EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD PARTICIPATING IN TODAY S LITURGY: Alexis Hunter, Alexander Smith-Burden. Charles Smith & Alexander Joan Hoyle, Audrey Huka

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1 EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD TRANSFERRED 8 JANUARY 2017 ST. MARK S LUTHERAN CHURCH 1900 ST. PAUL STREET BALTIMORE, MD Phone: Fax: On the web at: stmarksbaltimore.org Follow us on Facebook A Reconciling in Christ Congregation Staff Clergy Pr. Thomas Davison, Fr. Henry Hammond, Pr. Lee Hudson Administrator Stephen E. Kohler Deacons Connie Lisch, Sue Romanic Cantor James Harp Sexton Jeffry Spangler MISSION STATEMENT The Mission of St. Mark s Church is to embrace diversity, practice hospitality, and make known Christ s presence in Word and Deed. All worshipers are invited and welcomed to receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord in the sacrament of All baptized worshipers are invited and welcomed to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord in the sacrament of Holy Communion. The wine may be received from the common cup (gold chalice) or by intinction from the silver chalice. PARTICIPATING IN TODAY S LITURGY: Presider Assisting Minister Chalicist Crucifer Torches Thurifer Lector Prayer Petitioner Greeters Tellers Rev. Lee Hudson Deacon Connie Lisch Teri Bennett Woodland Pomeroy Alexis Hunter, Alexander Smith-Burden Stephen Kohler Michael Hudson Carole Conors Charles Smith & Alexander Joan Hoyle, Audrey Huka Copies of our Prayer List are available in the narthex. Please take a copy home with you and remember these persons who have asked for our prayers

2 VOLUNTARY Epiphany of Our Lord (transferred) 8 January 2017 An die Musik Franz Schubert O kindly Art, in how many grey hours, when the tumult of life has overcome me, have you kindled my heart to warm love, and transported me to a better world. Often has a sigh flowed out from your Harp, a sweet divine harmony from you, and a heaven of better times was opened to me. O kindly Art, for this I thank you! (Franz von Schober) ANNOUNCEMENTS THE HYMN -The Assembly will please stand- Please refer to the following page. -Following the Prayers at the Creche the Choir will sing- CHORAL INTROIT Ecce Advenit Dominator Dominus Behold, the Lord and Ruler hath come; and hath Kingship in His hands, and power and government.

3 PRAYERS AT THE CRECHE P. Blessed be the Holy Trinity, our one God, who forgives all our sin and whose mercy endures for ever. C. Amen. P. Our help is in the name of the Lord. C. Who made heaven and earth. P. Let us pray Eternal God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may perfectly love you, and worthily worship your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. C. Amen. P. May all the kings bow down before Him: C. and all nations do Him service. P. Lord, when we seek you we become wise; lead us to faith and accept the gifts we bring to worship you, that we may find and know you, as you live with the Father and the Spirit, now and for ever. C. Amen. P. May he live as long as the sun and moon endure: C. from one generation to another. Help us, dear Lord, become and remain partakers of the new birth of human life, in Christ our Lord. Amen. CANTICLE OF PRAISE PRAYER OF THE DAY P. The Lord be with you. C. And also with you. P. God above, you revealed your Son to all nations by the brilliance in the heavens. Lead us by faith to your presence in our lives, and then bring us at

4 last to the full vision of your glory, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit, our God, forever. C. Amen. PSALM: Psalm 72:1-7, The Assembly will please sit- FIRST READING: Isaiah 60:1-6 Jerusalem is assured that nations will make a pilgrimage to her, because the light of God s presence is in her midst. The bountiful food of the sea and the profits of international trade will come streaming to Jerusalem and thereby declare God s praise. 1 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 2 For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. 3 Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 4 Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses arms. 5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD. Lector: Assembly: The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Antiphon: All kings shall bow down before him. 1 Give the king your jus- tice, O God, and your righteousness to the king s son; 2 that he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice; 3 that the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, and the hills, in righteousness. 4 Let him defend the needy a- mong the people, rescue the poor, and crush the oppressor. 5 May he live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another. 6 Let him come down like rain upon the mown field, like showers that wa- ter the earth. 7 In his time may the righteous flourish; and let there be an abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more. 10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles pay tribute, and the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. 11 May all kings bow down before him, and all the nations do him service. 12 For the king delivers the poor who cry out in distress, the oppressed, and those who have no helper. 13 He has compassion on the low- ly and poor, and preserves the lives of the needy. 14 From oppression and violence he re- deems their lives, and precious is their blood in his sight. Antiphon: All kings shall bow down before him.

