Epiphany
Prepare
NOTE: All of these suggestions are mere starting points; adapt, delete, and add according to your local needs.
- Recruit volunteersneeded for worship: one to lead the actions in the call to worship, eight for the Ephesians reading.
- Bring eight gold starscut from foam board or poster boardfor the reading from the letter to the Ephesians.
- Option: For prayer of confession, bring the song “Light of Christ” (Seasons Songbook, vol. 7, #6 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 7. Printed music and recording are also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads,
- Bring a song such as “Celebrate Emmanuel” (Seasons Songbook, vol. 7, #10 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 7. Printed music and recording also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads,
- Decide which stations you will set, and set stationsas described on pp. 9–10.
All prayers are from Living the Christ Life: Rediscovering the Seasons of the Christian Year compiled by Louise Mangan and Nancy Wyse with Lori Farr. Copyright © 2001 Wood Lake Publishing. Seasons of the Spirit music and images are adaptations of these prayers. Please note this in your bulletin.
Music Suggestions
Celebrate Emmanuel
David MacGregor; Seasons Songbook, vol. 7
Light of Christ
Raffino Zaragoza; Seasons Songbook, vol. 7
Come Now, Lord Jesus
Shirley Erena Murray; Seasons Songbook, vol. 4
Peace Carol
Shirley Erena Murray; Praetorius, Piae Cantiones
The Lord Is My Light
Taizé
A chart that shows the licence holder(s) for each song in each of the 9 Seasons of the Spirit Music Volumes can be found at Click on Library; Seasons Music Information. Please contact a licence holder for permission to duplicate.
Gather
Call to worship
Invite people to listen to the call to worship with their arms folded over their chests and their heads down. When the leader says, “Lift up your eyes and look around,” they are to respond with the words and motions below. Have a volunteer lead the congregation in the response each time.
Response:Arise and shine
(raise face upward and extend arms up and out),
for our light has come!
(wiggle fingers in the air).
One:Arise, for the glory of God is shining on us.
Shadows shall cover the earth,
but the brightness of God’s presence is upon us.
Lift up your eyes and look around,
All:arise and shine for our light has come!
One:Nations will be drawn to our light,
and rulers to the dawning of our new day;
people are gathering to come home.
Lift up your eyes and look around,
All:arise and shine for our light has come!
One:We will see this and be filled with joy;
we will tremble with excitement.
Great caravans will come, bringing gifts of praise.
Everyone will tell the good news
of what God has done.
Lift up your eyes and look around,
All:arise and shine for our light has come!
Opening prayer
All:O Shining Light, we give thanks
for the light of this day,
for the light of eternal love,
for the light of the journey to justice and peace,
and for the light of your grace in our lives.
Shine through us, we pray,
that the light of joy
may spread through the world. Amen.
Prayer of confession
Option: Sing or have sung “Light of Christ” between stanzas of the prayer (in Seasons Songbook, vol. 7. Printed music and recording also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads,
One:As the wise ones sought Jesus by following a star,
let us follow the star-child
in the Christ-light of peace.
All:Holy light of God, shine on us.
Sing“Light of Christ”
One:As the wise ones dared to trust
in the wonders of the sky,
let us walk in the ways of compassion together
in the wonder of true community on earth.
All:Holy light of God, shine on us.
Sing“Light of Christ”
One:As the wise ones returned
to their country by another road,
let us travel a new path to justice and kindness.
All:Holy light of God, shine on us.
Sing“Light of Christ”
Words of affirmation
One:The gifts of the star-child
are healing of heart,
courage in the struggle for justice and peace,
the abiding presence of the Spirit in suffering
and joy,
and power to live life anew.
All:Thanks be to God!
Engage
Opening the word
Ephesians 3:1–12
Make eight large stars out of foam board or cardboard. Spray paint the star shapes with gold glitter paint. Write one of the following words on each star: incarnation, God’s revealing, mysterious, inclusion, gracious, community, bold, and faith. Read a few verses from Ephesians. With each section, have two people carry in stars with the designated words on them and position themselves in the worship space to create a playful constellation.
Read Ephesians 3:1–4.
Bring in the words “incarnation” and “God’s revealing.”
Read Ephesians 3:5–6.
Bring in the words “mysterious” and “inclusion.”
Read Ephesians 3:7–10.
Bring in the words “gracious” and “community.”
ReadEphesians 3:11–12.
Bring in the words “bold” and “faith.”
Moving into the focus scripture
(Invite everyone to close their eyes and imagine a sky full of stars.) Some stars seem brighter than others. Starlight comes in different colours. Perhaps you can even see one that is sparkling blue. These are the stars in the sky that you can see. Now imagine all the stars that are there but are too far away for you to see with your naked eye. Now let one star stand out in the whole field of stars. This is the star that is calling to you. Notice what the star is like: its colour; its brightness; its distance. You are the only one who sees this star. How special that this star has chosen you! When you are ready, gently open your eyes.
Matthew 2:1–12
Bible storyThe storyteller presents the story “Following the Star” on p. 8.
After the focus scripture
Invite children, young people, and all who wish to move to the stations. Others will remain seated for proclaiming the word.
Respond
After proclaiming the word, you might invite those who have not already done so to move to and around the stations or contemplative corner, taking ten minutes or so with a chosen practice.
Singor listen to the song “Celebrate Emmanuel” as people gather together again (Seasons Songbook, vol. 7, #10 on Seasons Music CD, vol. 7. Printed music and recording also available at Seasons MP3 Downloads,
Prayers of the people
Light of peace, in the name of Christ,
who came as light for the world,
we pray for the faithful
who seek the light of true community on earth
(moment of silence).
God, in your love,
All:hear our prayer.
Light of justice, in the name of Christ,
born a Jew in Roman regions,
we pray for the persecuted who suffer
for reasons of gender or race, faith or politics
(moment of silence).
God, in your love,
All:hear our prayer.
Light of hope, in the name of Christ,
who was born in a stable,
we pray for those who are in need
of shelter, food, and meaningful work
(moment of silence).
God, in your love,
All:hear our prayer.
Light of compassion, in the name of Christ,
for whom nowhere was safe,
we pray for the fearful, the bereaved, and the sick,
for all who are in pain and special need
(moment of silence).
God, in your love,
All:hear our prayer.
Light of our souls, call us onward into light,
today and forever.
All:Amen.
Prayer of dedication
O Shining Light, we give thanks
for the light of this day,
for the light of eternal love,
for the light of the journey to justice and peace,
and for the light of your grace in our lives.
Shine through us, we pray,
that the light of joy may spread
through the world. Amen.
Bless
One:Let us go now by another road –
the road of constant trust and faithfulness to God.
All:Let us be watchful –
for those whose way is fearful;
let us be ready –
to stand beside the outcast;
let us be prepared –
to stay the course with those who suffer.
One:Let us go to the world
in the power of the Spirit
to fulfill our high calling as disciples of Christ,
who shines on us now and forever. Amen.