Chasing Light - by C. Robin Janning, beloved friend of St. John s Holy Eucharist The Epiphany (Anticipated) January 4, 2015 10:00 A.M.
Welcome to St. John s Episcopal Church We are a faith community welcoming all affirming the many diverse and wonderful ways God has made us. Wherever you find yourself on your journey, know that this is your sacred home today, shared by others who are caring and committed to being a welcoming, expansive, generous, risk-taking community for the sake of finding, experiencing and spreading God s love. May you find both sanctuary and Sabbath this day, and may you never forget that you are loved. Invitation & Instructions for Receiving Holy Communion Here at St. John s we welcome all to the Table set for us at the time of Communion. To receive the bread please put your hands together palms up for a small piece of bread. Then either eat the bread and drink directly from the cup of wine, or wait for the server with the wine to dip the bread in the wine and place it in your mouth. We encourage all to come forward at the time of communion; if you are not comfortable receiving the bread and wine, simply place your hands across your chest and the priest will offer a short blessing. The Holy Eucharist THE EPIPHANY (ANTICIPATED) JANUARY 4, 2015 RITE TWO 10:00 A.M. The season of Epiphany is about celebrating how God has shown God s own self to us through the person, acts and teachings of Jesus. The Epiphany recognizes and celebrates several things, all connected with the beginnings of Jesus Christ s work of manifesting (revealing) God. The Feast of Epiphany refers first to the coming of the Wise Men to Jesus. Here we celebrate the revelation of Jesus Christ to the whole world. This is a celebration of the mystery of promise. The theme of this season is Jesus Christ s manifesting God to humans. In this way, Epiphany has a deeper meaning than Christmas, for instead of simply celebrating the birth of Christ, it testifies to the whole purpose of the incarnation: the manifestation of God in Jesus Christ beginning with his birth (and recognition by the Magi) and with his baptism and ministry (James F. White, Introduction to Christian Worship, Revised edition, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990, p. 66.). During these weeks in Epiphany, we hear of Jesus mighty signs (miracles) and teachings as he lives out this manifestation of God. As we hear these stories, we commemorate those works and teachings of Jesus which led up to the final events in Jerusalem his death and resurrection. (Weaving God s Promises, 2011 By Joanna Leiserson. Published by Morehouse Education Resources, Permission is hereby granted to reproduce this page for use in the purchasing congregation only. 2
+ The Liturgy of the Word + PRELUDE We Three Kings of Orient Are arr. Janet Linker PROCESSIONAL SONG: HYMNAL 119 As with Gladness 3
WELCOME SONG OF PRAISE (Sung 3x) Arise, Shine During the Song of Praise all children ages 3 through 12 are invited to follow the children s procession up to the altar, make their offering, and then adjourn to Sunday School. The children will come back at the peace. COLLECT OF THE DAY The Lord be with you. And also with you. Let us pray. O God of stars and journeys, you lead us day by day to the joyful vision of your light. Move us by the power of your word that we too might open our gifts for others and so receive in our hearts the child of Bethlehem. So may you be praised and adored, this season of your Epiphany, now and forever. Amen. THE READING ISAIAH 60:1-6 Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 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. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 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. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, 4
the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 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. Reader: The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. PSALM 72:1-7, 10-14 The choir will sing the refrain once, and the congregation will then repeat the refrain. The psalm will be sung by the cantor, and the refrain will be sung as indicated. Verse: Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the king s son; that he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice; that the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, and the hills, in righteousness. All sing refrain Verse: Let him defend the needy among the people, rescue the poor, and crush the oppressor. May he live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another. Let him come down like rain upon the mown field, like shower that water the earth. In his time may the righteous flourish; and let there be an abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more. All sing refrain Verse: May the kings of Tarshish and the isles pay tribute, and the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. May all kings bow down before him, and all the nations do him service. For the king delivers the poor who cry out in distress, the oppressed, and those who have no helper. He has compassion on the lowly and poor, and preserves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their lives, and precious is their blood in his sight. All sing refrain 5
THE EPISTLE EPHESIANS 3:1-12 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. 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: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 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. 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, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; 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. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. Reader: The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. 6
THE GRADUAL SONG: HYMNAL 128, VS. 1 & 5 We will sing verses 1 & 5 for today s service We Three Kings 7
THE GOSPEL (Please stand.) MATTHEW 2:1-12 Gospeler: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, Lord Christ. In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 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." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: `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.'" Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 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." 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. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 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. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. Gospeler: The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Christ. THE SERMON The Rev. Lisa Tucker-Gray THE AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (Please stand.) We believe in God who said, Let there be light, and there was! With that light, God made the world and all people in whom, and through whom, the Light burns on, strong and true. We believe! 8
