The Epiphany Of Our Lord
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series III, Cycle A
Object:
Opening Prayer/Invocation
P: Your light has come upon us, O God, and your glory in the cries of an infant. Rule now in our hearts, that we might look to you and be glad. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Offertory Prayer
A: We open our treasure chests, O God, and place before you all the gifts befitting a king.
C: Make us to be as wise as the Magi, that our actions might pay you homage, and our wealth be used to bring others joy. We pray in the name of the King of kings, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Intercessory Prayers
Have a bowl filled with sand in front of the altar and give each parishoner a taper. People can come forward, light them from the votive candles that ring the altar, and place them in the sand after different intercessions. Not all congregants are able to articulate their prayers publicly, but hopefully all can open their hearts before God. May this act of lighting a candle be a sign of such faith.
After each petition:
L: O God of every time and place,
C: we proclaim you as our King.
Benediction
P: Shepherd of our hearts, rule our lives and fill our homes with your joy.
May your light make all things new.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Dismissal
A: Live boldly and with confidence,
for the one who is the source of all light
shines brightly on you.
C: Thanks be to God!
Hymns And Songs
Bright And Glorious Is The Sky -- LBW 75; MBW 319
As With Gladness Men Of Old -- LBW 82; PH 63; MBW 190; G&P 339
Brightest And Best Of The Stars Of The Morning -- LBW 84; PH 67; MBW 317; GATHER 278
Beautiful Savior (Fairest Lord Jesus) -- LBW 518; UMH 189; PH 306; MBW 470
We Three Kings Of Orient Are -- WOV 646; UMH 254; PH 66; G&P 333
Arise, Your Light Has Come -- WOV 652; PH 411
Sister Mary -- TFF 60
The Lord Is My Light -- TFF 61; GATHER 429
May God Bless Us (sing as the Benediction) -- TFF 162
De Tierra Lejana Venimos/From A Distant Home -- UMH 243; PH 64; MBW 322
We Would See Jesus -- UMH 256
Bring We The Frankincense Of Our Love -- PH 62
What Star Is This, With Beams So Bright -- PH 68
Lord, Today -- GATHER 279; G&P 338
Child Of The Poor -- G&P 336
Psalm Settings
Hail To The Lord's Anointed -- LBW 87; PH 205; MBW 263
Psalm 72 -- PH 204
Psalm 72: Every Nation On Earth -- GATHER 67
Kyrie Guarany -- GATHER 405
Justice Shall Flourish/Lord, Every Nation -- G&P 220
Choral Music
"Alleluia" -- Thomas Pasatieri (Theodore Presser)
"Arise, Shine, For Thy Light Has Come" -- Kenneth Jennings (Augsburg)
"Morning Star, Your Cheering Light" -- (MBW 323)
"When A Star Is Shining Over Eastern Hills" -- Kathy Powell (GIA)
Liturgical Dance
Cut PVC pipe in varying lengths from four to six feet. With thin wire, attach multiple Chrismons to the pipe. Have your taller dancers, or even robed choir members dance around a few processing Magi who are bearing gifts. Your Magi may be in ancient or in modern dress, but glittering jewels are essential. (Crowns are an option.) Wherever you are standing to read the gospel, have the Chrismons shining over you.
Liturgical Art For The Epiphany Season
During this dark wintertime in many of our North American parishes, the starlight that guided the Magi is most welcome. Some churches light their ceilings with long strings of small white Christmas lights that are draped in white gauze strips, giving a soft glow. For Transfiguration the gauze may be removed. Then for Ash Wednesday the lights can be completely removed.
On Epiphany Sunday, a multitude of small white candles in clear glass votives might line the front top of the altar. A white altar cloth made with the fine old laces from pillowcases and doilies of members might catch the light of the candle from above. This cloth would again be used on Transfiguration Sunday.
For the three "green" Sundays in between, a handmade gray-green altar cloth with the blue handprints of children could emphasize the Baptism of our Lord, as well as differ from the Pentecostal green paraments of summer and autumn. Some pastors use a branch from the Christmas tree or a fresh evergreen bough to sprinkle the congregation with water from the font to renew their baptisms. Flowers or greens can be laid on the baptismal font. The processional cross might also be adorned with branches from the Christmas tree.
The gospel for the last Sunday in January is about Jesus calling the fishermen to be his disciples. It is also the Sunday that three women of the church, Lydia, Dorcas, and Phoebe, are remembered for their charitable works. Robes (maybe reused from an Advent/Christmas drama), representing both the four fishermen, with draped nets and anchors, and the three women, with a broom and cooking or sewing utensils, can be hung from a long coat pole in the chancel area. The gospel for the following Sunday (Epiphany 4) is the Beatitudes, so these robes might remain as humble reminders of the compassion Jesus taught to us.
In mid-January, a poster of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. can be displayed in the narthex. For Transfiguration Sunday, a painting of Jesus on the mountaintop, such as Fra Anglico's Transfiguration (1387-1455), can be featured between floor-standing candles. The pastor might dialogue with this painting during their sermon. Another January option would be to give the teenagers and children of the congregation disposable cameras to take photographs of the beauty they find on our earth that transforms them. These images could be displayed on Transfiguration Sunday.
