Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Amelia Bloomer, and Sojourner Truth, 1883, Social Reformers, 1902, 1894 and 1883

The Collect:

Rite I:
O God, whose Spirit guideth us into all truth and maketh us free: Strengthen and sustain us as thou didst thy servants Elizabeth, Amelia, and Sojourner. Give us vision and courage to stand against oppression and injustice and all that worketh against the glorious liberty to which thou dost call all thy children; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Rite II:
O God, whose Spirit guides us into all truth and makes us free: Strengthen and sustain us as you did your servants Elizabeth, Amelia, and Sojourner. Give us vision and courage to stand against oppression and injustice and all that works against the glorious liberty to which you call all your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson: Esther 1:1-21 

¹ This happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. ² In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, ³ in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were present, ⁴ while he displayed the great wealth of his kingdom and the splendour and pomp of his majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.

⁵ When these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in the citadel of Susa, both great and small, a banquet lasting for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. ⁶ There were white cotton curtains and blue hangings tied with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and coloured stones. ⁷ Drinks were served in golden goblets, goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished in accordance with the bounty of the king. ⁸ Drinking was by flagons, without restraint; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as each one desired. ⁹ Furthermore, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the palace of King Ahasuerus.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who attended him, ¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing the royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the officials her beauty; for she was fair to behold. ¹² But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command conveyed by the eunuchs. At this the king was enraged, and his anger burned within him.

¹³ Then the king consulted the sages who knew the laws (for this was the king’s procedure towards all who were versed in law and custom, ¹⁴ and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media, who had access to the king, and sat first in the kingdom): ¹⁵ ‘According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus conveyed by the eunuchs?’ ¹⁶ Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, ‘Not only has Queen Vashti done wrong to the king, but also to all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. ¹⁷ For this deed of the queen will be made known to all women, causing them to look with contempt on their husbands, since they will say, “King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.” ¹⁸ This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behaviour will rebel against the king’s officials, and there will be no end of contempt and wrath! ¹⁹ If it pleases the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be altered, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. ²⁰ So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, vast as it is, all women will give honour to their husbands, high and low alike.’

²¹ This advice pleased the king and the officials, and the king did as Memucan proposed;

Psalm: Psalm 146

¹ Hallelujah!
  Praise the Lord, O my soul! *
       I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
       I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
² Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
       for there is no help in them.
³ When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *
       and in that day their thoughts perish.
⁴ Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! W*
       whose hope is in the Lord their God;
⁵ Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
       who keeps his promise for ever;
⁶ Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
       and food to those who hunger.
⁷ The Lord sets the prisoners free;
  the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; *
       the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
⁸ The Lord loves the righteous;
  the Lord cares for the stranger; *
       he sustains the orphan and widow,
       but frustrates the way of the wicked.
⁹ The Lord shall reign for ever, *
       your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
       Hallelujah!

Second Lesson: 1 Peter 4:10-11 

¹⁰ Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. ¹¹ Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel: Luke 11:5-10

⁵ And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” ⁷And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” ⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

⁹ ‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

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