Commontide
Evening Prayer
O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men, women, and children everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Draft — AI-assisted research under editorial review.
This brief petition for universal worship first appeared as one of three "Prayers for Mission" added to Evening Prayer in the 1979 Episcopal BCP. Its clauses are woven from Pauline and Psalm texts: the address echoes Ephesians 4:6, the universal bowing of every tongue echoes Philippians 2, and the vision of all heaven and earth at worship recalls Psalm 148. No prayer book predating 1979 is known to contain it. The ACNA BCP 2019 received the prayer with one small expansion, adding "and children" to the worshipping company.