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A service for Sunday 3rd January – Epiphany
God is with us! Come, let us worship Him
Prepared by Rev Derek Grimshaw
Opening prayer:
Great and wonderful are the things the Lord our God has done for us,
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Hymn 224 StF https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB8rKNrlpDQ
As with gladness men of old
did the guiding star behold,
as with joy they hailed its light
leading onward, beaming bright,
so, most gracious Lord, may we
evermore be led to thee.
As with joyful steps they sped,
saviour, to thy lowly bed,
there to bend the knee before
thee, whom heaven and earth adore,
so may we with willing feet
ever seek thy mercy-seat.
As they offered gifts most rare
at thy cradle rude and bare,
so may we with holy joy,
pure, and free from sin’s alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ to thee, our heavenly King.
Holy Jesus, every day
keep us in the narrow way;
and, when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds thy glory hide.
In the heavenly country bright
need they no created light;
thou its light, its joy, its crown,
thou its sun which goes not down;
there for ever may we sing
alleluias to our King
Prayer:
God of life and light who came and lived amongst us, Christ made man, son of Mary.
who grew from child of hope to Man of God I praise your holy name.
God of forgiveness and grace, I ask your healing forgiveness for all that does not honour and serve your love,
and trust in your unchanging promise: I give thanks that you forgive my sins.
God of time and patience whose eternal spirit reaches out to us and brings time to pause, to wait, for your still small voice of calm.
Holy Spirit, our great companion. move amongst us and reveal your kingdom in this time and this place.
In the name of God, our creator, redeemer, and Sustainer I pray. Amen.
Collect of the Day:
Eternal God, by a star you led wise men to worship your Son.
Guide by your light the nations of the earth, that the whole world may see your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Old Testament Reading Isaiah 60: 1-6
As we turn the corner into a New Year 2020 will possibly go down in history as being one of the strangest years I a generation, I have been struck by how much negativity has surrounded us in the run up to Christmas and particularly the pessimism as the government announced that Christmas would be just one day, when we had been promised five whole days.
We stand at the beginning of a New Year and people around the world are hoping that 2021 will be a better year than the one we have just experienced; the Isaiah reading reminds of the new hope and the better days to come. People make unrealistic resolutions, many of which will now have been broken and maybe the message of the epiphany is one of patience.
Consider:
- As you turn your back on 2020, how do you feel about the experiences you have had, some will be good, others bad?
- At the beginning of 2021 as we turn the corner into a new year, what are your hopes?
- Offer this new year to God, its minutes, hours and days, the anticipated and the unknown.
Hymn 226 StF:
Birth brings a promise of new life awaking,
dawning of hope through a child’s open eyes.
uncharted future is there for the making,
challenge and change in a baby’s first cries.
Every new life changes those who are round it,
making demands of commitment and care,
calling for love to enfold and surround it,
reshaping patterns by claiming a share
Jesus the new-born crossed time’s moving stages
changing their course by the act of his birth,
translating God from the mystery of ages,
rooting our faith by his presence on earth.
Wonder and worship were waiting to greet him,
love and devotion were his to command,
life was transformed for the ones sent to meet him,
touching their God in a child’s outstretched hand.
A time of prayer:
Lord for the years, we give our thanks and praise
We come before God at the end of another year, conscious of many memories, thoughts, and feelings. We look back at times bathed in sunlight, and other times cast in shadow. We see faces and places, times and seasons, love and loss. We offer to God our memories…
Those that gave great pleasure…
Those we would prefer to put behind us…
Gracious God, this has been an unpredictable year, thank you for your quiet, solid presence through every part of it, rejoicing with us, weeping with us, loving, persuading, nudging, and comforting.
Lord for the years, we give our thanks and praise
As the year tips over into 2021 we look down the slope into the new year with both eagerness and anxiety. This year could hold so much that would be wonderful, but we are never more than a breath away from crisis.
We offer God our hopes at the birth of a new year…
What do we long for most this year…?
What do we intend to do differently this year…?
Gracious God, you hold the coming year in the palm of your hand, not to control, but to cherish. You promise that your love will be inexhaustible, and that you’’ work at full stretch for our well-being. Thank you for those good promises to remember and to claim afresh each day.
Lord for the years, we give our thanks and praise
And for the world around us, we hold our breath. So much to desire, so much to fear. But the better way is surely this: so much to pray for, so much to work for.
We think of the places in the in most need of peace and hope…
We think of world leaders as they face challenging days’ weeks and months ahead…
Gracious God, it is your will to hold together the nations of the earth in a single peace. Let the imprint of your love be seen in every troubled country. Let earth breathe more freely at the end of this coming year. And may we have made our own contribution to the world’s freedom.
Lord for the years, we give our thanks and praise
Lord of this year, we give you our faith, and our hunger for the Kingdom. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer:
Gospel Matthew 2: 1-12
One of my lasting memories of 2020 will be all the unexpected places where I have seen God at work, at a time when all has felt to barren because of lockdown and isolation, I believe that I have witnessed first had God’s angels at work. Many of us will have applauded the work of the NHS earlier in the year and without undermining any of that in any way, teachers, supermarket staff, people delivering letters and parcels, people taking away our refuse, the Police and Fire services and a host of other people have worked in difficult circumstances and we do well to applaud them. We have also seen kindness and generosity shown many unsung heroes.
Who are these visitors to the stable, some call them kings, others wise men, while yet others merely say “visitors from the east” History has given them names, but they are anonymous in the Gospel story, history has claimed that there are three of them, we only assume this because they bring gold frankincense and myrrh.
Consider:
- We live in an age where popularity is desired by so many, how much joy have you found in making anonymous gifts to others, helping, and expecting nothing in return.
- How much have you appreciated acts of kindness? Or have you been too quick to criticise others for not doing what you have expected of them?
- How much do we take God for granted? Blaming him for when things don’t happen the way we would like or expect, yet failing to thank him for when things are good.
Hymn 470 StF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTrFQLy6js
Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided,
Lord of years , we bring our thanks today.
Lord, for that word, the Word of life which fires us,
speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us,
Lord, of the word, receive your people’s praise.
Lord, for our land, in this our generation,
spirits oppressed by pressure, wealth and care;
for young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.
Lord, for our world; when we disown and doubt him,
loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain;
hungry and helpless , lost indeed without him,
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.
Lord, for ourselves; in living power remake us,
self on the cross and Christ upon the throne;
past put behind us, for the future take us,
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.
Blessing:
May the love of the Father enfold us, the wisdom of the Son enlighten us, the fire of the Spirit enflame us; and the blessing of God, the three in one, be upon us and abide with us now and for ever.
Amen