VERSION: 29 April 2002

ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS
(29 September)

ST MICHAEL
Michael has been a popular archangel among both Jews and Christians. According to Revelation 12, he led the heavenly army against Lucifer before the creation of the world, and according to a very old belief, it is Michael who receives the souls of the departed. His festival has its origin in the fifth century, and the day became especially popular in northern Europe and England. In England, Michaelmas still marks the beginning of the autumn term in law courts and the autumn academic terms at Oxford and Cambridge.
(From Contemporary Worship 6: The Church Year, Calendar and Lectionary, 1973)

LITURGY

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)
Traditional
O God, 
as you have wonderfully established and ordered 
the ministries of angels and people: 
Mercifully grant that your holy angels, 
who always serve you in heaven, 
may guard our lives 
and guide our ways on earth; 
through your Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

OR, modernised traditional 
Lord God, 
you have wonderfully established and ordered 
the ministries of angels and people. 
In your mercy let your holy angels, 
who always serve you in heaven, 
guard and guide our lives on earth. 
We ask this through your Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

OR, alternative
God our Father, 
you wonderfully direct the work of angels and people. 
Let the angels who serve you constantly in heaven 
keep our lives safe from all harm on earth. 
We ask this through your Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns 
with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

FIRST READING
Daniel 10:10-14; 12:1-3 Michael and the guardian angels

PSALM 
Psalm 103:1-5,20-22
Antiphon: 
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. (Ps 103:1 NRSV)

SECOND READING
Revelation 12:7-12 Michael and his angels fight the dragon

ALLELUIA VERSE
Alleluia, alleluia. (Rev 3:15 NRSV)
(Jesus says:) 'If you conquer, 
I will confess your name before my Father and before his angels'.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Luke 10:17-20 Jesus foresees the fall of Satan

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Note: Luther's Morning and Evening Prayers are also suitable for this day.

Call to prayer
We conquer not by our own strength, but by the blood of the Lamb, so let us pray that God would deliver us, and all people, from the wrath of the devil, and that he would send his salvation.

The regular response, OR:
God of power and salvation,
hear our prayer.

Suggested intercessions
*	thanks for protection from evil
*	that God would relieve those who are spiritually oppressed
*	that God would protect and restore those who have suffered abuse of any kind
*	that God would comfort those who mourn.

Concluding prayer
Father, we rejoice that you have written our names in heaven. Hear the prayers of our lips and the prayers of our hearts, and act in your mercy and love. We pray all these things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

HYMNS AND SONGS

'BY ALL YOUR SAINTS IN WARFARE'
The hymn 'By all your saints in warfare' by Horatio Bolton Nelson has here been modernised. The second verse focusing on St Michael and the angels has been added by David Schubert. It may be sung to the tune Nyland, LH 16, or to the original tune King's Lynn (LBW 177, 178; LW 193, 194; TIS 249). The first line of verse 1 could be changed to: 'By saints on earth who struggle'.

By all your saints in warfare,
for all your saints at rest,
your holy name, O Jesus,
forevermore be blest!
For you have won the battle
that they might wear the crown;
and now they shine in glory
reflected from your throne.

For Michael and all angels
we give you thanks and praise;
they fight against the devil,
they guard and guide our ways.
And as they serve and worship
around the heavenly throne,
may we, with saints and angels,
sing praise to you alone.

Then let us praise the Father, 
and worship God the Son,
and sing to God the Spirit,
eternal Three-in-one,
till all the ransomed number
fall down before the throne,
ascribing power and glory,
and praise to God alone.

TOGETHER IN SONG
Suggested hymns/songs for St Michael and All Angels are listed on page 1094 of the Harmony edition of Together in Song.

PSALM 103:1-5,20-22
For musical settings of selected verses of Psalm 103, see Music Packages 3, 4 and 9. The hymn 'O bless the Lord, my soul' (LH 452, TIS 64) is based on verses of the psalm.

VISUAL
COLOUR
The colour for the day is white.

SYMBOL
St Michael and All Angels has traditionally been represented by a young man in armour brandishing a sword or spear, or a flaming sword and a shield containing a cross.