This bulletin includes the order of service for the Season of Epiphany. The items in bold italics are intended for the congregation’s response.
Opening Hymn
In the name of God: Creator, Redeemer, and Giver of life. Amen.
Call to Worship and Confession of Sin
Light! Light, light and more light!
Rise and shine—your light is here! God’s glory is incoming! The world will be drawn to your glow! Leaders will follow your shining brilliance.
The awesome light of our Saviour Jesus Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Seers speak of the coming light of God which calls all people of the earth to come together in peace. Let us confess the ways in which we have rejected this vision of wholeness.
God of light and darkness, we have seen the glimmer of your star-light beckoning to us, but we have turned away – through distraction, habit, sloth, or simple lack of love – and followed other paths. We confess that we have not loved you with everything we’ve got. And we haven’t loved our neighbors as ourselves.
Forgive us, Holy One. Strengthen our faltering steps. Guide us in your way of peace. Amen.
Lift up your eyes and see the grace of God pouring into your lives. The healing, forgiving, restoring light of God shines through the darkness.
Our hearts rejoice for Christ is in our midst.
Canticle of Praise for Epiphany
From Godspell
Day by day
Day by day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day
Day by day
Day by day
Oh Dear Lord
Three things I pray
To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day.
The Great Spirit be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Collect of the Day
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Ministry of the Word
Old Testament
Exodus 34:29-35
A reading from the book of Exodus.
29-30 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai carrying the two Tablets of The Testimony, he didn’t know that the skin of his face glowed because he had been speaking with God. Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, saw his radiant face, and held back, afraid to get close to him.
31-32 Moses called out to them. Aaron and the leaders in the community came back and Moses talked with them. Later all the Israelites came up to him and he passed on the commands, everything that God had told him on Mount Sinai.
33-35 When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face, but when he went into the presence of God to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. When he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they would see Moses’ face, its skin glowing, and then he would again put the veil on his face until he went back in to speak with God.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm 99
We follow the responsive recitation method for the Psalm, where the leader alternates verses with the congregation. The items in bold italics are intended for audience response.
1-3 God rules. On your toes, everybody!
He rules from his angel throne—take notice!
God looms majestic in Zion,
He towers in splendor over all the big names.
Great and terrible your beauty: let everyone praise you!
Holy. Yes, holy.
4-5 Strong King, lover of justice,
You laid things out fair and square;
You set down the foundations in Jacob,
Foundation stones of just and right ways.
Honor God, our God; worship his rule!
Holy. Yes, holy.
6-9 Moses and Aaron were his priests,
Samuel among those who prayed to him.
They prayed to God and he answered them;
He spoke from the pillar of cloud.
And they did what he said; they kept the law he gave them.
And then God, our God, answered them
(But you were never soft on their sins).
Lift high God, our God; worship at his holy mountain.
Holy. Yes, holy is God our God.
Epistle
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
A reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.
12-15 With that kind of hope to excite us, nothing holds us back. Unlike Moses, we have nothing to hide. Everything is out in the open with us. He wore a veil so the children of Israel wouldn’t notice that the glory was fading away—and they didn’t notice. They didn’t notice it then and they don’t notice it now, don’t notice that there’s nothing left behind that veil. Even today when the proclamations of that old, bankrupt government are read out, they can’t see through it. Only Christ can get rid of the veil so they can see for themselves that there’s nothing there.
16-18 Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.
4 1-2 Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don’t maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don’t twist God’s Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hymn
The Gospel
Luke 9:28-36
The holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke
Glory to you, Lord Christ
28-31 About eight days after saying this, he climbed the mountain to pray, taking Peter, John, and James along. While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white. At once two men were there talking with him. They turned out to be Moses and Elijah—and what a glorious appearance they made! They talked over his exodus, the one Jesus was about to complete in Jerusalem.
32-33 Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him. When Moses and Elijah had left, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, this is a great moment! Let’s build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He blurted this out without thinking.
34-35 While he was babbling on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them. As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him.”
36 When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless. And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ
Sermon
The Prayers
Because We Believe
Words adapted from Because We Believe, Don Moen
We believe in God the Father
We believe in Christ the Son
We believe in the Holy Spirit
We are the Church
And we stand as one
Holy holy, Holy is our God
Worthy worthy, Worthy is our King
All glory and honor are His to receive
To Jesus we sing, because we believe
We believe in the Living Scriptures
We believe in all peoples’ worth.
