He That Abideth in Love Abideth in God

The Conference of the Anglican-Lutheran Society is in Hungary this week, and it opened with a Choral Evensong in Budapest this week. I had never been to Evensong before, but I loved the service, and it felt like it was exactly what I needed to hear and experience this week.

The choir sang an Introit based on Isaiah 42, Revelation 22, and Colossians 4 as well as Psalms 59, 60, and 61 and the Magnificat and the Song of Simeon. There was also an anthem based on Psalm 89, and the lessons were from Habakkuk 1 and Mark 7. Here are some excerpts from the rest of the service - little bits of liturgy, prayers, and the collects.

God is love;
And he that abideth in love
Abideth in God
And God in him.

Collect of the Day:
Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire, or deserve; Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy; forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

Collect for Peace
O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Collect For Aid Against All Perils
Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of they only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Excerpt from the General Thanksgiving
Give me that due sense of all thy mercies, that my heart may be unfeignedly thankful; and that I show forth thy praise, not only with my lips, but in my life, by giving up myself to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all my days; through Jesus Christ our LORD, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

The Gloria
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be: World without end. Amen.

The Grace
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
And the love of God,
And the fellowship of the Holy Ghost,
Be with us all evermore.
Amen.