To H.J.S. and M.S.S.

PART I
New Collects

FOR QUIET CONFIDENCE

O GOD of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength; By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Isaiah 30. Psalm 46.)

I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

O LORD Jesus Christ, who art the Light of the world; Illumine our hearts, we beseech thee, with the brightness of thy glory, and guide our feet into the way of peace; to the honour of thy holy Name. (St. John 8. Hebrews 1. St. Luke 1.)

I AM THE TRUTH

O GOD, who through our Lord Jesus Christ hast taught us that they who continue in thy word shall know the truth which makes men free; Grant us so faithfully to serve thee that we may be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God; through the same, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (St. John 8. Romans 8.)

I AM THE TRUE VINE

ALMIGHTY GOD, heavenly Father, whose only Son is the true Vine; Grant us so to abide in him, that being purged of our sins we may plentifully bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; through the same, Jesus Christ our Lord. (St. John 15.)

I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE

ALMIGHTY GOD, who hast sent thy Son from heaven to be the Bread of Life; Grant, we pray thee, that coming to him we may never hunger, and believing on him may never thirst; that so dwelling in him, and he in us, we may have everlasting life; through the same, Jesus Christ our Lord. (St. John 6.)

I AM THE DOOR

ALMIGHTY GOD, whose blessed Son is the Door by whom if any man enter in he shall be saved; Lead us, we pray thee, into thy righteousness, that, entering into thy fold we may not die but live, and evermore give thanks unto thee, whose mercy endureth forever; for the sake of the same, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (St. John 10. Psalm 118.)

I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD

O LORD Jesus Christ, who art the Good Shepherd, and callest thine own by name; Grant that all men everywhere may hear thy voice and follow thee into the abundant life, that so there may be one flock, and one Shepherd; to the honour and glory of thy Name. (St. John 10.)

I, IF I BE LIFTED UP

ALMIGHTY GOD, whose only-begotten Son was lifted up from the earth; Give us grace, we humbly beseech thee, to seek only the gain of sacrifice, and to strive only for the exaltation of service; that so we may be drawn unto him who by his cross and precious blood hath redeemed us; our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. (St. John 18.)

I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA

O LORD Jesus Christ, who art Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; Encompass our lives, we pray thee, with thy completeness;, that whether as young men we see visions, or as old men we dream dreams, we may steadfastly look to thee; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. (Revelation 22. Joel 2.)

FOR INWARD CALM

O LORD Christ, serene Son of God, whose will subdued the troubled waters and laid to rest the fears of men; Let thy majesty master us, thy power of calm control us; that for our fears we may have faith, and for our disquietude perfect trust in thee; who dost live and govern all things, world without end. (St. Luke 8.)

FOR VISION

O GOD, the fulness of whose glory eye hath not seen, nor the heart of man understood; Vouchsafe unto us, we beseech thee, by thine all-searching Spirit, such pureness of heart as may enable our eyes to see the King in his beauty, and to behold the land that is very far off; through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. (I Corinthians 2. Isaiah 33.)

FOR FAITH

O HEAVENLY Father, who understandest all thy children; Bestow upon us, we beseech thee, thy gift of faith, that we may bring our perplexities to the light of thy wisdom, and receive the blessed encouragement of thy sympathy, and a clearer knowledge of thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR THE GLORY OF SERVANTHOOD

O LORD Jesus Christ, Son of man, who came not to be ministered unto but to minister; Give us grace, we humbly beseech thee, to lay aside the garments of our vanity; and so gird us with thy power, and crown us with thy humility, that finally, in the glory of servanthood we may stand beside thy throne, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit thou reignest, one God, world without end. (St. Matthew 20. St. John 13. St. Matthew 10.)

FOR FULNESS OF LIFE

O GOD, who dost not lack any thing that is good, and who enjoyest the peacefulness of perfect power; Teach us, we pray thee, to fill up the poverty of our souls with thy plentifulness, and to lose our weakness in thy competency; that so we may attain unto the stature of the fulness of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR THE CROWN OF VICTORY

ALMIGHTY GOD, in whose sight a thousand years pass as a watch in the night; Grant ns to run with patience the race that is set before ns, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before; that so finally by thy mercy we may obtain the crown of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Psalm 90. Hebrews 12. Philippians 3.)

FOR OUR CHILDREN

O GOD, our heavenly Father, who hast blessed us with the joy and care of children; Give us light and strength so to train them, that they may love whatsoever things are true, and pure, and lovely, and of good report; following the example of their Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Philippians 4.)

