Sunday, January 5, 2003“Epiphany”
Celebration of Communion - Food Bank Sunday
In this Epiphany season, we are invited not only to look to the light, but to journey with the magi and find a child born for everyone.
Prelude
A time of silent preparation—Lighting the Christ Candle
Call to Worship (Responsive)
One: Is it all over?
All: What do you mean?
One: December has passed. Are we through worshipping the baby, ‘til next year?
All: Today is another feast day of the church – called Epiphany.
One: Yes, that means shining forth. Today and for the next few Sundays we celebrate the revelation of Christ to the whole world.
All: I guess it’s not over.
One: Not over indeed!
All: Christmas is only a beginning.
One: The beginning of a life and ministry.
All: Epiphany marks the beginning of one of God’s times of self-revelation to us.
One: So we come this Epiphany Sunday to sing and to pray, to hear and to respond,
All: To the love of God shining forth in the world.
One: Let’s worship God.
God, whose peace and goodwill reaches far beyond the church to touch the whole world, shine like a star in the worship we offer. Like Magi of old, we, too, may be led into your presence. And even in the very ordinary things we take for granted, we may see the hand of God and the face of Christ. Amen.
Hymn #82 “A Light is Gleaming”
Time with the Young & the young at heart
We Remain in God’s Presence Through Confession
One: The Magi left home and the familiar pattern of life to follow their dream.
All: God, reveal the star to which we aspire and enable us to follow faithfully.
One: The Magi perceived the intentions of Herod, an evil ruler, and would not cooperate with him.
All: God, we will reflect on the shadowed aspects of ourselves and let the starlight of new intentions replace the darkness.
One: The Magi, in their wealth and power, contrasted sharply with the poverty of the holy family.
All: God, alert us to the deep division between rich and poor and let the starlight of understanding bring sharing.
One: The Magi were joyful when they encountered the baby Jesus, but they went home a different way.
All: God, give us warmth and security in the faith community and enable us to change the ways that need changing …(Silent Confession)
Assurance of Pardon (Responsive)
One: In the light of the Bethlehem star, life changes: the way ahead shines with opportunity, dreams come to reality, choices appear, and decisions are clear before you.
All: We will let the light of the star illumine our lifestyle, flood our spirits, and enliven our faith community.
One: And God will bless your endeavors, grant you peace, and cherish your church.
All: Thanks be to God! Amen.
Biblical Notes
Visitors from the East (Read from the New Revised Standard Version)
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.
One: This is the Good News of Jesus Christ
We Respond In Giving And Gratitude
Offertory
God of light, bless these gifts and bless us the givers, as we use them in our Christian service. Amen.
Hymn #471 “Eat This Bread and Never Hunger”
One: Our shared past and our hoped for future welcome you to the table of all our eternities. What we have been and what we will be meet here with the people who have their eye on something beyond this world and have tasted a mystery, a promise of what will be. Welcome. Your place is here.
A place of birthing, and rebirthing, of unlearning and relearning, of losing
and finding ourselves again.
God’s place.
A place of creation and imagination, where bread and wine become past and
future, and a meal becomes the portal of the new realm.
God’s place.
A deep down place where we come to our senses and touch the mystery again.
God’s place.
Most holy God, thank you for the gift of this new day and for the call to be
your faithful people. You know our thoughts; you love us into being. You
walk beside us and in your grace we are strengthened.
With all your faithful people we dare to proclaim:
Holy, holy, holy are you, God of love and gentleness.
Thank you for Jesus the Christ, the supreme example of love at all costs, who proclaimed your word by the way he lived, through the words he spoke, in the way he cared for others, even at personal risk.
For his life and teachings, we give thanks. We remember how, on the very night in which one of his own betrayed him, he took bread, gave thanks, and broke the bread saying, “This is my body, which is broken for you. When you eat of this, remember me.” He also took the cup, passed it among his disciples, even to the one who betrayed him, and said, “This is a cup of new beginnings. Whenever you drink it, remember me.”
With all your faithful people, we dare to proclaim:
Holy, holy, holy are you, God of love and gentleness.
God has blessed us upon our journey. God calls us into being and faithfully
walks beside us. God cares for us and asks us to care for one another.
Let us Pray…
One: Creator and Preserver of all humankind, we give you thanks for the gift of your son Jesus, in whose life we see love for all people. We give thanks for the power of these ordinary elements, the bread and the cup, that refresh us and renew us in our faith. In being set apart for this special use, we pray this bread and wine remind us that you transform our world through ordinary things and through the most ordinary of people.
Empowered through your Spirit, we give you thanks. Amen.
Sharing at God’s Table
Prayer of Thanksgiving after Communion (Unison)
Almighty God, we give thanks that at this table we have been reminded once again of your love for us. Refreshed by the power of your Spirit, let us go now to strive for peace and live out your love in our homes, communities, work places, and world. Amen.
Hymn #87 “I Am the Light of the World”
Commissioning
One: Go from this church as those who have seen the Bethlehem star.
All: We will follow our most cherished dream and bring it to reality; we will give of our most precious gifts, to advance the Way of Jesus of Nazareth; we will resist the Herods of our time, who seek to delay and sabotage.
One: Return joyfully to your own home and proclaim by word and deed that justice and compassion rule, and that death is eternally defeated.
Choral Amen
#298 “When You Walk From Here”
When you walk from here, when you walk from here.
Walk with justice, walk with mercy, and with God’s humble care.
Postlude
The Life And Work Of The Congregation
The ministry of Westminster United Church was extended into the community this week as James conducted funeral services for Ethel Jackson, George Lapp and Anne Torgerson. Our condolences and prayers go out to their families.
January Celebrations
Birthdays: Lucy Renner, Gertrude Ayers
Anniversaries: Bill & Boo Thompson (66 years)
Thought For Today
Peace is not a relationship of nations.
It is a condition of mind
brought about by a serenity of soul.
by Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964)
1st Prime Minister of Independent India
Renew your faith in television…
Sunday evenings – 6:30 p.m. on Vision TV
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