Three-Year Lectionary
Study the appointed readings, prayers and resources for Series A, Series B and Series C through the Church Year.
December 31, 2025
See TodayNew Year's Eve
Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
- First Reading
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Isaiah 30:(8–14) 15–17 (read in NKJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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- Psalm
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Psalm 90:1–12 (read in NKJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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- Epistle
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Rom. 8:31b–39 (read in NKJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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- Gospel
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Luke 12:35–40 (read in NKJV on Bible Gateway, opens in a new tab)
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New Year's Eve
Three-Year Lectionary · Series A
About this service
Our Times Are in His Hands
The Church and the world are awake, but for very different reasons. The world counts down to midnight; the Church watches eagerly for her Master who is “coming at an hour” we “do not expect” (Luke 12:40). For many, the changing year brings regrets, fears and desperate wishes for improvement. The world delights in smooth talk and illusions of prosperity at any cost (Is. 30:9–10). It has already forgotten “the Holy One of Israel” born six days earlier (Is. 30:11). The Church ends the calendar year differently. “In returning and rest … in quietness and in trust,” that is, in repentance and faith, for the Holy One saves us, and He is our strength (Is. 30:15). Our times are in His hands (Ps. 31:15), the hands of Mary’s Son — God not only with us, but for us (Matt. 1:23). So, who could be against us? If God has given His Son, “how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:31–32). The Church dresses for action not in fear, but in hope; Christ is coming to serve her with His gifts (Luke 12:37). Who is there to condemn us for the passing year? Christ has died, is raised and intercedes for us! What distress will the new year bring? Nothing “can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:34–39)!
Source: LCMS Worship, Lectionary Summaries — Three-Year Lectionary Series A (opens in a new tab). Used by permission. These pages may be reproduced for congregational use only. Commercial reproduction, or reproduction for sale of this work or any portion of this work, without the written permission of the copyright holder, is prohibited. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Scripture quoted in the summary is from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Introit, Gradual and Verse
Reviewed Introit, Gradual and Verse citations have not yet been published in the Toolbox for this service.
Prayers of the Church
Prayers of the Church for December 31, 2025 — Responsive Form
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Heavenly Father, in this past year You richly blessed us with Your grace. In thanksgiving for all You have bestowed upon us, we seek Your blessing on the year to come, and we ask that You would order our days in Your peace, ever deepening our faith in Your Son. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, help us to see the passage of time as a gift, that through Your forgiveness of our sins, we would not be burdened by past wrongs, but embrace the future with confidence in Your presence and grace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, remember all whom You have called to pastoral ministry. Empower them boldly to preach Your Word and faithfully to administer the Sacraments here in our congregation and in the Church throughout the world. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of heaven and earth, since there is no authority except from You, grant that all who bear offices in our land would exercise them as You have ordained them. Help us to humbly submit to them, while giving us the courage to stand for Your truth against all evil. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Loving Father, have compassion on the sick, the lonely, the homebound and the mourning [especially _____________]. Grant them healing, companionship, comfort, and the sure and certain knowledge that nothing can separate them from Your love in Christ Jesus. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, at this altar we live out the truth of our baptismal life, that we are Christ’s and that we are all one in Him. As we eat His flesh and drink His blood, enrich us in the life that we put on when He claimed us as His own in the font. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, since You have justified Your people in Your Son, there is none to condemn or bring any charge against Your elect. Let not tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or sword separate us from the love of Christ, since we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Prayers of the Church for December 31, 2025 — Ektene Form
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the coming year, in thanksgiving for all God has bestowed upon us in the past year, that God would bless the year to come; and that He would order our days in His peace, ever deepening our faith in His Son, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the gift of time, that through God’s forgiveness of our sins, we would not be burdened by past wrongs, but embrace the future with confidence in God’s presence and grace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all pastors, that God would empower them boldly to preach His Word and faithfully to administer the Sacraments here in our congregation and in the Church throughout the world, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all in authority over us, that they would fulfill their offices according to God’s will and for our good; and for good citizenship, that God would empower us to humbly submit to our leaders, while also giving us courage to stand for His truth against all evil, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those who are sick, lonely, homebound and in mourning, [especially _____________,] that God would grant them healing, companionship, comfort, and the sure and certain knowledge that nothing can separate them from His love in Christ Jesus, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who would come to this holy altar, that as we eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus, God would enrich us in the life we put on when Christ claimed us as His own in the baptismal font, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the whole Christian Church, that we would be kept faithful to Christ and that nothing would be allowed to separate us from His love, since we are more than conquerors in Him, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Hear us, heavenly Father, for the sake of Christ Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: LCMS Worship, Prayers of the Church — Series A 2025–2026 (opens in a new tab). Prepared by LCMS Worship for congregational use. Used by permission. © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Hymn of the Day
LSB 899 Across the Sky the Shades of Night
The LCMS Hymn of the Day list appoints this hymn as the Hymn of the Day for New Year's Eve (One-Year and Series A, B and C).
Source: LCMS Worship, Hymn of the Day — Arranged by Church Year, p. 170 (opens in a new tab). Appointment identity only. Lutheran Service Book text and LCMS study content are not reproduced.
Across the Sky the Shades of Night — Historical TLH Edition
Historical text notice: This is the public-domain text of The Lutheran Hymnal 110, not the Lutheran Service Book 899 text. Wording and stanza form may differ.
1. Across the sky the shades of night
This New Year’s Eve are fleeting.
We deck Thine altar, Lord, with light,
In solemn worship meeting;
And as the year’s last hours go by,
We raise to Thee our earnest cry,
Once more Thy love entreating.
2. Before the cross subdued we bow,
To Thee our prayers addressing,
Recounting all Thy mercies now,
And all our sins confessing;
Beseeching Thee this coming year
To keep us in Thy faith and fear
And crown us with Thy blessing.
3. And while we pray, we lift our eyes
To dear ones gone before us,
Safe home with Thee in Paradise,
Whose peace descendeth o’er us;
And beg of Thee, when life is past,
To reunite us all at last
With those who’ve gone before us.
4. We gather up in this brief hour
The memory of Thy mercies:
Thy wondrous goodness, love, and power
Our grateful song rehearses;
For Thou hast been our Strength and Stay
In many a dark and dreary day
Of sorrow and reverses.
5. In many an hour when fear and dread,
Like evil spells, have bound us
And clouds were gathering overhead,
Thy providence hath found us.
In many a night when seas ran high,
Thy gracious presence, drawing nigh,
Hath made all calm around us.
6. Then, 0 great God, in years to come,
Whatever may betide us,
Right onward through our journey home
Be Thou at hand to guide us;
Nor leave us till at close of life
Safe from all perils, toil, and strife,
Heaven shall enfold and hide us.
by James Hamilton, 1819-?
Source: Project Wittenberg; The Lutheran Hymnal, Hymn 110; text as printed in The Handbook to The Lutheran Hymnal (1942) (opens in a new tab). Public domain. Project Wittenberg permits distribution, copying and printing.