08A – Epiphany

07A - Christmas 2A09A - Baptism of Jesus
 
See also my post from 2017, 2020
 
PSALM 72:1-14 
O God, give your justice to the king,
and your righteousness to the son of the king.
May he judge your people with honesty,
and your poor with godliness.
May the mountains bring forth prosperity for the people,
and the heights your acts of justice.
May he vindicate the poor of the people,
rescue the needy, and defeat oppression.
May he live all the days of the sun,
and until the moon is no more, for all generations.
May he be like the rain on new-mown hay,
like gentle rain on parched earth.
May justice flourish in his days
and well-being abound until the moon passes away.
May he rule from sea to sea,
from the River to the ends of the earth.
May his foes shrink in his presence
and his enemies lick the dust.May the kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute,
the kings of Sheba and Seba offer a gift,
and may all the kings bow down before him,
and all the peoples serve him.
For he will rescue the needy crying for help
and the wretched who have no helper;
he will pity the poor and needy
and the lives of the needy he will deliver.
He will redeem their lives from oppression and violence
and their blood will be precious in his sight.

OFFERING
Gracious God,
with great joy the wise ones of the East
offered Jesus their gifts,
gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Following them,
we offer our gifts and our lives,
to be used to defend the cause of the poor
and deliver the needy. Amen.

For use in worship, with acknowledgement. © Jeff Shrowder 2000, 2013.


A CREATIVE MOMENT – Matthew 2:1-12 
Decorate the table at the centre/focus of the worship space with three objects which suitably represent the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, together with a purple cloth draped from the table to the floor.
A shallow bowl of sand and small rocks/stones on the table might symbolise the desert distances travelled by the wise men. Perhaps a lighted candle set in the sand could symbolise the light of the star they followed.

Click here for some ideas for worship at Epiphany gleaned from the pages of “On the Move” (now out of print), originally published by the Joint Board of Christian Education, Melbourne, Australia.


THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer, usually with connection to one or more of the lections for the day, to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession. Sometimes this prayer also borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)

Light of the world,
deep mystery of the cosmos whom we name God,
be a sustaining presence
to those we name on our lips
and in our silence…
And for ourselves,
pour out your Spirit of grace
that our living might shed the light
of Jesus whom we follow…
         (The Prayers of the People continue)


Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
Or metrical psalms? Try Dale A. Schoening’s Sing the Psalms

HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR EPIPHANY
Blessed Jesus, at your word TIS 437
God, your glory we have seen in your Son TIS 461
In Christ there is no east or west TIS 459
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun TIS 207
Joy to the world, the Lord is come TIS 268
Let earth and heaven combine TIS 305
Now to the Lord a noble song TIS 113
O bless the God of Israel TIS 284
Praise the Lord, all you nations TIS 73
The people that in darkness walked TIS 274
To us a child of royal birth TIS 308
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness TIS 454
Isaiah 60:1-6
Joyful the morning when Jesus Christ is TIS 383
Lord Jesus, if the same you are TIS 566
Lord, your almighty word TIS 447
The advent of our God TIS 271
Wake, awake! for night is flying TIS 266
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Earth has many a noble city TIS 291
Jesus shall reign where’er the sun TIS 207
When morning gilds the skies TIS 227
Ephesians 3:1-12
All hail the power of Jesus’ name TIS 224
Christ is the heavenly food that gives TIS 522
Have faith in God my heart TIS 619
How deep the riches of our God TIS 167
Make me a captive Lord TIS 604
Sing a new song, sing a new song TIS 166
Matthew 2:1-12
Angels from the realms of glory TIS 309
As with gladness men of old TIS 314
Come, your hearts and voices raising TIS 297
Earth has many a noble city TIS 291
Funny kind of night TIS 329
Hail to the Lord’s anointed TIS 275
O come, all ye faithful TIS 304
O little town of Bethlehem TIS 316
The Virgin Mary had a baby boy TIS 307
When God almighty came to be one of us TIS 281

Leave a Reply