5 SECOND READING: Ephesians 3:1-12 Galilee! O calm of hills above, where Jesus knelt to share with thee the silence of eternity interpreted by love! (John Greenleaf Whittier) What had been hidden from previous generations is now made known through the gospel ministry of Paul and others. In Christ both Jews and Gentiles participate in the richness of God s promised salvation. 1 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles 2 for surely you have already heard of the commission of God s grace that was given me for you, 3 and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, 4 a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 5 In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God s grace that was given me by the working of his power. 8 Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 10 so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. THE HYMN -The Assembly will please stand- Please sing vss. 1-3 before the Gospel; vss. 4-5 after the Gospel. Lector: Assembly: The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. GRADUAL ANTHEM Dominus Illuminatio James Harp O Sabbath rest by Galilee! O calm of hills above, where Jesus knelt to share with thee the silence of eternity interpreted by love! Drop Thy still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease; take from our souls the strain and stress, And let our ordered lives confess the beauty of Thy peace. Breathe through the heats of our desire Thy coolness and Thy balm; Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire; speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still, small voice of calm. O Sabbath rest by

6 GOSPEL: Matthew 2:1-12 A. The holy gospel according to Matthew. C. Glory to you, O Lord. SERMON THE HYMN -The Assembly will please stand- God s promise shines bright in the night as magi follow a star to honor a new king. Strangers from a faraway land, they welcome the long-awaited messiah of Israel. 1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage. 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel. 7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage. 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. A. The gospel of the Lord. C. Praise to you, O Christ. -The Assembly will please sit-

7 He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Petition response: hear our prayer. CREED We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. PEACE OFFERING SENTENCE ANTHEM -The Assembly will please sit- from CHRISTUS, Behold a Star Felix Mendelssohn Behold a star from Jacob shining, and a scepter from Israel rising, to reign in glory over the nations. Like some bright morning star is he, the promise of the coming day, beyond the night of sorrow. Break forth, 0 Light! We, our joyful hearts uplifting with thanksgiving, hail the brightness of Thy rising. THE HYMN -The Assembly will please stand-

8 OFFERING PRAYER A. Let us pray: C. Gracious God, as grains once scattered in the fields are gathered in this bread, and as the fruit of many vines is poured from this cup; by these tokens gather your church from the ends of the earth in the presence of Christ, for life and blessing, your glory and the sake of good news, through Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

9 DIALOGUE -The Assembly may kneel or continue to stand- THANKSGIVING AT THE TABLE MYSTERY OF FAITH CONCLUSION OF THE THANKSGIVING PREFACE HOLY, HOLY, HOLY LORD S PRAYER P. Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray. C. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. INVITATION TO COMMUNION P. When we eat this bread we share the Body of Christ; when we drink this cup we share the Blood of Christ.

10 C. Reveal Yourself to us, O Lord, in the breaking of the bread, as once You revealed Yourself to Your disciples. NUNC DIMITTIS -The Assembly will please stand- -The Assembly will please sit- LAMB OF GOD DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION COMMUNION MOTET More Love James Harp More love, more love, the heavens are blessing, the angels are calling, O Zion, more love. If ye love not each other in daily communion how can ye love God, Whom ye have not seen? If ye love one another then God dwelleth in you, and ye are made strong to live by His word. More love, more love, the heavens are blessing, the angels are calling, O Zion, more love. (19 th century Shaker hymn)