FOR TEACHERS AND LEARNERS

ALMIGHTY GOD, our heavenly Father, who hast committed to thy holy Church the care and nurture of thy children; Enlighten with thy wisdom those who teach and those who learn, that rejoicing in the knowledge of thy truth, they may worship thee and serve thee from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR A SICK CHILD

ALMIGHTY and merciful God, Giver of all power and peace; Watch with us, we beseech thee, over this thy child; walk with him through the valley of sickness, and lead him forth beside the waters of comfort; that he may patiently trust in thy loving-kindness, and abide in thy presence all the days of his life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Psalm 23.)

A PRAYER OF CHILDREN

O LORD Jesus Christ, who hast made us living members of thy Church; Keep us steadfast in faith, obedient to thy voice, and constant in prayer; that we may have power and strength to fight manfully under thy banner, and obtain the victory; to the glory of thy holy Name.

FOR CHILDLIKENESS

O GOD, our Father in heaven, grant us gladness in thy service and humility in thy praise; that in the solemn and blessed remembrance that we are thy children, we may be faithful in duty and worthier of thy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR JOY IN GOD'S CREATION

O HEAVENLY FATHER, Who hast filled the world with beauty; Open, we beseech thee, our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works; that rejoicing in thy whole creation we may learn to serve thee with gladness; for the sake of him by whom all things were made, thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

IN THE MORNING

O HEAVENLY FATHER, of infinite majesty, whom all the earth doth worship, and to whom all angels cry aloud; Govern, we beseech thee, thy people whom thou hast redeemed, and keep us this day without sin, that we may be lifted up forever; through him who hath opened to us the kingdom, thine adorable, true, and only Son, Christ our Lord. (Te Deum.)

CHRISTMAS DAY

O GOD, of heavenly glory, Source of earthly peace and good will; May our Christmas be merry because touched with joy divine; through him who in his purity and love is born in our hearts to-day, thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

A PRAYER OF NATIONS

ALMIGHTY GOD, supreme Governor of all men; Incline thine ear, we beseech thee, to the prayer of nations; and so overrule the imperfect counsel of men, and set straight the things they cannot govern, that we may walk in the paths of obedience to places of vision, and to thoughts that purge and make us wise; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Woodrow Wilson.)

FOR OUR COUNTRY

ALMIGHTY GOD, Ruler of all the peoples of the earth; Forgive, we beseech thee, our shortcomings as a nation; purify our hearts to see and love the truth; give wisdom to our counselors, and steadfastness to our people; and bring us at last to that fair city of peace whose foundations are mercy, justice, and good-will, and whose Builder and Maker thou art; through thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Woodrow Wilson. Hebrews 11.)

THE RED CROSS

ALMIGHTY and merciful God, be present, we pray thee, to those who suffer through war or disaster, that both in their bodies and in their souls they may receive thy healing. Vouchsafe the gifts of thy power to all who go forth under the banner of the Red Cross, that in this sign they may conquer death; stir our hearts to offer in abundance our service and our wealth; and grant that thy people, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR VICTIMS OF DISASTER

ALMIGHTY GOD, for the sake of whose holy child Jesus the children of Bethlehem suffered cruel death; Have mercy, we beseech thee, upon all those who innocently endure grief or pain, suffering wrongfully; and in all their affliction incline thine ear to hear them, and send the angel of thy presence to console and save them; through him who did no sin, but bare our sins in his own body on the tree, thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. (I Peter 2. Isaiah 63.)

FOR THE DYING

O GOD, our heavenly Father, have pity, beseech thee, upon those thy children who in great bodily weakness are drawing near to the gates of death. Send thy dear Son to meet with them in the way, and to abide with them, for the day is far spent; that he may comfort them with a sense of thy goodness, and break with them the bread of eternal life; through the same, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (St. Luke 24.)

FOR THOSE BEREAVED THROUGH THE WAR

Have compassion, O most merciful Lord, on all who are mourning for those dear to them. Be thou their Comforter and Friend, and bring them to a fuller knowledge of thy love; assuage the anguish of their bereavement, and leave only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and a solemn pride to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Abraham Lincoln.)

DEDICATION OF A SERVICE FLAG

ALMIGHTY GOD, who tellest the number of the stars and callest them all by their names; Accept at our hands, we pray thee, this flag, as a pledge of our devotion to liberty, and a sign of the constancy and valor of our sons; that it may ever remind us of the sacrifice by which alone the world can be redeemed, and which was manifested in thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. (Psalm 147.)