We believe in the resurrection
That Christ calls us
To protect the Earth.
Holy holy, Holy is our God
Worthy worthy, Worthy is our King
All glory and honor are His to receive
To Jesus we sing, because we believe.
We believe it’s love that saves us
That we’re all meant for divine rebirth.
We believe that beyond our vision
Is a boundless realm of joy and mirth.
Holy holy, Holy is our God
Worthy worthy, Worthy is our King
All glory and honor are His to receive
To Jesus we sing, because we believe.
Prayers of the People
We pray for the coming of a Living Community of Love.
You sent your Son to bring good news to the poor, sight to the blind, freedom to the captives and salvation to your people: anoint us with your Spirit; rouse us to work in Christ’s name.
God, by your Spirit
Unleash your domain.
Send us to bring help to the poor and freedom to the oppressed.
God, by your Spirit
Unleash your domain.
Send us to tell the world the good news of your healing love. We pray for those who are on the prayer list, ill, or suffering – naming them now either silently or aloud. (Pause)
God, by your Spirit
Let your realm arise.
Send us to those who mourn, to bring joy and gladness instead of grief. We remember those who have died, naming them now either silently or aloud. (Pause)
God, by your Spirit
Let your realm arise.
Send us to share your abundant blessing with those suffering from war, those displaced from their homes, those suffering from violence, hatred or abuse. We pray especially for those we name now, either silently or aloud. (Pause)
God, by your Spirit
Let your realm arise.
God, use us, imperfect as we are, to bring in your kingdom of mercy, justice, and peace. Empower us by your Spirit and unite us in your Son, that all our joy and delight may be to serve you, now and for ever. Amen.
The Peace
Announcements
The Holy Communion
God loves it when the giver delights in giving.
2 Corinthians 9:7
During the Offertory, a hymn, psalm, or anthem may be sung.
Doxology
(Words: Isaac Watts (1674-1748), para. of Psalm 117; Music: Old 100th, melody from Pseaumes octante trois de David, 1551, alt.; harm. after Louis Bourgeois (1510?-1561?); Licensed for Use: CCLI Copyright License 20716203; CCLI Streaming License 20716210
The Great Thanksgiving
The Great One is here.
God’s Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them into the Day-giver’s clear light.
Let us give thanks to our most Holy God.
It is right to offer thanks and praise.
We give you thanks, O God, for making your love visible since the very beginning of time. You spoke the word which replaced the darkness of chaos with life-giving light. This light has nurtured generations of people, creatures and plants, great and small. This same light nurtures the virtues and strengths of our human souls, and heals the pain and harm caused by cruelty, violence and hatred.
At a pivotal moment, you spoke the Word of Light which would, decisively, dispel the darkness of chaotic lives. Because you love the world, Jesus became flesh and lived among us full of grace and truth. The entire created order, with forces visible and invisible, join together in crying out their praise.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
To you indeed be glory, visible God, because on the night before he died, your Son, Jesus Christ, took bread; when he had given you thanks, he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said:
Take, eat, this is my body given for you; do this to remember me.
After supper he took the cup; when he had given you thanks, he gave it to them and said:
This cup is an unbreakable bond in my blood poured out for you; do this as often as you drink it to remember me.
And so in this great sacrament we celebrate and proclaim the mystery of our faith.
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come in glory.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on all gathered here, that we might be your light in the world.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and wine, that we might be infused with the gift of your nourishing guidance. Transform us with your nourishing grace, as we eat of this bread and drink of this wine. Transfigure us to be your presence in the world, as we are redeemed and reclaimed by your great love.
By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in service to the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at the heavenly banquet.
Through Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever more. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, in the words that Jesus taught us, we pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven. hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kindgom 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.
Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
Songwriter: John B Foley; One Bread, One Body lyrics © Epoch Universal Publications Inc
The congregation receives communion.
Prayer after Communion
Gracious God, you are the author and giver of all good things. We give you thanks for the gift of life, for the meal we shared, and for reconnecting us as your people. Keep us nourished by this meal and this community. Keep us grounded in the ways in which you feed us, and in the ways we are all hungry. We pray these things through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Blessing
May the path that Christ walks to bring justice upon the earth, to bring light to those who sit in darkness, to bring out those who live in bondage, to bring new things to all creation: may this path run through our life. May we be the road Christ takes.
Closing Hymn
Dismissal
Some prayers taken from The Church of England and https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2012/11/epiphany-worship-resource-index.html