Sunday, January 9, 2022 Epiphany of Our Lord, Year C
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Sunday, January 9, 2022 Epiphany of Our Lord, Year C
Worship Service for Sunday, January 9, 2022
Congregation responses are bold
Remember to be ready with your elements for communion.
Wine or grape juice, as well as any type of bread are most appropriate.
Prelude Carol of the Magi (J. Rutter) Dr. Carl Heine
Announcements Pastor Kathy Nolte
Invocation Pastor Kathy Nolte
On Epiphany day,
we are still the people walking.
We are still people in the dark,
and the darkness looms large around us,
beset as we are by fear,
anxiety,
brutality,
violence,
loss —
a dozen alienations that we cannot manage.
We are — we could be — people of your light.
So we pray for the light of your glorious presence
as we wait for your appearing;
we pray for the light of your wondrous grace
as we exhaust our coping capacity;
we pray for your gift of newness that
will override our weariness;
we pray that we may see and know and hear and trust
in your good rule.
That we may have energy, courage, and freedom to enact
your rule through the demands of this day.
We submit our day to you and to your rule,
with deep joy and high hope.Gathering Hymn O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright (v1-2) ELW 308
Dr. Carl Heine & Distance ChoirGreeting Pastor Kathy Nolte
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Opening Prayer Pastor Kathy Nolte
Reading Isaiah 60:1-6 Rose Mabwa
A reading from the book of Isaiah
1Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
2For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
3Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
5Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
6A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord."
Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God!Reading Rose Mabwa
Just as the shepherds represent my instinctual self,
the magi represent my reason.
I'm much stronger in reason than instinct.
I understand the Magi occupying themselves
with maps and charts and esoteric scrolls
and interpreting books and cyphers and symbols.
Unlike the shepherds
who saw the sky dissolve right over them,
the magi prepared themselves
like athletes for the moment of grace.
It's a wonder they ever looked up from their desks
to catch the Star blazing from the heavens.
They prepared for every hardship of the journey
across deserts, mountains, and plains,
for the occasional caravansary or watering site,
for weakness, fatigue, boredom, and hardness of heart.
It takes a wise person
to know enough to go the distance,
pace by pace,
keeping perspective.
While I need to learn
what the shepherds have to teach me
about being present to the moment,
I cultivate the friendship of the Magi, too,
because their wisdom and poise
can guide me
through many an unlikely landscape
toward my destination.
I don't need to wait for the sky to open in front of me.
On any day,
I can wake up and choose to journey toward God.Children’s Message Pastor Kathy Nolte
Gospel Matthew 2:1-12 Bishop Yehiel Curry
The Holy Gospel according to Matthew, the 2nd Chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord.
1
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men
from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, “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.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with
him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired
of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea;
for so it has been written by the prophet:
6
‘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.’ ”
7
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact
time when the star had appeared. 8Then 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.” 9When 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. 10When they saw that the star had
stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On 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. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for
their own country by another road.
The Gospel of our Lord, Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon Bishop Yehiel CurryHymn of the Day "Star in the East" (Southern Harmony)
Please hum only. Words provided for meditation. Dr. Carl Heine & Distance Choir
Verse 1: Hail the bless’d morn, see the great Mediator
down from the region of glory descend!
Shepherds, go worship the babe in the manger,
lo, for his guard the bright angels attend.
Refrain: Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid.
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Verse 2: Shall we not yield him, in costly devotion,
fragrance of Edom and off’rings divine,
gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
myrrh from the forest or gold from the mine? Refrain
Verse 3: Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
vainly with gifts would his favor secure.
Richer by far is the heart’s adoration,
dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. Refrain
Prayers of Intercession James Brainer
Offering Prayer Pastor Kathy Nolte
Sharing of the Peace Pastor Kathy Nolte
The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.Communion Pastor Kathy Nolte
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.
Lord’s Prayer Pastor Kathy Nolte
Abba Imma/Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
your will be done,on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Invitation to Communion Pastor Kathy Nolte
Christ's table is ready for our banquet feast of joy and love
All are invited to commune.
The body of Christ given for you.
The blood of Christ shed for you.
May the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ,
bless you and keep you in God’s grace.
Post Communion Prayer Pastor Kathy Nolte
Benediction Pastor Kathy NolteClosing Hymn "I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light" ELW 815
Dr. Carl Heine & Distance ChoirDismissal Pastor Kathy Nolte
Go tell the world. Rejoice in Christ our Savior.
Thanks be to God!
Postlude "Sihayama" (We Are Marching in the Light of God) (arr. C. Heine)
Dr. Carl Heine
Cover art, Post Communion Prayer and Benediction by Sundaysandseasons.com; Invocation written by Walter
Brueggemann (b. 1933), in Prayers for a Privileged People (Nashville: Abingdon, 2008), p. 163. Posted on Journey with
Jesus. http://www.journeywithjesus.net/; Gathering Hymn: Text: Philipp Nicolai, 1556-1608; tr. Lutheran Book of
Worship, Text © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress; Reading 1 and Gospel from NRSV Bible
translation; Reading 2: by Suzanne, http://www.edgeofenclosure.org/epiphanydayabc.html; Prayers of Intercession ~
written by Rev. Ian Elston, and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website,
http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/18473/12_January_2014.pdf; Offering Prayer and
Communion Prayer adapted from Unfolding Light by Steve Garnaas-Holmes; Closing Hymn: Text: Kathleen
Thomerson, b. 1934, Text © 1970, 1975 Celebration. All used by permission.A Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
611 Randolph Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302
708-848-4741 ⬧ churchoffice@goodshepherdlc.org ⬧ goodshepherdlc.org
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