Epiphany 1A
Epiphany 2A
Epiphany 3A
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Epiphany Year A LECTIONARY GENERATED LITURGY Epiphany Year A Isaiah 60: 1-6; Psalm 72: 1-7,10-14; Ephesians 3: 1-12; Matthew 2: 1-12 Rec. text- NRSV Hymns are from the Australian Hymn Book (AHB) or Together in Song (TIS) unless otherwise indicated. Worship Leader - normal type. Congregational responses - bold type Permission is granted to churches to use this material in services of worship. This liturgy remains the property of Moira B Laidlaw Additional resources for Epiphany A: Three decorated boxes (see below); Australian Images, Aub Podlich, Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide, 1986; All Together OK, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 1996; Five Australian Christmas Carols -Second Set. Words by John Wheeler, music by William G James,Chappell & Co, Ltd.London & Sydney; As One Voice, Volume 2, Willow Connection Pty Ltd, Manly Vale, NSW 2093, 1997; Australian Prayers.,Bruce D.Prewer, Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide, South Australia, 1983; Australian Psalms, Bruce D Prewer, Openbook Publishers, Adelaide, 2000. CALL TO WORSHIP: Read ‘Worship the Son’ p 94f. in Australian Images or Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you...even though nations are still in darkness...on you the light of God will shine...the brightness of God’s presence will be with you. Based on Isaiah 60: 1,2. TIS 291/AHB 216: “Earth has many a noble city” TIS 454/AHB 382: “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” ALL TOGETHER OK 315: “Drawn to the light” TIS 274/AHB 202: “The people that in darkness walked” PRAYER OF PRAISE AND ADORATION God of all time, we praise and adore you for breaking into the darkness of this world with the glorious light of your presence. A light which made your love for the world visible in the babe born in Bethlehem - Jesus Christ, your Son, our Saviour. A light which guided those gift-bearing travellers from afar to find and worship the Christ-child. A light which leads us to you, now revealed in Jesus Christ. We pray that you will accept our worship for it arises from hearts and minds in awe over the enormity of your gift to us of pure love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen A WORD WITH CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE Three boxes each covered in fancy paper - in the first one have a heart cut out of red paper/card; in the second a picture of praying hands and in the third - a handkerchief. Three children/young people to bring forward the three decorated boxes Tell the story of Matthew 2: 1-12 in your own words and explain the meaning of the gifts brought by the wise men: gold - a precious gift fit for a king; frankincense, or incense, a gift for a priest as it was in the worship in the temple that this was used; and myrrh - a gift - a sweet-smelling ointment used when people died. So - the gifts have been understood throughout the ages to signify Jesus as the true King, the perfect High Priest, and as Saviour - the one who died for us. Then say - I wonder what gifts like these might we bring to Jesus today? The three boxes are brought forward. Open the first one - saying something like “I wonder if there’s gold in this like the gift the wise men brought?” Lift the heart out and ask what might be meant by it - love - more precious than gold. We can’t put love in a box because it is only seen in action. Open the second and take out the praying hands - which means our prayers and our worship - the opportunity to learn more about Jesus and his love for us; open third box - ask what could a handkerchief possibly mean Hopefully answers might relate to our compassion for people who are hurting or grieving. Bringing these gifts to Jesus is not something we only do on one day of the year - like today - we spend all our lives offering these gifts as a response to God’s love for us revealed in Jesus. FIVE AUSTRALIAN CHRISTMAS CAROLS Second Set: “Noel Time” TIS 314/AHB239: “As with gladness men of old” TIS 311/AHB 236: “Silent night, holy night” TIS 329: “Funny kind of night” PRAYER OF CONFESSION The radiance of a star guided the travellers to the feet of Jesus where they offered their most precious gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh. You have given us more than a star, O God, to guide us - you have revealed your glory and your love in the person of Jesus - Light of the world. As we offer our thanks for such wondrous gifts to us, we recognise our responsibility to be bearers of his light and love into the areas of people’s lives darkened by pain and fear, poverty and oppression, sorrow and hopelessness. We confess the times when we choose to go our own way rather than be guided by you - the times when we are reluctant to allow the power and radiance of Christ to flow through us. Strengthen us with your Spirit to follow wherever you lead us and to reveal your glory and love through all we do and say. