Instead of the foregoing, The Magnificat may be read:*

He hath showed

My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His Name. And His mercy is on them that fear Him: from generation to generation. strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath holpen His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy: as He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Then shall the Minister say:

Bow your hearts to God and receive the Benediction.

Amen.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee. The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Minister shall turn to the Altar, and the Congregation shall sing:

The Service shall close with silent prayer, while the Congregation remains standing and the Minister kneels before the Altar.

*The Magnificat may be sung by the Choir. See p. 720.

Matins on Easter Sunday

The Service shall begin with an appropriate Hymn. During the singing the Minister shall proceed to the Altar and kneel in prayer. After the singing he shall rise, turn to the Congregation, and say:

Grace be unto you and peace from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God.

The Minister, turning to the Altar, shall kneel and pray:

Almighty God, Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the day in which life and immortality were brought to light through the resurrection of our blessed Lord from the dead. We thank Thee for the Word of life in Jesus Christ our Saviour, Who has overcome death and opened unto us the gate of eternal life. Grant that the glad Easter tidings may be abundantly blessed in our hearts. Awaken us by the power of Thy Holy Spirit that we may arise from the death of sin and walk in newness of life. May we live our lives upon the earth as those who look for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the risen Saviour. May the true light shine far this day, revealing and healing the sins of many hearts. Kindle within us heavenly desires, and grant that we may ever thirst for the Fountain of Life, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

The Minister, rising, shall continue:

Blessed be the Name of Jehovah from this time forth and forevermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same Jehovah's Name is to be praised. Jehovah is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens. Who is like unto Jehovah our God, That hath His seat on high, That humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth! (Psalm 113. 2-6.)

Gloria Patri

The Congregation shall rise, and with the Minister, still turned toward the Altar, sing:

Pfälzische Kirchenordnung, 1550.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy

After the singing the Minister shall turn to the Congregation and say:

Hear the Word of God as it is recorded in the First Epistle of Peter, the first chapter, beginning at the third verse:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who according to His great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials,

That the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ:

Whom not having seen ye love; on Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

The Apostles' Creed

The Minister and the Congregation shall then make the following Confession of Faith:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;

Who was conceived by

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit; The Holy Christian Church, the Communion of saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body; And the Life everlasting. Amen.

An Anthem in harmony with the Day may here be sung. Then shall follow one or more verses of a Hymn as an introduction to the Sermon. In the meantime the Minister shall enter the Pulpit.

The Sermon

The Sermon shall conclude with the following prayer:

Lord God, Heavenly Father! Thou hast delivered up Thy Son for our trespasses, and raised Him for our justification. We pray Thee, grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that through Him Thou mayest govern and direct us, keep us in the true faith and deliver us from sin, and finally at the last day raise us unto eternal life. Amen.

The Church Notices may then be given. The Pulpit Office shall conclude with the following:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Then shall an Offertory be played, or an Anthem sung, during which the offering shall be made. The Minister, having received the offering, shall place it upon the Altar and pray as follows:

O God, Thou Giver of all good gifts, graciously receive and bless this offering, which we Thy people place upon Thine Altar, for Jesus' sake. Amen.*

Then shall the Congregation sing a Hymn, during which the Minister shall proceed to the Altar.

The Minister shall then turn to the Altar and with the Congregation pray:

Our 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, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

* A short offertory sentence (see pp. 554, 555) may then be sung by the Choir.