The Second Sunday after Christmas - St. Stephen's Episcopal Church In the City of Charleston, South Carolina - St Stephen's Episcopal
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St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
In the City of Charleston, South Carolina
The Second Sunday after Christmas
January 3, 2021
We welcome you to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church,
a house of prayer for all people.
The Reverend Dr. Adam J. Shoemaker, Rector
The Reverend Laura Rezac, Associate Rector
The Reverend Courtney Davis-Shoemaker, Assistant Priest
The Reverend Greg Smith, Deacon
Wayne Helmly, Organist & ChoirmasterPRELUDE: FANFARE ON “IN DULCI JUBILO” Don Michael Dicie
OPENING HYMN 84
Love came down at Christmas,
love all lovely, love divine;
love was born at Christmas:
star and angels gave the sign.
Worship we the Godhead,
love incarnate, love divine;
worship we our Jesus,
but wherewith for sacred sign?
Love shall be our token;
love be yours and love be mine,
love to God and neighbor,
love for plea and gift and sign.
A LITURGY OF THE WORD
The Officiant says
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
The Officiant says
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the
thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily
magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.The following is sung
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Let us pray.
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that
we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who
lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
THE LESSONS
FIRST READING: Jeremiah 31:7-14
7
Thus says the Lord: “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim,
give praise, and say, ‘Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel.’ 8See, I am going to bring them from the
land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those
with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. 9With weeping they shall come,
and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which
they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. 10Hear the word of
the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and
will keep him as a shepherd a flock.’ 11For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too
strong for him. 12They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the
goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their
life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again. 13Then shall the young women
rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will
comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. 14I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people
shall be satisfied with my bounty,”
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
PSALM 84
1 How dear to me is your dwelling, O / LORD of hosts!*
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh re/joice in the / living God.
2 The sparrow has found her a house and the swallow a nest where she may / lay her young;*
by the side of your altars, O LORD of hosts, my / King and / my God.
3 Happy are they who dwell in / your house!*
they will / always be / praising you.
4 Happy are the people whose strength is / in you!*
whose hearts are / set on the / pilgrims’ way.5 Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a / place of springs,*
for the early rains have covered it with / pools of / water.
6 They will climb from / height to height,*
and the God of gods will reveal him/self in / Zion.
7 LORD God of hosts, / hear my prayer;*
hearken, O / God of / Jacob.
8 Behold our defender, O / God;*
and look upon the face of / your A/nointed.
9 For one day in your courts is better than a thousand in / my own room,*
and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than to dwell in the / tents of the / wicked.
10 For the LORD God is both / sun and shield;*
he will give / grace and / glory.
11 No good thing will the / LORD withhold* f
rom those who / walk with in/tegrity.
12 O/ LORD of hosts,*
happy are they who / put their / trust in you!
SECOND READING: Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-19a
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places, 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and
blameless before him in love. 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the
good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 15I
have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16I do not
cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18so that, with the
eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches
of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19aand what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who
believe.
Reader The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL: Matthew 2:1-12
Deacon The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
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 theMessiah 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.’ ” 7Then 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. Deacon The Gospel of the Lord. People Praise to you, Lord Christ. THE SERMON The Reverend Laura A. Rezac THE NICENE CREED We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. LITANY FOR CHRISTMAS How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Let Christ be born in us. Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices; together they sing for joy, for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord. Let Christ be born in us. Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted the people and has redeemed Jerusalem. Let Christ be born in us. All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Let Christ be born in us. As we light the Christ candle, we welcome the tiny babe, born in a manger. Hope of the world, bringer of peace, joy of our hearts, and love incarnate, we welcome you.
Let Christ be born in us today. Amen.
(Based on Is. 52:7-10, Beth A. Richardson in ‘The Uncluttered Heart’, Nashville: Upper Room Books, 2009.)
CONFESSION OF SIN
The Deacon says
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Silence may be kept.
Minister and People
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.
The Priest stands and says
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.
“JESUS HOLY, BORN SO LOWLY” Traditional Polish Carol, arr. Walter Ehret
Margaret Kelly Cook, soprano
Ricard Bordas, counter-tenor
1. Jesus Holy, born so lowly,
We will sing your carols gay.
Jesus dearest, precious Infant,
Come to us from Heav'n today.
Shepherds, join the joyful [Chorus],
Heavenly love is reining o'er us,
Here appearing as a Babe.
Shepherds, join the joyful [Chorus],
Heavenly love is reining o'er us,
Here appearing as a Babe.
2. On the straw the Babe is sleeping,
In the humble manger bed.
May loving watch is keeping
Angels hover 'round His head.
Shepherds bow in adoration,
Praising God's sweet benediction
That upon the earth is shed.
Shepherds bow in adoration,
Praising God's sweet benediction
That upon the earth is shed.THE SPIRITUAL COMMUNION The Officiant leads the People in reciting Psalm 146:5-9. Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord! People and Officiant, led by St. Stephen’s Children and Youth Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. The Officiant says Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: grant us peace. In union, O Lord, with faithful eucharistic people throughout the world, we offer you our thanks and praise. We present to you our souls and bodies, earnestly desiring that we may always be united with you. You promise, O Christ, to be present with us in the sacrament of your body and blood, so with confidence we claim your presence among us during this eucharistic fast. Come into our hearts and unite us with you and one another. May your healing grace abound. Let nothing ever separate you from us. May we live in you and you live in us, both in this life and in the life to come. Amen. Officiant and People Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. The Officiant concludes with the following: CHRISTMAS BLESSING People Thanks be to God.
HYMN 109
The first Nowell the angel did say
was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
in fields as they lay, keeping their sheep,
on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,
born is the King of Israel.
They looked up and saw a star
shining in the east beyond them far,
and to the earth it gave great light,
and so it continued both day and night.
And by the light of that same star
three wise men came from country far;
to seek for a king was their intent,
and to follow the star wherever it went.
This star drew nigh to the northwest,
o’er Bethlehem it took its rest,
and there it did both stop and stay
right over the place where Jesus lay.
Then entered in those wise men three
full reverently upon their knee,
and offered there in his presence
their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.
Then let us all with one accord
sing praises to our heavenly Lord;
that hath made heaven and earth of nought,
and with his blood our life hath bought.
DISMISSAL
Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE: POSTLUDE ON “MENDELSSOHN” (Hark! The Herald Angels Sing) James Marriot
The worship is over. Now the service begins.SERVICE PARTICIPANTS
The Reverend Dr. Adam J. Shoemaker (Officiant)
The Reverend Laura A. Rezac(Preacher)
The Reverend Gregory L. Smith (Deacon)
Wayne Helmly (Choirmaster & Organist)
Greg Garvan (First Lesson Reader)
Sandi Teel (Second Lesson Reader)
Dick Latham (Intercssor)
Margaret Kelly Cook (Soprano)
Ricard Bordas (Counter-Tenor)
LORD’S PRAYER:
Malcolm Shoemaker
Grant McKellar
Titus and Silas Gesin
Cotton Fisher
Aiofe Fisher
Mary and Bryce Frisby
Loftin Sakran
Marley Sanders
Lucca Held
Titus and Silas Gesin
Bret Nettles
Aubrey Shoemaker
Meredith McKellar
Hannah ShoemakerYou can also read