11 PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION A. Let us pray: Lord, you come to us in shared bread and cup of blessing. By this gift make us willing to bear you in our lives, sending us into the world as people of hope whose joy shall have no end; as you live with the Father and Spirit, our God, forever. C. Amen. BLESSING P. Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. C. Amen. THE HYMN Tune: AURELIA Text: James Harp 1 In Music s holy tether we praise the Lord of time, Who reigns in spheres supernal midst harmonies sublime. To Him the hosts of angels their canticles upraise, And sing in endless anthems their everlasting praise. 2 The seraph choir of angels made lovely lullaby, At that Judean manger where God incarnate lie. And at that Holy Supper where Love was sacrificed, The holy twelve made music who Him who died, the Christ. 3 To thee Blessed Cecilia, thou patroness of song, To whom all God s musicians in joyous hymns belong: We offer our thanksgiving for Music s gift of Love, Which offers but a foretaste of that great choir above.

12 4 Creator of Love s Music, All-glorious trinity, With harp, and string, and organ, our songs we offer Thee. All hail! Rejoice ye angels, exult with voices strong! Let all that breathes make music: a new and endless song! DISMISSAL A. Go in peace. Share the good news. C. Thanks be to God. VOLUNTARY Improvisation on Behold a Star Copyright 2017 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. THIS WEEK AT ST. MARK S: Today 8 January Epiphany of Our Lord 30 th Anniversary of James Harp 9:30 AM Choir Rehearsal 10:00 AM Adult Class 11:00 AM Holy Eucharist 12:15 PM Fellowship Hour: Council Members & Leigh and Henry Hammond In honor of James Harp on his 30 th Anniversary 12:30 PM MSP Meeting 6:00 PM Prime Timers Tuesday 10 January 11:00 AM Staff Meeting Wednesday 11 January 10:30 AM Clergy Study Group Thursday 12 January 6:30 PM Holy Eucharist Chapel 7:15 PM Dinner Sunday 15 January Baptism of Our Lord 9:30 AM Choir Rehearsal 10:00 AM Adult Class 11:00 AM Holy Eucharist 12:15 PM Fellowship Hour: Carole Conors 2:00 PM Estonian Service From Sunday, 1 January 2017: Attendance: 39 Offering: $909

13 ANNOUNCEMENTS: We welcome all our visitors this morning we are grateful to have you worship with us! We ask that you take a moment to fill out the green Visitor s card enclosed with this bulletin and place it in the offering plate or you may hand it to Pastor as you are leaving. Visitors are encouraged to join us for the Fellowship Hour today in honor of Jim Harp, our organist and music director. We are on Facebook so please look us up, like us, and check regularly for news of events here at St. Paul & Twentieth Streets. 30 YEARS! It was on Epiphany Sunday, 1987, that James Harp began his long and storied career here at St. Mark s Church. Variously known as Cantor, Director of Music, and organist, Jim has contributed his time and talent generously to assure that we experience an ongoing program of highest quality liturgical music, along with his involvement in the St. Cecilia Society offering a variety of secular and church music to delight us on many Sunday afternoons throughout the year. Join us in Lehr Hall following the liturgy as we pay tribute to our beloved Jimmy! Gifts to the glory of God have been received for: Flowers in honor of James Harp on this his 30 th Anniversary here at St. Mark s Church by the Congregation; and in gratitude for all those participants in the Wednesday morning Clergy Study Group by Stephen Kohler. Bread, Wine, & Candles in thanksgiving for our Interim clergy and for all they continue to bring to this congregation. A reminder to all members of our MSP Committee that we will meet today on or about 12:30 PM. We are at a point where all of this becomes (more) interesting, and we urge all members to be in attendance. Thank you! Keen Agers we meet next Wednesday, 18 January, for a program on Genealogy led by Warren Faust and Ralph Welsh. Richard Cerullo will cook lunch for those with reservations ($5) and we look forward to a wonderful time. To reserve your place at lunch, please contact the church office or call Austin Lee at Flower Calendar a current Flower Calendar has been posted on the bulletin board outside Lehr Hall. It is an open field, so feel free to select your special dates and sign up as soon as you are able. Flowers are not a budgeted item and therefore dependent on your generosity. Thank you so much for your ongoing response!