Sunday, January 2, 2022 Epiphany Sunday
Watch this Service at: www.graceunitedthornbury.ca/live
Leading us today in worship:
Minister: Rev. Christine Smaller
Music Director: Dr. Christopher Burton
Lay Leaders: Tabatha Weller & Mike Weller
Choir Members: Marilyn & Paul Parkin
Leader: regular font ~ All: bold font ~ Sung Words: bold italic font
Prelude:
Two-Part Inventions ~ J.S. Bach
Welcome & Territorial Acknowledgement
Call to Worship:
We come to this place—
each of us on our own path.
The path is winding,
and the path is not always clear,
and the path changes,
but we are here.
God is walking us home.
What a gift it is to not walk alone.
Let us worship Holy God.
Prayer of Confession:
God of changed plans,
The Magi heard in a dream that they were to take a new way home—a different path, an untraveled road. And to our amazement, they did just that. The Magi packed their bags and went home by another way.
We wish that change could be easy for us, but more often than not, when whispers of change come, we tend to clench our fists and hold on tighter.
Forgive us for resisting change that might be holy.
Forgive us for ignoring that there is more than one road home.
Forgive us for failing to hear your invitation.
Guide our steps to unfamiliar places.
Gratefully we pray, amen.
Words of Forgiveness
No matter which roads we take in this one wild and precious life, God walks with us. God never leaves our side. When the road changes and we find ourselves on a new path home, God is always there.
So hear and believe this good news:
No matter where we go, no matter what we do, we are claimed, loved, and held by God.
Thanks be to God for a love like that.
Opening Hymn: VU 96 Will You Come and See the Light (Vs. 1, 2 & 3)
1. Will you come and see the light from the stable door?
It is shining newly bright, though it shone before.
It will be your guiding star, it will show you who you are;
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
2. Will you step into the light that can free the slave?
It will stand for what is right, it will heal and save.
By the pyramids of greed there's a longing to be freed;
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
3. Will you tell about the light in the prison cell?
Though it's shackled out of sight, it is shining well.
When the truth is cut and bruised, and the innocent abused,
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
Prayer for Illumination:
Holy God,
You speak to us in Scripture and in prayers,
in sunrises and sunsets,
in friends and in strangers,
in dreams and in songs.
You are speaking all the time,
and how often do we miss it?
Still our minds so that we can listen with a depth
that we have not heard before.
Still our hearts so that we can receive with open arms
what it is you are offering us today.
We know you are speaking,
so we are listening.
Gratefully we pray, amen.
Response:
The Word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
Reading: Matthew 2:7-12
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.
Musical Interlude:
Meditation on the Epiphany ~ C. Burton
The Fourth Magi Part 1
Hymn: VU 96 Will You Come and see the Light (Vs. 4 & 5)
4. Will you join the hope, alight in the young girl's eyes,
of the mighty put to flight by a baby's cries?
When the lowest and the least are the foremost at the feast,
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
5. Will you travel by the light of the babe new born?
In the candle lit at night there's a gleam of dawn,
and the darkness all about is too dim to put it out:
will you hide, or decide to meet the light?
The Fourth Magi Part 2
Hymn: VU 91 The First Nowell
1. The first Nowell the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields where they lay a-keeping their sheep
on a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
2. They looked up and saw a star,
shining in the east, beyond them far;
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
3. And by the light of that same star
three wise men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
4. This star drew nigh to the northwest;
o’er Bethlehem it took its rest,
and there it did both stop and stay,
right over the place where Jesus lay.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
The Fourth Magi Part 3
Hymn: VU 87 I Am the Light of the World
Refrain:
“I am the light of the world!
You people come and follow me!”
If you follow and love
you’ll learn the mystery of
what you are meant to do and be.
1. When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and the shepherds
have found their way home,
the work of Christmas is begun:
Refrain:
“I am the light of the world!
You people come and follow me!”
If you follow and love
you’ll learn the mystery of
what you are meant to do and be.
2. To find the lost and lonely one,
to heal the broken soul with love,
to feed the hungry children
with warmth and good food,
to feel the earth below, the sky above!
Refrain:
“I am the light of the world!
