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GATHERING AS THE BODY OF CHRIST
Prelude
From a Distant Home (Song of the Wise Men)
UMH #243
Welcome and Sharing of Announcements
A Time to Connections
(in-person service only)
Meditation Time
Introit
“We Three Kings”
Bell Choir
arr. Cynthia Dobrinski
Call to Worship
Liturgist: Arise, shine, for the light has come. God’s glory has appeared among us.
People: We come, drawn by a light we cannot fully explain, led by hope, curiosity, and longing.
Liturgist: The Magi followed a star across borders and fears, seeking a child born not in power, but in humility.
People: We come to seek Christ, to kneel in wonder, to offer what we have.
Liturgist: This is the day of Epiphany - the day God’s light is revealed for all people.
People: We worship the Christ who meets us here and sends us out by a new way. Let us worship God.
Opening Prayer
Gracious and revealing God, we thank you for the light that leads us - sometimes clearly, sometimes faintly, but always faithfully. As the Magi were guided by a star, guide us this day by your presence and your grace. Draw us out of our familiar paths and into deeper trust, wider love, and bolder faith. Open our eyes to see Christ where we least expect him, open our hearts to receive him with joy, and open our lives to be changed by his light. As we begin this new year and this season of Epiphany, help us to worship not only with our words, but with our listening, our giving, and our going. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen.
Opening Hymn
“On This Day Earth Shall Ring”
UMH #248 (verses 1 & 3)
based on Matthew 2:1-12
Message in Music
“Sing We Now of Christmas”
Bell Choir
arr. Kevin McChesney
Holy Communion: Season after Christmas
Loving Friends in Christ, we joyfully celebrate the time when the Word was made flesh—the One who dispelled our darkness. As people of faith and salvation, the Lord invites you this morning to the Holy Table of God’s love. Let us come into the presence of Christ with humble hearts.
God, our Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we come to the Table of your love with joy and thanksgiving.
The Great Thanksgiving
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
When we are in a dark night wandering in the valley of sin and darkness, bounded with fear, anxiety, disbelief, and ungodliness,
You remain steadfast, and shine our path with the light of hope.
You gave us the promise of light and salvation through the voice of prophets. And we believe that the Lord takes flesh, comes to us, and stays with us.
Your Words become flesh, and reside among us. We are waiting for the glorious moment that we welcome our Messiah into the Manger of prayerful hearts.
And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord. (UM Hymnal p. 17)
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again! (UM Hymnal p. 18)
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. By your Spirit make us one with Christ’s pilgrimage to the kin-dom, walking together one with each other, working together in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever.
Amen. (Hymnal 18, Musical Setting A)
Let us pray the Lord Jesus taught us to pray:
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 debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.
Doxology
Until Christ comes in final victory
make us one with Christ.
Until we feast at your heavenly banquet
make us one with each other.
Until Your Kingdom comes on the earth
make all your churches become one.
All honor and glory is yours, almighty Father God, now and forever.
Amen.
Greetings in Peace
The Peace of the Lord be with you
And also with you.
Let us celebrate our joy of the Epiphany of the Lord! Let us share our signs of peace and reconciliation.
Let us share our greetings each other saying,
“The Peace of our Lord be with you”
Breaking the Bread
Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all
partake of the one loaf. The bread which we break is a sharing in the body
of Christ.
Amen.
The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ.
Giving the bread and cup.
Amen.
The Body of Christ, given for you. Amen.
The blood of Christ, given for you. Amen.
Prayer after Communion
Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless God’s holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits. (Ps. 103:1-2) Loving God, we thank you that you have fed us in this sacrament, united us with Christ, and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet in your eternal realm. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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