Happy New Year! May this greeting find you still relishing in the wonder of Christmas pastcontinuing to take in and give the love that came down to us on Christmas day. My New Year prayer for all of us is that we recall and embody the joy, the hope, the peace, the worship, and the gift of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ throughout the coming year. I shared in this week s Kirk News that for several years our family has kept out one piece of Christmas (from a nativity or the tree or another part of our Christmas decorations) and placed it in a visible place to remind us of God s love as it came to us in the birth of Jesus. As a new member of First(Scots), I was given a Christmas ornament that has an image of the church on the front. I have decided to keep that ornament out this year and have it serve as a reminder for me to remember that we are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to love others! What a better way to live that every day through our thoughts, words, and deeds than through the ministry we share at First(Scots)! I look forward to serving the families and children at First(Scots) in 2019 and pray for God s leading and wisdom to do so creatively and enthusiastically according to God s dream and will! Joyfully, Suzy Many of you have the habit of bringing your children and attending yourselves how about inviting someone new? If you haven t found a Sunday School class yet come and see! We
have some wonderful classes for all types of enriching and inspiring Christian Educationthere is truly something for everyone. We have a host of faithful volunteer teachers! Being a part of a Sunday School class would be a great way to start the new year and grow in your faith and relationships with one another for the weeks and months to come in 2019. Please feel free to call me or check our website for a current listing of the classes offered. Visitors are always welcome- so come and visit a few to see what fits you and your needs! On January 6 we celebrate which is the appearance of the Lord in the midst of humanity. The word epiphany (coming from the Greek epiphaneia or theophaneia) means appearance or manifestation of God. We are called to share the Good News of God s grace and salvation for all people. The season of Epiphany is a time for us to remember that we are called to continue to spread Jesus' light in the world. At Christmas the church celebrates the birth of Jesus, when God entered fully into the human experience. The Feast of the Epiphany takes the Christmas proclamation a step further, when the divine revelation in Jesus was revealed to the world as the magi came from the east. The eve of the Feast of the Epiphany (Twelfth Night) marks the end of the Christmas celebration. The Epiphany, January 6th, is followed by a period of "Sundays after the Epiphany"; the length of the Epiphany season this year is 8. The Last Sunday of Epiphany is celebrated as Transfiguration Sunday. The following Sunday begins the first Sunday in Lent. Explaining Epiphany to Children Consider these talking points when you talk about Epiphany with your family. *A star let the world know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It signaled to the world that God is with us; magi from far away saw the star and journeyed to visit Jesus. *Jesus invited his friends to do ministry with him. He came to be with us and wants us to help him in his work.
*Jesus said and did amazing and wonderful things! He did things that no one else could do he was a friend to all, he fed the hungry, comforted the lonely, and healed people. All of these things show people how much God loves them. *Jesus came for all the people of the world. *Jesus is the light in the darkness. Something new for Epiphany this year? Have you ever heard of Chalking your Doors for Epiphany? This centuriesold tradition is practiced all over the world. It is found throughout the USA but is not as common here as it is in other parts of the world. Deuteronomy 6:9 God tells the people of Israel: These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. What Is Chalking the Door? This short liturgy is a way of marking our homes, usually at the front or main entrance, with sacred signs and symbols as we ask God's blessing upon those who live, work, or visit throughout the coming year. Chalking the door is a tangible way to honor God in our lives. 20+C+M+B+19 What Do the Numbers and Letters Mean? The first and last numbers simply refer to the current year. The letters C M B come from the Latin "Christus Mansionem Benedicat" which means, "May Christ bless this dwelling!" How To Do It 1. Mark your calendar: Epiphany is on January 6th, twelve days after Christmas. (In Great Britain, chalking the door takes place on Twelfth-Night, January 5th, the eve of Epiphany.) Many families gather in their homes to celebrate with friends, food, singing, and gifts... and to chalk the door. 2. Find some chalk: Any color will do! 3. Gather your household: Everyone should be involved.
4. Pray: Use the prayers and liturgy below. 5. Write the inscription: Using the chalk, and taking turns, make the following inscription above the outside of your door. 20 + C + M + B + 19 Liturgy & Prayers for Chalking the Door One family member says: Peace be to this house, and to all who enter here. Everyone: Amen. One or more of the following prayers maybe said: May all who come to our home this year rejoice to find Christ living among us; and may we seek and serve, in everyone we meet, that same Jesus who is your incarnate Word, now and forever. Amen. God of heaven and earth, you revealed your only-begotten One to every nation by the guidance of a star. Bless this house and all who inhabit it. Fill us with the light of Christ, that our concern for others may reflect your love. We ask this through Christ our Savior. Amen. Loving God, bless this household. May we be blessed with health, goodness of heart, gentleness, and abiding in your will. We ask this through Christ our Savior. Amen. As family members take turns making the inscription, the someone says: The Wise Men followed the star to Bethlehem and the child Jesus [20] two thousand, [19] and nineteen years ago. [+ +] May Christ bless our home [+ +], and remain with us throughout the new year. Amen. All say the Lord s Prayer these songs are great ones to sing during Epiphany! This Little Light of Mine a spiritual about our ability to be light as well as enjoy light. "We Three Kings of Orient Are - a familiar carol sung during Christmas and Epiphany. Interesting sidebar for children: the carol is generally known as We 3 Kings of Orient Are. Most children (who are concrete thinkers) assume that Orient Are is the place the kings come from... as in Orient, Are! As in Charleston, SC! The truer to the meaning grammar for this verse would be:
We three kings of (the) Orient are bearing gifts. We traverse afar, (over) field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star. It is always helpful to explain the meaning to children in ways they will understand! January 9 Fisherman s *Special Epiphany Chapel for Kirk Club January 16 Winter Snow Psalm 100:1 January 23 Disco 1 Corinthians 2:9 January 31 Luau 1 Peter 1:14 VBS! Get ready VBS dates will be decided at our January Christian Education Meeting! We are tentatively looking at the week of June 17 th -21 st which appears to fit well with our youth (wonderful volunteers) and their conference and mission trip schedules, the church calendar, and the Kindergarten schedule. We will confirm the date soon! In the meantime, be thinking of how you can be a part of helping to make it a wonderful week for the children at First(Scots) and in the community! Keep the beauty, wonder and love of Christmas in your heart, everyday!
This poem is one of my favorite reminders of how to do that The Work of Christmas When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and prices are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins: to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among the people, to make music in the heart. Howard Thurman Peace!