Prime is the morning office of the church.
The greater services such as the Holy Eucharist, Vespers, and Benediction, are intended principally to pour out spiritual strength upon the world, whereas these minor offices may not unreasonably be regarded as designed especially for the benefit if those who take part in them.
Prime, Sext, and Complin are short services, which can be led by a layman if necessary and would therefore be eminently suited for a community office, for family prayers, or for use by a schoolmaster who wished to say morning, noon, or evening prayers with his pupils. They also, of course, lend themselves for use in church: Prime, when the Holy Eucharist cannot be celebrated, or as a preparation therefor; and complin as an addition to Vespers, or when Vespers and Benediction are unsuitable, as on the evening of Good Friday.
In order to avoid constant repitition, where Prime, Sext, and Complin are said daily, or where Prime is used in conjunction with the Holy Eucharist, other short lections seclected from any part of the Liturgy may at discretion of the priest, or ministrant, be read as lessons instead of the epistle and gospel.
P: In the name of the Father ✠ and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. R. Amen
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
C: Who hath made heaven and earth.
P: At morn and at even will we praise Him.
C: For our hearts rest ever in His love.
O Lord, Thou hast created man to an image of Thine own eternity; yet often we forget the glory of our heritage and wander from the path which leads to righteousness. But Thou, O Lord, hast made us for Thyself and our hearts are ever restless till they find their rest in Thee. Look with the eyes of Thy love upon our manifold imperfections and pardon all our shortcomings, that we may be filled with the brightness of the everlasting light and become the unspotted mirror of Thy power and the image of Thy goodness; throught Christ our Lord. Amen.
M: May the Lord bless us and ✠ absolve us from all our sins; and may His peace rest upon us this day and evermore.
C: Thanks be to God.
Ye shall stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord.
At morning and likewise at even.
1. O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.
2. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving: and show ourselves glad in Him with psalms.
3. The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands prepared the dry land.
4. He is the Lord our God: and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.
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.
Ye shall stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord.
At morning and likewise at even.
The morning stars sang together.
And all the sons of God shouted for joy.
1. My voice shalt Thou bear in the morning, O Lord: I will direct my prayer unto Thee, and look up.
2. I will sing of Thy power: and will praise Thy lovingkindness betimes in the morning.
3. In the evening and morning and at noonday will I call: and He shall hear my voice.
4. The tenderness of the Lord is new every morning: great, O Lord, is Thy faithfulness.
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 morning stars sang together.
And all the sons of God shouted for joy.
We believe that God is Love and Power and Truth and Light; that perfect justice rules the world; that all His sons shall one day reach His feet, however far they stray. We hold the Fatherhood of God, the Brotherhood of man; we know that we do serve Him best when best we serve our brother man. So shall His blessing rest on us ✠ and peace for evermore. Amen.
P: Let us pray.
P: O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty ans everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day; defend us in the same with thy mighty power, ans grant that this day we may manfully strive against sin and selfishness, that all our doings may be ordered by thy sight; through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
P: O Lord Christ, we thy faithful soldiers dedicate this new-born day to thee, praying that it may shine in thy service as a pure pearl in that chaplet of our life, O thou great King of love, to whom be praise and adoration for evermore. R. Amen.
P: Teach us, O Lord, to see thy life in all the peoples of thine earth and so guide the nations into the understanding of thy laws that peace and goodwill may reign upon earth; through Christ or Lord. R. Amen.
Now that the daylight fills the sky
We lift our hearts to thee on high,
That thou, in all we do or say,
Wilt keep us free from harm to-day.
May this day, dedicate to Thee,
A day of joyous services be;
Forgetting self for love of man
May we fulfil Thy glorious plan.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly Host
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Heaviness may endure for a night.
But joy cometh in the morning.
1. The just man shall be as the light of the morning: even a morning without clouds.
2. As the tender grass springing out of the earth: as clear shining after rain.
3. The righteous shall be clearer than the noonday: he shall shine forth, he shall be as the morning.
4. His light shall break forth as the dawn: his righteousness shall go before him, and the glory of the Lord shall be his rereward.
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.
Heaviness may endure for a night.
But joy cometh in the morning.
P: Let us Pray.
P: Be with us, Lord, throughout this day, that in all our work, begun, continued and ended in Thee, we may glorify Thy holy Name, who livest for ever and ever. R. Amen.
P: Breathe on us, O Spirit of God.
C: In Thy strength we can do all things.
P: May our hearts be filled with Thy love.
C: In Thy strength we can do all things.
P: Glory be to the Father and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost.
C: In Thy strength we can do all things.
M: ✠ The grace of out Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. R. Amen.
C: Thanks be to God.