PART II
Adapted Collects, Derived from Sources for the Most Part Ancient

FOR LIGHT

O GOD, who by the leading of a star didst reveal thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may so follow the guiding of thy Spirit, that we may at length behold the brightness of thy glory, as it is manifested in the same, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR KNOWLEDGE

ALMIGHTY GOD, confirm in our hearts, we beseech thee, the gifts of thy grace; that through greater clearness of knowledge we may attain to purity of life, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR DIVINE AID

Grant us, O Lord, we beseech thee, in all our perplexities thy counsel, in air our dangers thy protection, and in all our sorrows thy peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR HEALTH

O LORD Jesus Christ, who in thy gentleness and righteousness didst come to save us all; Heal, we beseech thee, the diseases of our bodies and our souls, and bring us back from the paths of error; that by thee who art the Way, we may attain to thee who art the Life; for thy sake who with the Father and the Holy Spirit art one God, world without end.

FOR LIGHT AND LIFE

O GOD, with whom is the well of life, and in whose light we see light; Increase in ns, we beseech thee, the brightness of divine knowledge, whereby we may be able to reach thy plenteous fountain; that so our thirsting souls may be refreshed with the draught of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR STRENGTH IN THE LORD

BE thou unto us, O Lord, a tower of strength, a place of refuge, and a defence against the enemy; that thy comfort may support and strengthen us, thy mercy keep us, and thy grace guide us into victory and peace; by the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR THE RESTORED IMAGE

O ETERNAL GOD, who by thy holy breath of power makest us a new creation for thyself; Preserve, we beseech thee, what thou hast created, and consecrate what thou hast cleansed; that by thy grace we may be found in that form, the thought of which ever dwells with thee, and which thou willest fulfilled in man; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR UNITY

O GOD our Father, good beyond all that is good, fair beyond all that is fair, in whom is calmness and peace; Make up, we beseech thee, the dissensions which divide us from each other, and bring us back into that unity of love which is the likeness of thy sublime nature; that hound together in thy Spirit, we may know that peace of thine which maketh all things one; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR ONENESS WITH GOD

O THOU Wisdom of God, who earnest forth out of the goodness of the Eternal Will, and in whom alone all things stand fast; Grant that thy love may prevail over our unworthiness, and thy promise be stronger than our faithlessness; that so our weakness being filled with thy strength, we may be lifted up to the Father, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God, world without end.

FOR JOY IN GOD

O GOD, who makest cheerfulness the companion of strength; Grant us so to rejoice in the gift of thy power, that being freed from all fretfulness and despair, we may glorify thee in word and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR WORTHINESS IN SERVICE

REMEMBER, O Lord, what thou hast wrought in us, and not what we deserve; and, as thou hast called us to thy service, make us worthy of our calling; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR COMPANIONSHIP WITH GOD

DISPEL from us, O God, the darkness of soul which seeth thee not, and the loneliness of heart which heareth not thy voice; that upheld by the vision of thy glory, and assured by comfort of thy word, we may at length attain to the ready doing of thy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR JOY IN HIS COMPANIONSHIP

O LORD Jesus Christ, who didst go in and tarry with thy disciples when the day was far spent; Fulfil, we beseech thee, thy word in all who love thee, that they may evermore find joy in thy companionship, and light at eventide; to the glory of thy holy Name.

FOR THE SENSE OF HIS GOODNESS

QUICKEN in us, O God, a sense of thy presence, and make us to know and feel that thou art more ready to teach and give, than we to ask or learn; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR THE HELP OF HIS LOVING-KINDNESS

GRANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, unto us who know that we are weak, and who trust in thee because we know that thou art strong, the gladsome help of thy loving-kindness, both here in time and hereafter in eternity; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR THE EYE OF FAITH

O GOD, whose blessed Son did manifest himself to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open, we pray thee, the eyes of our faith, that every act of thine may be to us a sacrament whereby we may know thee; through the same, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR LOVING SERVICE

ENLARGE our souls, O Lord, with the divine charity, that hoping all things and enduring all things, we may become messengers of thy healing mercy to the grievances and infirmities of men; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR VICTORY THROUGH PATIENCE

O GOD, the unwearied courage and unconquerable strength of the saints; Glorify in us, we beseech thee, thine own power, that being conquerors through patience, we may of thy gracious gift attain unto holiness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR DEVOTION OF HEART

O GOD, whose only Son opened unto his disciples the Scriptures, making their hearts to burn within them; Inflame our hearts, we beseech thee, with such devotion to thee, that we may know thee as thou art; through the same, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

FOR FREEDOM FROM ANXIOUS CARE

ALMIGHTY GOD, who dost feed the birds and clothe the flowers, and who carest for us as a father for his children; Graciously guard us, we beseech thee, against distrust and vain over-carefulness, that casting all our care on thee, we may abide in thy love, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord.