P: Your light has come upon us, O God, and your glory in the cries of an infant. Rule now in our hearts, that we might look to you and be glad. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Offertory Prayer
A: We open our treasure chests, O God, and place before you all the gifts befitting a king.
C: Make us to be as wise as the Magi, that our actions might pay you homage, and our wealth be used to bring others joy. We pray in the name of the King of kings, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Intercessory Prayers
Have a bowl filled with sand in front of the altar and give each parishoner a taper. People can come forward, light them from the votive candles that ring the altar, and place them in the sand after different intercessions. Not all congregants are able to articulate their prayers publicly, but hopefully all can open their hearts before God. May this act of lighting a candle be a sign of such faith.
After each petition:
L: O God of every time and place,
C: we proclaim you as our King.
Benediction
P: Shepherd of our hearts, rule our lives and fill our homes with your joy.
May your light make all things new.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
Dismissal
A: Live boldly and with confidence,
for the one who is the source of all light
shines brightly on you.
C: Thanks be to God!
Hymns And Songs
Bright And Glorious Is The Sky -- LBW 75; MBW 319
As With Gladness Men Of Old -- LBW 82; PH 63; MBW 190; G&P 339
Brightest And Best Of The Stars Of The Morning -- LBW 84; PH 67; MBW 317; GATHER 278
Beautiful Savior (Fairest Lord Jesus) -- LBW 518; UMH 189; PH 306; MBW 470
We Three Kings Of Orient Are -- WOV 646; UMH 254; PH 66; G&P 333
Arise, Your Light Has Come -- WOV 652; PH 411
Sister Mary -- TFF 60
The Lord Is My Light -- TFF 61; GATHER 429
May God Bless Us (sing as the Benediction) -- TFF 162
De Tierra Lejana Venimos/From A Distant Home -- UMH 243; PH 64; MBW 322
We Would See Jesus -- UMH 256
Bring We The Frankincense Of Our Love -- PH 62
What Star Is This, With Beams So Bright -- PH 68
Lord, Today -- GATHER 279; G&P 338
Child Of The Poor -- G&P 336
Psalm Settings
Hail To The Lord's Anointed -- LBW 87; PH 205; MBW 263
Psalm 72 -- PH 204
Psalm 72: Every Nation On Earth -- GATHER 67
Kyrie Guarany -- GATHER 405
Justice Shall Flourish/Lord, Every Nation -- G&P 220
Choral Music
"Alleluia" -- Thomas Pasatieri (Theodore Presser)
"Arise, Shine, For Thy Light Has Come" -- Kenneth Jennings (Augsburg)
"Morning Star, Your Cheering Light" -- (MBW 323)
"When A Star Is Shining Over Eastern Hills" -- Kathy Powell (GIA)
Liturgical Dance
Cut PVC pipe in varying lengths from four to six feet. With thin wire, attach multiple Chrismons to the pipe. Have your taller dancers, or even robed choir members dance around a few processing Magi who are bearing gifts. Your Magi may be in ancient or in modern dress, but glittering jewels are essential. (Crowns are an option.) Wherever you are standing to read the gospel, have the Chrismons shining over you.
Liturgical Art For The Epiphany Season
During this dark wintertime in many of our North American parishes, the starlight that guided the Magi is most welcome. Some churches light their ceilings with long strings of small white Christmas lights that are draped in white gauze strips, giving a soft glow. For Transfiguration the gauze may be removed. Then for Ash Wednesday the lights can be completely removed.
On Epiphany Sunday, a multitude of small white candles in clear glass votives might line the front top of the altar. A white altar cloth made with the fine old laces from pillowcases and doilies of members might catch the light of the candle from above. This cloth would again be used on Transfiguration Sunday.
For the three "green" Sundays in between, a handmade gray-green altar cloth with the blue handprints of children could emphasize the Baptism of our Lord, as well as differ from the Pentecostal green paraments of summer and autumn. Some pastors use a branch from the Christmas tree or a fresh evergreen bough to sprinkle the congregation with water from the font to renew their baptisms. Flowers or greens can be laid on the baptismal font. The processional cross might also be adorned with branches from the Christmas tree.
The gospel for the last Sunday in January is about Jesus calling the fishermen to be his disciples. It is also the Sunday that three women of the church, Lydia, Dorcas, and Phoebe, are remembered for their charitable works. Robes (maybe reused from an Advent/Christmas drama), representing both the four fishermen, with draped nets and anchors, and the three women, with a broom and cooking or sewing utensils, can be hung from a long coat pole in the chancel area. The gospel for the following Sunday (Epiphany 4) is the Beatitudes, so these robes might remain as humble reminders of the compassion Jesus taught to us.
In mid-January, a poster of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. can be displayed in the narthex. For Transfiguration Sunday, a painting of Jesus on the mountaintop, such as Fra Anglico's Transfiguration (1387-1455), can be featured between floor-standing candles. The pastor might dialogue with this painting during their sermon. Another January option would be to give the teenagers and children of the congregation disposable cameras to take photographs of the beauty they find on our earth that transforms them. These images could be displayed on Transfiguration Sunday.
