Worship Guide - Epiphany Sunday, Year B

Worship with One Click

You can choose to watch all of this Sunday's worship service in a series of linked videos, one after the other, by clicking this link. Just press the button that says "PLAY ALL" and sit back and relax. You can also just click on the graphic to the left.​ Otherwise, proceed as normal through the sections.

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Isaiah asserted what may not strike us at first—perhaps at all—as good news for which we might “raise a song of gladness”:
 
Darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the people;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and God’s glory will appear over you.

Darkness is, in fact, a fact of life, a feature of existence as ordinary as light. To steal a phrase from 2020, “it is what it is.”

​And it isn’t.
 How else do you explain the poet’s next breath: “Nations shall come to your light/ and kings to the brightness of your dawn”?  
How else do you explain these ancient seekers looking to the night sky to guide their hope?
 
How else do you understand Mary who, despite the assurance that a sword would pierce her own soul (Luke 2:35), said yes to the angel and to God. And Joseph too.
 
How else do you explain every choice we make that invites suffering we could opt out of to write a new history?
 
Enter into worship.

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Connections with Andrea

If you have prayers you would like to share, please do so here. These will be shared by email to our St Andrew prayer list so that we pray for what you hold by name. This information is not shared online in a searchable form.

Prelude

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Gathering Song

God of every nation,
by the light of a wondrous star
you led wandering magi to the humble infant Jesus,
revealing to them your salvation for the world.
In the miraculous and the mundane,
in union with all who have glimpsed the light of your grace,
lead us to Christ,
that we may offer our worship and serve him with sincerity of heart;
for he lives with you and the Holy Spirit,
Amen.

Call to Worship

Opening Hymn

Confession, Reflection, and Assurance

S​end a text to a couple of people. Make a call. Who comes to mind for you? Wish them well. More than that, wish them the peace that comes with justice. Then click below.

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The Word

O God, nations shall come to your light
and rulers to the brightness of your dawn.
By the compelling radiance of your Spirit,
draw us near, reveal your truth,
and teach us faithful obedience to your holy Word.
Amen.

Isaiah 60:1-6 † Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 † Ephesians 3:1-12 † Matthew 2:1-12

Psalm

Meditation

A printed version of this sermon can be found here.

Hymn of Response

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Give Thanks

If you haven’t already, set the elements—some bread, some juice or wine…and light!—in the room or space where you worship in these days with our faith community. Set a table with things that draw out of you creativity and imagination and hope for a better world already revealed in unexpected places. What signifies your joy, your courage, your hope?

​If a joy or a concern has come to mind, please share it with the assembly here so you do not carry it alone. These will be shared by email to our St Andrew prayer list so that we pray for what you hold by name. This information is emailed to a curated group, not shared or posted online in a searchable form.

As we respond to God's grace and new life, consider those ways you can express gratitude, thanksgiving and blessing. And remember that we continue to keep our financial commitments to our mission partners and staff. Thank you for remembering to send in your financial pledges and offerings.

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Sending Song

Blessing