Easter has to come pretty early for you to have more than twenty-three Sundays in Pentecost, though in theory there can be up to twenty-eight Sundays after Pentecost, but that won’t happen again until 2035. The resources I have cited go as far as the twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost, which we will see next in 2012, 2015 and 2017: a more practical requisite. (Modern prayer books, including the King’s Chapel book, have a common set of propers shared with the season after Epiphany. If one is short, the other is long so there’s an inescapable logic in that arrangement.)
The Free Church prayer book has a “next before Advent” set of propers, which I should have used in the main lectionary entry this week.
Nevertheless, the missing propers follow.
For the twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Free Church Book of Common Prayer (1929)
O God, our Refuge and Strength, who art the Author of all godliness; be ready, we beseech thee, to hear the devout prayers of thy Church; and grant that those things which we ask faithfully we may obtain effectually; though Jesus Christ our Lord.. Amen.
Epistle: Phil iii, 17-21 (end).
Gospel: Matt. xxii, 15-22.
A book of prayer for the church and the home (Universalist, 1866)
O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who at his coming didst sent thy messenger to prepare his way; grant that the ministers of thy word may likewise so prepare and make ready his way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that we may all be found acceptable in thy sight, and that there may be one family in heaven and on the earth. Amen.
Gospel, St. Matt. xxii. 15.
Epistle, St. Jude 17.
For the twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Free Church Book of Common Prayer (1929)
O Lord, we beseech thee, absolve thy people from their offences; that through thy bountiful goodness we may be delivered from the bands of those sins, which by our frailty we have committed: grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Epistle: Col. i, 3-13.
Gospel: Matt. ix, 18-26.
A book of prayer for the church and the home (Universalist, 1866)
O Holy and ever-blessed God, teach us to love one another with pure hearts fervently; to exercize forbearance and forgiveness towards our enemies; to recompense no man evil for evil, but to be merciful as thou, Father in heave, art merciful; that in the spirt of thy Son Jesus Christ we may follow after thee as dear children. Amen.
Gospel, St. Matt. ix. 18
Epistle, Coloss. i. 3.
For the twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost
A book of prayer for the church and the home (Universalist, 1866)
Almighty and ever-living God, grant us, we beseech thee, a constant renewal of thy Holy Spirit and of thy manifold gifts, till we grow to the full measure of our perfection in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Gospel, St. John x. 22.
Epistle, Jer. xxiii, 5.
The Sunday next before Advent
Free Church Book of Common Prayer (1929)
Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; though Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Epistle: Jer. xxiii, 5-8.
Gospel: Matt. xxiv, 15-36.
¶ If there be any more Sundays before Advent Sunday, the Service of some of those Sundays that were omitted after Epiphany shall be taken in to supply so many as are here wanting. And if there be fewer, the overplus may be omitted: Provided that this last Collect, Epistle, and Gospel shall always be used upon the Sunday next before Advent.
