EPIPHANY SERVICE
Liturgy
Praise the Lord
Litanies, Prayers, And Occasional Services
Object:
THE BLESSING OF THE GIFTS
As a child growing up, the Roman Catholic church in my village celebrated the Feast of the Holy Innocents three days after Christmas. On that day all the children took their most precious toy, usually the only toy, to church. The priest said a special mass and blessed the gifts.
For this special liturgy, I have appropriated this celebration and brought it forward into Epiphany -- the celebration of the Magi. Although the Feast of the Holy Innocents was associated with the children who were killed as Herod searched for the baby Jesus, I believe it is appropriate to connect it with gift-giving, because they each gave the gift of their life for the Christ.
A SERVICE FOR EPIPHANY
"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a Father's only son, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Why have you gathered?
People: We have come to worship the Christ.
Leader: What gifts do you bring?
People: We bring ourselves, our love, our service.
Leader: How will you honor him?
People: With our hearts and minds and souls we say, glory and honor to Christ our King.
HYMN OF PRAISE
UNISON PRAYER OF PRAISE
Glorious King and God, born into our world as an innocent child, we praise you for the joy you bring into our hearts. At your coming, the lowly rejoiced and the powerful feared. We praise you that we, the children of God, can receive anew the Christ-child.
We celebrate with joy the gift of this worship hour and the opportunity for sharing your love in this community of believers. Help us always to acknowledge and appreciate the gift of your spirit, that this celebration of life may continue beyond this moment into our daily living, that we might worship and praise you with joy always. Amen.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
We confess, O God, that too often we shut out the cries of those who suffer in your name, as the cries of the mothers of those innocent children were shut out so long ago. Too often we go forward into life, leaving behind us pain and suffering, even as the wise men left as they searched for the Christ child. We find it easier to take another road in the face of injustice and close our eyes to the destruction that follows.
Forgive us our unthinking and our uncaring. Forgive us for forgetting to look back at the results of our actions and for our unwillingness to take the responsibility for the things we say and do. Make us mindful of those who suffer for the sake of others. Help us not to be silent in the face of oppression and give us the strength of spirit to speak out for truth in the name of Christ. Amen.
A TIME OF SILENCE FOR PERSONAL CONFESSION
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
In Jesus Christ, God gave us heaven's most precious gift. Receive the gift of God's forgiveness and grace and all-encompassing love.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Lectionary readings are recommended.
SERMON OR REFLECTION
LITANY OF THANKSGIVING FOR GOD'S GIFTS
Leader: Giver of all gifts, we bring our grateful thanks to you for all that we have received by your love. We thank you for your world, the gift of your creation.
People: Praise God from whom all blessings come.
Leader: For family and friends, for communities of love and care, for gatherings and times of nurture and support.
People: Praise God, the fount of every good.
Leader: For life and health, for homes and places of shelter.
People: Praise God, who still supplies our needs.
Leader: For our church, for the body of believers throughout the Christian world.
People: Praise Jesus Christ, our hallowed head.
Leader: For our land, for peace within its boundaries, for the pain of its struggle to be faithful to the creator.
People: Praise Holy Spirit, source of all grace.
Leader: For our world, for all those who fight against evil, oppression, and injustice, for people everywhere who have heard God's mandate of freedom, who work diligently for peace.
All: O God, we thank you for all the gifts that we have received by your hands. We thank you that you do not give up when we disobey your commands. Make us ever mindful of those who find it difficult, because of their life's situation, to give you praise. May we work in your name, for the good of all people, so that all may come to say, Alleluia, Alleluia!
HYMN OF CELEBRATION
BENEDICTION
Go forward, seek diligently for Christ in your life. When you have found him, share his glorious love with others and rejoice.
As a child growing up, the Roman Catholic church in my village celebrated the Feast of the Holy Innocents three days after Christmas. On that day all the children took their most precious toy, usually the only toy, to church. The priest said a special mass and blessed the gifts.
For this special liturgy, I have appropriated this celebration and brought it forward into Epiphany -- the celebration of the Magi. Although the Feast of the Holy Innocents was associated with the children who were killed as Herod searched for the baby Jesus, I believe it is appropriate to connect it with gift-giving, because they each gave the gift of their life for the Christ.
A SERVICE FOR EPIPHANY
"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a Father's only son, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Why have you gathered?
People: We have come to worship the Christ.
Leader: What gifts do you bring?
People: We bring ourselves, our love, our service.
Leader: How will you honor him?
People: With our hearts and minds and souls we say, glory and honor to Christ our King.
HYMN OF PRAISE
UNISON PRAYER OF PRAISE
Glorious King and God, born into our world as an innocent child, we praise you for the joy you bring into our hearts. At your coming, the lowly rejoiced and the powerful feared. We praise you that we, the children of God, can receive anew the Christ-child.
We celebrate with joy the gift of this worship hour and the opportunity for sharing your love in this community of believers. Help us always to acknowledge and appreciate the gift of your spirit, that this celebration of life may continue beyond this moment into our daily living, that we might worship and praise you with joy always. Amen.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
We confess, O God, that too often we shut out the cries of those who suffer in your name, as the cries of the mothers of those innocent children were shut out so long ago. Too often we go forward into life, leaving behind us pain and suffering, even as the wise men left as they searched for the Christ child. We find it easier to take another road in the face of injustice and close our eyes to the destruction that follows.
Forgive us our unthinking and our uncaring. Forgive us for forgetting to look back at the results of our actions and for our unwillingness to take the responsibility for the things we say and do. Make us mindful of those who suffer for the sake of others. Help us not to be silent in the face of oppression and give us the strength of spirit to speak out for truth in the name of Christ. Amen.
A TIME OF SILENCE FOR PERSONAL CONFESSION
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
In Jesus Christ, God gave us heaven's most precious gift. Receive the gift of God's forgiveness and grace and all-encompassing love.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Lectionary readings are recommended.
SERMON OR REFLECTION
LITANY OF THANKSGIVING FOR GOD'S GIFTS
Leader: Giver of all gifts, we bring our grateful thanks to you for all that we have received by your love. We thank you for your world, the gift of your creation.
People: Praise God from whom all blessings come.
Leader: For family and friends, for communities of love and care, for gatherings and times of nurture and support.
People: Praise God, the fount of every good.
Leader: For life and health, for homes and places of shelter.
People: Praise God, who still supplies our needs.
Leader: For our church, for the body of believers throughout the Christian world.
People: Praise Jesus Christ, our hallowed head.
Leader: For our land, for peace within its boundaries, for the pain of its struggle to be faithful to the creator.
People: Praise Holy Spirit, source of all grace.
Leader: For our world, for all those who fight against evil, oppression, and injustice, for people everywhere who have heard God's mandate of freedom, who work diligently for peace.
All: O God, we thank you for all the gifts that we have received by your hands. We thank you that you do not give up when we disobey your commands. Make us ever mindful of those who find it difficult, because of their life's situation, to give you praise. May we work in your name, for the good of all people, so that all may come to say, Alleluia, Alleluia!
HYMN OF CELEBRATION
BENEDICTION
Go forward, seek diligently for Christ in your life. When you have found him, share his glorious love with others and rejoice.
