1
Now the day is over,
night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
steal across the sky.
2
Father, give the weary,
calm and sweet repose;
With Thy tenderest blessing
May our eyelids close.
3
Through the long night watches,
may thine angels spread
Their white wings above me,
watching round my bed.
052
1
Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart,
Draw me, my Savior, so precious Thou art;
Fold me, O fold me close to Thy breast,
Shelter me safe in that haven of rest,
Shelter me safe in that haven of rest.
2
Nearer, still nearer, nothing I bring,
Nought as an offering to Jesus my King-
Only my sinful now contrite heart,
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart,
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.
3
Nearer, still nearer, Lord, to be Thine;
Sin, with its follies, I gladly resign,
All of its pleasures, pomp and its pride;
Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified,
Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified.
4
Nearer, still nearer, while life shall last;
Till safe in glory my anchor is cast;
Through endless ages, ever to be,
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee,
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee.
301
1
Jesus, keep me near the cross;
there a precious fountain,
free to all, a healing stream,
flows from Calvary’s mountain.
Refrain
In the cross, in the cross,
be my glory ever,
till my raptured soul shall find
rest beyond the river.
2
Near the cross, a trembling soul,
love and mercy found me;
there the bright and morning star
sheds its beams around me.
3
Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
bring its scenes before me;
help me walk from day to day
with its shadow o’er me.
4
Near the cross I’ll watch and wait,
hoping, trusting ever,
till I reach the golden strand
312
1
Now let us from this table rise
Renewed in body, mind, and soul;
With Christ we die and live again,
His selfless love has made us whole.
2
With minds alert, upheld by grace,
To spread the word in speech and deed,
We follow in the steps of Christ,
At one with all in hope and need.
3
To fill each human house with love,
It is the sacrament of care;
The work that Christ began to do
We humbly pledge ourselves to share.
4
Then grant us courage, Father God,
To choose again the pilgrim way
And help us to accept with joy
The challenge of tomorrow’s day.
404
1
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
2
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I’d be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
3
There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
4
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
so by my woes to be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
5
Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
473
1
There is a place of quiet rest,
near to the heart of God;
a place where sin cannot molest,
near to the heart of God.
Refrain
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
sent from the heart of God,
hold us who wait before thee
near to the heart of God.
2
There is a place of comfort sweet,
near to the heart of God;
a place where we our Savior meet,
near to the heart of God.
3
There is place a place of full release,
near to the heart of God;
a place where all is joy and peace,
near to the heart of God.
495
1
Now praise the hidden God of love
In whom we all must live and move,
Who shepherds us, at every stage
Thro’ youth, maturity, and age.
2
Who challenged us, when were young
To storm the citadels of wrong;
In care for others taught us how
God’s true community must grow.
3
Who bids us never lose our zest,
Tho’ age is urging us to rest,
But proves to us that we have still
A work to do, a place to fill.
4
Then talk no more of wasted time,
But Godward look, and upward climb,
Content to sleep, when day is done,
And rise refreshed, and travel on.
1
Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things hath done,
in whom His world rejoices;
Who, from our mothers’ arms
hath blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.
2
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us;
and keep us still in grace,
and guide us when perplexed;
and free us from all ills,
in this world and the next.
3
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given;
the Son, and Him who reigns
with them in highest heaven;
the one eternal God,
whom earth and heaven adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.
1
Now, dear Lord, as we pray,
take our hearts and minds far away
from the press of the world all around
to your throne where grace does abound.
May our lives be transformed by Your love,
may our souls be refreshed from above.
At this moment, let people everywhere
join us now as we come to You in prayer.