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS The God who ‘judges people with righteousness, defends the cause of the poor and gives deliverance to the needy’ (Psalm 72 1,4) cleanses us from sin - for - “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Thanks be to God! OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 60: 1-6 EPISTLE: Ephesians 3: 1-12 GOSPEL: Matthew 2: 1-12 SERMON ALL TOGETHER OK 313/AS ONE VOICE vol.2 3: “Christ be our light” TIS 745: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God” TIS 447/AHB 61: “Lord, your almighty word” TIS 238/AHB 179: “Christ is the world’s true light” PRAYERS FOR OTHERS ‘Searching and Finding’ page 43 in Australian Prayers; “Epiphany” page 113f., in Australian Psalms. OFFERING OFFERTORY PRAYER Instead of gold and frankincense and myrrh, we bring to you, O God, the treasures you have first given to us - our hearts, minds and bodies, to be used in your service. We offer these gifts - of money and our lives - as signs of our total giving, praying that they will be used to herald the coming of your kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. TIS 528: “The Son of God proclaim” TIS 526/AHB 451: “Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us” TIS 503: “Robe yourself, my soul, in gladness” verses 1, 4, 5. SHARING A SIGN OF PEACE The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. And also with you. People exchange a sign of peace THE GREAT THANKSGIVING We give you thanks, O God, for making your love evident since the very beginning of time when you spoke the word which replaced the darkness of chaos with life-giving light. A light which has nurtured generations of people, and plants and creatures, great and small. A light which also revealed the fear and powerlessness caused by corrupt and evil actions. And so you spoke the Word which would once and for all dispel the darkness of chaotic lives. Through your love for the world the Word became flesh and lived among us full of grace and truth. The angels carolled glory to you in the highest heavens and peace to all people on earth, and we join with them and with all people to praise your holy name : Holy Lord, God of endless love, heaven and earth are surely full of your glory. The angels sang of it - we have been lavished with it. Blessed is he who was born that we might have life. Glory to God and on earth peace to all people. Holy God, as the travellers with their treasures were overwhelmed with joy on finding Jesus, so we also are overwhelmed on finding out the depth of his love for us. For Jesus showed just how beloved we are to him, by loving us and giving himself for us. On that night when he gave himself up for us, as he sat at the table and broke bread with his friends, he said: ‘Take and eat; this is my body which is broken for you. Remember me each time you do this.’ After they had eaten, he took the cup, and said: ‘Remember me as you drink from this, for it is my life, poured out for you - the beginning of a new relationship with God.’ Send the power of your Holy Spirit upon these gifts of bread and wine, O God, that we may experience the presence of the Word-made-flesh - Jesus Christ. Breathe your Spirit in us that we may be one body with him - living out his ministry in the world today and every day. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen THE LORD’S PRAYER BREAKING THE BREAD We break this bread and take this cup so that we can all share in the life of Christ. God’s gifts for God’s people. LAMB OF GOD THE COMMUNION PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Most gracious God, source of all blessing, we give you thanks for inviting us to share this meal as your family. Strengthen us to be a blessing to one another and to all people, glorifying you in everything we do and say, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. TIS 304/AHB 228: “O come, all ye faithful” verses 1,4,5,6,7. In verse 7, replace ‘this happy morning’ with ‘that happy morning’ TIS 545: “Shout for joy! the Lord has let us feast” TIS 496/AHB 417: “Strengthen for service, Lord, the hands the holy things have taken” BENEDICTION The Light has pierced our darkness. Go in the name of God - Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, to follow that light. We follow with our gifts and our lives. |