We believe in Jesus, the true Light, who went down to darkness to overcome death, and rose again, to unveil our own brightness, in the victory of whose love a path shines home to God s heart where all will live forever. We believe! We believe in the Spirit, blazing with hope, speaking the truth into every darkness, warming our lives with God s gifts and call. We believe! We believe in the church, where God s Light is praised, and from where we are sent to love and serve the world. We believe! We ask today that a gentle breath blow from above on the light that is in us, the light that is among us, and enflame us anew with the courage of love. Enflame us, O God! Amen. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE (Please stand.) Intercessor: Shine in your church, O God; embolden us, in a dark world, to speak truthfully and to act with the courage of love. This day and always, Christ, be our light. Intercessor: Shine on your world, O God; heal the warring of nations and the wounding of the earth to give us peace at last. This day and always, Christ, be our light. Intercessor: Shine for your people, O God; make us one human family who clothe each other with mercy and feed each other with justice. This day and always, Christ, be our light. 9
Intercessor: Shine in our hearts, O God; help us to reach to the heavens and deep in our souls to seek you, to find you, and to know you. This day and always, Christ, be our light. Intercessor: Shine in the saints and departed, O God; teach us to follow their lead to outrageous faith and eternal love. This day and always, Christ, be our light. Intercessor: Shine for the afflicted, O God; remind them of your deep compassion and how you tenderly bear all our sorrows. At this time we invite you to add your petitions out loud or in the silence of your heart. (pause.) This day and always, Christ, be our light. Shine, O God, as the Light that creates, the Light that calls, the Light that comes again with every dawn. Shine as the Light that scatters every shadow, and the Light in which we promise to walk, with your help. Amen. THE CONFESSION OF SIN & ABSOLUTION The prophet speaks of the coming light of God which calls all the people of the earth to come together in God s realm of shalom. Let us confess the ways in which we have rejected God s vision of wholeness. Celebrant and God of light and darkness, we have seen the glimmer of your star-light beckoning to us, but we have turned away and followed other paths. We confess that we have not loved you with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us, Holy One. Strengthen our faltering steps and guide us in your holy way of peace. Lift up your eyes and see the grace of God poured out into your lives. The light of God shines through the darkness. Our hearts rejoice for Christ is in our midst. Amen. THE PEACE The peace of the Lord be always with you. And also with you. ANNOUNCEMENTS 10
+ The Liturgy of the Table + OFFERTORY SENTENCE THE OFFERTORY Infant Holy, Infant Lowly/Hark! the Herald Angels Sing Jennifer Ernst, alto flute arr. Phyllis Avidan Louke THE PRESENTATION OF THE GIFTS: HYMNAL 654 (please stand) The Presentation Song will be repeated while the Celebrant sets the Table. Day by Day 11
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER C BCP PAGE 369 The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of glory and praise. Glory to you for ever and ever. At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home. By your will they were created and have their being. From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed your trust; and we turned against one another. Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight. Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the fullness of time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace. By his blood, he reconciled us. By his wounds, we are healed. And therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with all those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn: THE SANCTUS You are Holy 12
And so, Father, we who have been redeemed by him, and made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring before you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. On the night he was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. After supper, he took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me. All: Remembering now his work of redemption, and offering to you this sacrifice of thanksgiving, we celebrate his death and resurrection, as we await the day of his coming. Lord God of our Fathers; God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Open our eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us. Deliver us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the world in his name. Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread. Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus Christ our great High Priest, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory, and worship, from generation to generation. AMEN. 13
THE LORD S PRAYER BCP PAGE 364 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, for ever and ever. Amen. THE FRACTION This is the Body of Christ 14
INVITATION TO COMMUNION Here at St. John s we welcome all to the Table set for us at the time of Communion. Please remain seated until an usher invites your row forward. To receive the bread please put your hands together palms up in front of you. Then either eat the bread and drink directly from the cup of wine, or allow the server with the wine to dip the bread in the wine and place it in your mouth. If you are unable to come forward and wish to have Communion brought to you, please inform an usher. COMMUNION SONG Holy Child, Within the Manger 15
COMMUNION SONG: HYMNAL 109 The First Nowell 16
If needed, the following Taizé chant will be sung during communion: Eat this Bread, drink this cup, come to me and never be hungry. Eat this Bread, drink this Cup, trust in me and you will not thirst 17
THE POST COMMUNION PRAYER (Please stand.) BCP PAGE 365 Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen. THE BLESSING CLOSING SONG This Little Light of Mine During the closing song all children are invited to join Priest Lisa at the altar to help give the final dismissal. 18
DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE He is Born! arr. Eugenio Maria Fagiani COPYRIGHT NOTICES LITURGICAL TEXTS Collect of the Day From Liturgy for the Whole Church: Multigenerational Resources by Susan Bock (Church Publishing, 2008) Affirmation of Faith From Liturgy for the Whole Church: Multigenerational Resources by Susan Bock (Church Publishing, 2008) Prayers of the People From Liturgy for the Whole Church: Multigenerational Resources by Susan Bock (Church Publishing, 2008) Confession of Sin and Absolution From the online blog Wonderings Through Life and Other Such Nonsense by Pastor Nancy Gowler Johnson 19