Worship Resources
Epiphany
ACTS OF WORSHIP FOR THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
The Epiphany (Manifestation) of the Lord (January 6), an even
more ancient celebration among Christians than Christmas,
originally focused on the nativity, incarnation, and baptism of
Christ. Today we celebrate the coming of the three wise men
(magi), who brought gifts to the Christ child. For this reason, in
Puerto Rico and in most Latin American countries this day is
observed as Three Kings Day or Dia de Los Reyes. It marks the
end of the Christmas Cycle, which began the First Sunday of
Advent. The Latino culture has preserved and developed this
ancient celebration in a way that is a great gift to the whole Church.
Within the church service, this day is celebrated with plays and
special songs emphasizing the coming of the kings and their gifts
for the Christ child. In the home the children are told to place boxes
filled with hay under their beds so that the camels will eat the hay
and the kings leave presents for the children.
Congregations that do not worship on January 6 unless it is a
Sunday may celebrate Epiphany on the first Sunday in January.
PRAISE SONGS
We Three Kings
We Worship & Adore You
Blessed Be the Name
Arise, Shine
What Gift Can I Bring
HYMNS
"Angels From the Realms of Glory" (Matt.)
"Rise, Shine, You People" (Isa.)
"Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light" (Isa.)
"This Little Light of Mine" (Isa.)
"Arise, Shine Out, Your Light Has Come" (Isa.)
"O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright" (Isa., Matt.)
"Make Me a Captive, Lord" (Eph.)
"What Child is This" (Matt.)
"De Tierra Lejana Venimos" ("From a Distant Home" (Matt.)
"The First Noel" (Matt.)
"On This Day Earth Shall Ring" (Matt.)
"We Three Kings" (Matt.)
"We Would See Jesus" (Matt.)
"This is a Day of New Beginnings" (New Year, Communion)
"O Thou Who This Mysterious Bread" (Eph., Matt., Communion)
Go, Tell it on the Mountain (Eph., Matt.)
Call to Worship
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen up on you.
Greeting
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed.
You will do well to be attentive to this,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
(2 PETER 1:19)
or
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed.
You will do well to be attentive to this,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
or
You have come from afar and waited long and are wearied.
Let us sit side by side,
sharing the same bread drawn from the same source
to quiet the same hunger that makes us weak.
Then standing together let us share the same spirit, the same
thoughts that once again draw us together in friendship and unity
and peace.
(PRIERES D'OZAWAMICK, CANADIAN INDIAN, 20TH
CENT.)
Opening Prayer
Everlasting God, the radiance of faithful souls,
you brought the nations to your light
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Fill the world with your glory, and show yourself to all the nations;
through him who is the true light and the bright and morning star,
even Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
or
O Lord God, your chosen dwelling is the heart of the lowly.
We give you thanks that you revealed yourself in the holy child
Jesus,
thereby sanctifying all childhood in him.
Make us humble in faith and love, that we may know the joy of the
gospel
hidden from the wise and prudent and revealed unto babes.
This we ask in the name of the One, who, wearing our mortal flesh,
grew in wisdom and in favor with God and all people,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP, ENGLAND AND WALES,
20TH CENT., ALT.)
An Act of Congregational Centering
(Silent prayer may follow each petition.)
As we come together, let us settle into stillness...
Slowly, ever so slowly, we center our minds and our hearts...
Let your cares and your weariness fall away...
Enter deeply into silence...
We are one with the universe...
We are one with the sun and the stars...
We are one with the One who is Mystery,
who created the heavens and the earth...
O marvelous Mystery!
I am one with the One who is Mystery,
the One who created me, and loves me,
and whose Spirit lives in me. Amen.
(MIRIAM THERESE WINTER, U.S.A., 20TH CENT.)
Confession
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the way of peace.
Come into the brokenness of our lives and our land
with your healing love.
Help us to be willing to bow before you in true repentance,
and to bow to one another in real forgiveness.
By the fire of your Holy Spirit, melt our hard hearts
and consume the pride and prejudice which separate us.
Fill us, O Lord, with your perfect love, which casts out our fear,
and bind us together in that unity
which you share with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer
God of the ages, we praise you,
for in the dawn of time you created the world,
sending light by your Word to dispel darkness.
In Jesus Christ you began a new creation,
sending him to be the Light of the world,
to drive away fear and despair,
and to rule in peace and justice, holiness and love.
Especially we thank you
for the order and beauty of your creation ...
for coming in Jesus Christ to share our human life ...
for the place you give us in your continuing creation ...
for the promise of peace among nations, and justice for all
peoples ...
for the Church as the sign of your coming kingdom ...
Mighty God, prepare the world for your rule,
for we long for the day when there shall be no more crying
or tears,
and death will be destroyed.
Help us to share the ministry of Christ and be agents of his
compassion.
Especially we pray
for the nations of the earth and peace in the world ...
for victims and survivors of violence ...
for those who are sick and suffering ...
for our families and friends ...
for the Church and those who serve in Christ's name ...
All this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
Before us it is blessed, behind us it is blessed,
below us it is blessed, above us it is blessed,
around us it is blessed as we set out with Christ.
Our speech is blessed as we set out for God.
With beauty before us, with beauty behind us,
with beauty below us, with beauty above us,
with beauty around us, we set out for a holy place indeed. Amen.
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Bass Mitchell