You people come and follow me!”
If you follow and love
you’ll learn the mystery of
what you are meant to do and be.
3. To free the prisoner from all chains,
to make the powerful care,
to rebuild the nations with strength of good will,
to see God’s children everywhere!
Refrain:
“I am the light of the world!
You people come and follow me!”
If you follow and love
you’ll learn the mystery of
what you are meant to do and be.
4. To bring hope to every task you do,
to dance at a baby’s new birth,
to make music in an old person’s heart,
and sing to the colours of the earth!
Refrain:
“I am the light of the world!
You people come and follow me!”
If you follow and love
you’ll learn the mystery of
what you are meant to do and be.
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer:
As a child turns to a loving caregiver who watches over them, we turn in prayer to you O God, who are our heavenly parent, our mother,
Our Father who art in heaven…
Passing the Peace:
The Peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Everyone is invited to share the peace of Christ by offering a message in the chat box.
You may also wish to think of someone you would like to pass the peace to this week.
Music while we share the Peace of Christ:
Prelude in B minor ~ F. Chopin
Invitation to the Offering
Prayer of Dedication:
God of new beginnings,
We offer these gifts to you today because we love you.
The world will tell us to keep our money to ourselves,
to hold it tight, to tuck it away,
but just as the Magi made a different choice,
we make a different choice.
Instead, we give what we have,
trusting that when we live like we belong to one another,
we will see a better world.
So take these gifts
and use them for your good.
With hope we pray, amen.
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Care, Prayer, Share
Announcements:
Closing Hymn: VU 43 Go Tell it on the Mountain
Refrain:
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
1. While shepherds kept their watching
o’er silent flocks by night,
behold, throughout the heavens
there shone a holy light.
Refrain
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
2. The shepherds feared and trembled
when lo, above the earth
rang out the angel chorus
that hailed our Saviour‘s birth!
Refrain:
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
3. Down in a lowly manger
the humble Christ was born,
and God sent our salvation
that blessed Christmas morn.
Refrain:
Go, tell it on the mountain,
over the hills and everywhere.
Go, tell it on the mountain
that Jesus Christ is born.
Commissioning and Benediction
Sung Blessing:
May the blessing of God be upon you.
May God’s love light all your way.
May the grace of Christ enfold you
and peace around you stay.
May the Spirit of God dwell within you.
May you live in joy each day.
Postlude:
Sonata in F Major Opus 10 #2 1st Mov’t ~ L. van Beethoven
*****
RESOURCES USED (all with permission):
Prayers and Liturgies:
- All Prayers: Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC
- | sanctifiedart.org.”
Hymns and Sung Responses:
- “Will You Come and See the Light.” Words: Brian Wren 1989. Music: Traditional Scottish melody; arr. Valerie Ruddle 1993. Words and arrangement copyright © 1993 Hope Publishing Company One License #608577.
- “The First Nowell:” Words: English traditional carol, ca. 17th century, alt. Music: English traditional melody; harm. John Stainer 1871; desc. and harm. Healey Willan 1926 Refrain harmony and descant copyright ©1926 Oxford University Press. Inc. One License #608577
- “ I Am the Light of the World:” Words: Jim Strathdee 1967. Music: Jim Strathdee 1967. Words and music copyright© 1969 Desert Flower Music. One License # 608577
- “Go Tell It On The Mountain:” Words: John Wesley Work 1907. Music: African-American Spiritual 19th century, arr. United reformed Church (U.K.) Arrangement copyright © United reform Church. By permission of Oxford University Press. One Licence #608577
- “May the Blessing of God Be Upon You:” Words: R. Gordon Nodwell 1989. Music: William H.M. Wright 1989.Words copyright © 1995 R. Gordon Nodwell. Music copyright © 1995 William H.M. Wright.
Scripture Passage from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.
Prelude: Two-Part Inventions ~ J.S. Bach
Interlude: Meditation on the Epiphany ~ C. Burton
Passing of the Peace: Prelude in B minor ~ F. Chopin
Postlude: Sonata in F Major Opus 10 #2 1st Mov’t ~ L. van Beethoven
All in Public Domain