FOR CONTROL OF SPEECH

ALMIGHTY GOD, who knowest how often we sin against thee with our lips; Consecrate our speech to thy service, and keep us often silent, that our hearts may speak to thee and listen for thy voice; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR GLAD OBEDIENCE

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who art slow to chide and swift to bless, and whose pity is never-ending; Grant that upheld by thy mercy, and cheered by thy compassion, we may with gladness do thy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR PURITY

O THOU wonderful and mighty God, at whose glance the heavens and the earth flee away, and whose Name is love; Let the holy flame of thy love so burn in our hearts, that we may be made pure, and come to see thee as thou art; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR PERSEVERANCE

GRANT, O God, we beseech thee, that in this our battle of life we may never faint nor be weary, but continuing steadfast in thy service may at length obtain the victory, and that rest which thou hast promised to thy faithful servants; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR TRUST

O GOD, who hast taught us to trust in thee as our Father; Open our hearts to share the faith which thou hast revealed to us in thy Son, until the littleness of our knowledge becomes lost in the greatness of thy love; through the same, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

FOR STRENGTH

STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, we may fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR ENDURANCE

O GOD, whose blessed Son endured for us the bitterness of the cross Grant us such a measure of his grace, that remembering him we may receive strength from his strength, and may partake of his victory; through the same, Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR CONSECRATION

O GOD, who leadest us through things temporal to things eternal; Stretch forth thy mercy to those who strive after thy heavenly promises; and as it is thy gift that we believe in thee, so may all our life be thine; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR TRUSTFULNESS

ENLIGHTEN our minds, we beseech thee, O Lord, with the light of thy presence; that by thy gracious gift we may attain to humility in prosperity, and freedom from care in adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR FREEDOM FROM WORRY

PUT far off from us, O God, all worry and misgiving; that having done our best while it was day, we may when the night cometh commit ourselves, our tasks, and those we love, into thy keeping, and accept from thee the gift of sleep; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR THE ABSENT WHO ARE IN SICKNESS OR DISTRESS

O GOD, in whose presence those absent from us must needs be, and to whom all far-off things are near; Grant that they whose necessities or infirmities the sympathy of thy Church commendeth unto thee, may enjoy the gifts and solace of thy compassion; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR PATIENT FAITH

GRANT unto us. Almighty God, that justice which builds on thee, the faith which works with thee, and the patience which abides thy long delays; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR CONFIDENT HOPE

Teach us, O gracious Lord, to begin our works with fear, to continue them in love, and to. finish them with hope; looking with cheerful confidence unto thee, whose promises are faithful, and whose mercies endure for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR CHRISTLIKENESS

O ALMIGHTY GOD, who hast inspired thy Church through the teaching of thy holy Apostles; Grant that standing fast in the unity of the faith, we may all come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, both now and for evermore.

FOR FREEDOM IN THE CHURCH

BE pleased, I Lord, we beseech thee, to govern thy holy Church; that being directed by thy mighty power, it may grow in freedom and stand fast in the integrity of the faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR FREEDOM THROUGH THE TRUTH

BREAK, O Lord, we beseech thee, the bonds of every tyranny that enslaves the faith, and scatter all superstitions which corrupt the truth; that rejoicing in that liberty wherewith thy Son hath made us free, we may learn to worship thee in spirit and in truth; through the same, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

FOR OUR COUNTRY

GRANT, we beseech thee, O God, to the people of this nation, wisdom to know what things they ought to do, and courage and power faithfully to perform the same; that we may be loyal to our country's calling, and faithful to thee; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

FOR THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who art the Brightness of faithful souls and the Desire of all nations; So fill the world with thy glory, and show thyself by the radiance of thy light, that all the peoples of the earth may be subject unto thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FOR PEACE AMONG ALL NATIONS

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth; Mercifully hear the prayers of thy people, and bring righteousness and peace to all the nations of the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

THE ETERNAL AND EVER-BLESSED FATHER, SOURCE OF ALL LIGHT AND LIFE, SO FILL US WITH HIS GRACE AND HEAVENLY BENEDICTION, THAT CHRIST WHO IS THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY MAY DWELL IN US, AND WE IN HIM, BOTH NOW AND EVERMORE. AMEN.