EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series III, Cycle A
CALL TO WORSHIP
Give homage to the Christ. Bring him your treasures and offer him your gifts.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of justice and peace, for some of us it is difficult to determine whether we are among the oppressors or the oppressed. We declare our belief in justice, hut are concerned mostly for our own rights and not always for the rights of others. Your anointed One came to help those who are needy and to give judgment for the suffering. Though we are loyal to him in principle we are not always with him in practice. Forgive such hypocrisy, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Through Jesus Christ, we who are not Jews may share with them God's promise. Friends, believe the Good News! In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
EXHORTATION
Pass on the Good News. It is no longer a secret to be kept from anyone. The whole human race may be part of the body of Christ, His Church.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Give us the courage, divine Ruler, if ever we must choose between obedience to earthly or heavenly monarch, to be obedient to the heavenly vision. Free us from being yoked with any oppressor, that we may he among the nations that march toward your light, shining in Jesus Christ. Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
We rejoice with the prophet, your prophet, O God, who sees the vision of the new Jerusalem. We look for the day when the city of God on earth will he the gathering of the world's children in a city of light. Though there is darkness covering the earth and dark night the nations, the glory, your glory, shall appear. To your presence will march the nations, and rulers to your rising with the radiance of the sun. In such visions that lighten our darkness, we are overjoyed, like the Magi in seeing the star. Amen.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Gold,frankincense and myrrh are not our gifts, hut what we have is yours to use, O Christ, in the support of your church and in the service of others. Amen.
PSALM 72:1-7,10-14
Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to a king's son.
May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice.
May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness.
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.
May he live while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth.
In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound,
until the moon is no more.
May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute,
may the kings of Sheha and Seha bring gifts.
May all kings fall down before him,
all nations give him service.
For he delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
From oppression and violence he redeems their life;
and precious is their blood in his sight.
Give homage to the Christ. Bring him your treasures and offer him your gifts.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of justice and peace, for some of us it is difficult to determine whether we are among the oppressors or the oppressed. We declare our belief in justice, hut are concerned mostly for our own rights and not always for the rights of others. Your anointed One came to help those who are needy and to give judgment for the suffering. Though we are loyal to him in principle we are not always with him in practice. Forgive such hypocrisy, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News! Through Jesus Christ, we who are not Jews may share with them God's promise. Friends, believe the Good News! In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
EXHORTATION
Pass on the Good News. It is no longer a secret to be kept from anyone. The whole human race may be part of the body of Christ, His Church.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Give us the courage, divine Ruler, if ever we must choose between obedience to earthly or heavenly monarch, to be obedient to the heavenly vision. Free us from being yoked with any oppressor, that we may he among the nations that march toward your light, shining in Jesus Christ. Amen.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
We rejoice with the prophet, your prophet, O God, who sees the vision of the new Jerusalem. We look for the day when the city of God on earth will he the gathering of the world's children in a city of light. Though there is darkness covering the earth and dark night the nations, the glory, your glory, shall appear. To your presence will march the nations, and rulers to your rising with the radiance of the sun. In such visions that lighten our darkness, we are overjoyed, like the Magi in seeing the star. Amen.
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Gold,frankincense and myrrh are not our gifts, hut what we have is yours to use, O Christ, in the support of your church and in the service of others. Amen.
PSALM 72:1-7,10-14
Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to a king's son.
May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice.
May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness.
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.
May he live while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth.
In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound,
until the moon is no more.
May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute,
may the kings of Sheha and Seha bring gifts.
May all kings fall down before him,
all nations give him service.
For he delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.
He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
From oppression and violence he redeems their life;
and precious is their blood in his sight.
