Epiphany | Three Kings (January 10, 2021)
Please participate in the following liturgy, reading aloud all the parts in bold italics.
Call to Worship
From Isaiah 60:1-6
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you…
They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.”
Bright Morning Star,
your light has come,
and the birth of Jesus has overwhelmed us with joy.
Like the magi of long ago,
may we be drawn to you and offer you such gifts as we are able.
Amen.
Song: One Blood
O God, you have made us
All of one blood
And sent us Your blessed Son
Proclaiming Your kingdom,
Justice and peace
He’s calling to everyone
The far and the near may come
Let the nations of the earth
Seek after You and find you
Let our neighbors see in us Your love
Pour out Your Spirit, Pour out Your Spirit
Pour out Your Spirit upon all people
Hasten the coming, Hasten the coming
Hasten the coming of Your kingdom
Prayers of the People
For our nation:
God of revelation, your splendor shines from a manger, where the Light of life is humbly born into the darkness of human night. As you did in Bethlehem, draw once more a nation far from you to yourself. Open our collective eyes to Christ’s presence in the shadows of our present reality, and pour out your spirit on the pain of our country. Lead us by another way that this year may be one of repentance, healing, truth-telling, justice, and forgiveness.
Lift up your prayers for our country and its leaders
Lord in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
For Christ’s Church:
Dispel the darkness that shrouds our path, that we may come to kneel before Christ in true worship. Like him, may we become beacons of your justice, and defenders of all for whom there is no room. And may we return from the revelation of Christ’s presence as a people changed to live as he has taught.
Lift up your prayers for followers of Jesus gathered around the world
Lord in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
2021 Parish Plans: Middle School Ministry
Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-12
“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’
When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.”’
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 being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”
The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to You, Lord Christ
Epiphany: Three Kings
Confession & Assurance
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in Your will,
and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Name.
Amen.
Silent confession (space to confess our sins and wait in God’s presence).
Almighty God have mercy on you,
forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.
Amen.
The Great Thanksgiving
Now let’s draw near in the presence of our Savior.
The Lord be with you!
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts!
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
And so this day, we join with Saints and Angels
in the chorus of praise that rings through eternity,
lifting our voices to bless you we say:
Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God Almighty
heaven and earth are full of Your glory,
Glory to you, O Lord most high.
Eucharist & Sacrament of Desire
On the night he was betrayed, took bread,
and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,
“This is my body given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way he took the cup saying,
“This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.”
Now, Lord, we pray that in your mercy and goodness, in the power of your Holy Spirit, you would sanctify this bread and wine to be for us the sacrament of the body and blood of Your Son.
Is the Father with us?
He is.
Is Christ among us?
He is.
Is the Spirit here?
He is.
This is our God.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We are his people.
We are redeemed.
Therefore by taking this bread & drinking this cup,
we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
These are the gifts of God for the People of God. Take them in remembrance that Christ died for you, And feed on him in your hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.
Alternatively, for those who are not receiving communion, the Sacrament of Desire may be prayed.
Sacrament of Desire
Now, in union, O Lord with the faithful at every altar of Your Church,
I present to You my soul and body
with the earnest prayer that I will remain united to you.
And since I cannot now receive You sacramentally,
I pray that you would come to me spiritually.
I unite myself to you, and embrace you with my soul’s affection.
Let nothing separate me from you,
that I may live and die in Your love.
Amen.
Song: None But Jesus
In the quiet, in the stillness
I know that You are God
In the secret of Your presence
I know there I am restored
When You call I won’t refuse
Each new day again I’ll choose
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
In the chaos, in confusion
I know You’re sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will
When You call I won’t delay
This my song through all my days
There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise
All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope, all of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord forever more
Community Life
The Home Stretch (Host a Parish Sunday Broadcast From Your Home)
- If you’d like to host the broadcast of the Sunday morning zoom gatherings in your home in 2021, we’d love to hear from you.
- The only specific needs are reliable wifi and an open space for 3-5 people. Jordan and David take care of the rest with their audio/video equipment.
- Sign up now at thepari.sh/host
Chalking the Door – A Parish Epiphany Tradition
- Each year as Epiphany season kicks off, we invite our Parish family to join in on a fun and meaningful tradition called “Chalking the Door.” This is a way to celebrate the occasion of the Epiphany and to ask God’s blessing on our lives, our homes, and those who visit our homes throughout the new year.
- We’ve put together a guide on Chalking the Door that also includes a few other family activities. Download it here.
Support The Parish
- We’re so grateful for the faithful financial giving of those who call The Parish home. If you gave in 2020 and recently moved, please send your updated mailing address to morganseidel@parishanglican.org so we can be sure your giving statement makes it to you.
- The start of a new year might be a great time to take a next step in the spiritual practice of giving. You can manage or set up giving securely online at thepari.sh/give
The Cross of Christ
All our problems,
We send to the cross of Christ!
All our difficulties,
We send to the cross of Christ!
All the devil’s works,
We send to the cross of Christ!
And all our hopes,
We set on the Risen Christ!
Blessing & Sending
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among people,
to make music in the heart.
(Howard Thurman)
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
