,

God’s hand to guide me,

God’s way to lie before me,

Gold’s shield to shelter me,

God’s host to secure me,

Christ with me, Christ before me,                   The Rev. Deacon Kay Drebert

Christ behind me, Christ within me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ at my right, Christ at my left,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the moth of everyone who speaks to me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today                                                  The Rev. Elizabeth Ewing

The strong virtue of Christ,

I believe the Trinity in the unity of the creator of the universe.

Closing Song                                                                                                   B. Snyder