Epiphany :: White :: Isaiah 60:1-6 :: Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 :: Ephesians 3:1-12 :: Matthew 2:1-12
Call to Worship (Responsive)
Adapted from Psalm 72
L: Give the King your justice, O God and your righteousness to a king’s son.
P: May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.
L: May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills in righteousness.
P: May he defend the cause of the poor of the people;
L: And give deliverance to the needy.
P: May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon;
L: Throughout all generations.
P: Praise the King of kings!
Invocation:
We have gathered through these twelve days of Christmas, O God, and sung our praises to the Newborn Christ. Today as we celebrate the Epiphany, O God, make us mindful of Christ as King of kings. Help us to know the importance of the kings who bow before him. Help us to see the majesty which earth has recognized. You have called us together to worship the King. Let us do so in beauty and truth, guided by your Spirit, and faithful to your word. Help us O God to know your presence in our worship, and to offer you our best in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and King.
Stewardship Moment:
Did you make a New Year’s Resolution? Did you make a plan to exercise more, or lose weight? Did you plan to get to work earlier, or stay later? Did you plan to spend more time with family, or less? What about the Spiritual elements of your life? Have you considered making a Spiritual Resolution? Perhaps you could resolve to read more scripture, or worship more often. Or you could resolve to spend more time in prayer or service to others. Perhaps this could be the year to choose to begin tithing. Whatever it may be, the church stands ready to help you succeed in your Spiritual New Year’s Resolution. We will now receive the tithes and offerings which make these Spiritual Growth supporting ministries possible.
Offertory Prayer:
We have turned our calendars to a new year, and turned out to celebrate that newness in your Sanctuary. Now we have also brought our tithes and offerings. Bless these gifts, O God, and use them to empower spiritual growth. Make our ministries ever more meaningful and full as we seek to help others grow in you.
Communion Meditation:
Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh: the gifts of the kings before the Christ child. What do we make of that message today? How do we deal with the extravagance these gifts represent? These gifts make more sense around this table. They make more sense because we can see their significance through the shadow of the cross. Here at the table, we too bring gifts: we bring bread and the fruit of the vine. We present them before Christ, who uses them to remind us that he too has given us the gift of grace. Come to Christ’s table and celebrate the gifts of our Lord, our Savior, and our King.
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