The Epiphany
St. Matthew’s is a parish of the Diocese of Louisiana
The Rt. Rev. Shannon Rogers Duckworth, Bishop
From the Senior Warden:
Welcome to St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. What a joy it is to have you with us here today! We pray by grace you will find your soul refreshed and your spirit renewed as we hear God’s word, give thanks and receive the sacrament of Holy Eucharist.
Blessings and peace,
Dr. Rob Alexander, Senior Warden
Dr. Rob Alexander
David West
Courtney Rulf
Erica Polk
Senior Warden
Music Minister
Youth Christian Formation
Office Manager
To help everyone more fully participate in the worship service:
- A gentle reminder to please silence your cell phones.
- Your parts are printed in bold.
- Come to the Lord’s Table.
- If you wish to receive Communion: Please do come forward. (we will bring communion to you if you are unable to come forward).
- Extend your hands, palms up to receive the bread. All are welcome.
- A special bulletin (and crayons) is available for children on the table at the entrance.
Music used with permission of License CCLI:2542584
Coffee, Tea and Thee
Sharing in the hospitality of Christ continues after this service with refreshments in the Parish Hall—go through the door to the left of the pulpit. Please do join us for conversation and coffee.
Birthdays and Anniversaries:
1/8—1/14: Emmalee Hampton, Keith Hampton, Emilie Day
This Sunday’s Altar Flowers are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Felix Dixon Lewis, Jr. by the Lewis Family.
We Gather in the Name of God
January 6 – Epiphany—On the 12th day after Christmas the church remembers the visit of the magi to the Christ child. According to the gospel of Matthew, sages from the East came to Jerusalem seeking the child. They had observed a new star rising and followed it to find the newborn king of the Jews. The word epiphany means “manifestation” or “sudden appearing.” During the Season after the Epiphany, which lasts from January 6 until the beginning of Lent, the church focuses on making Christ known to the world, reading stories of call, prophecy, and discipleship. Many churches will observe the feast of the Epiphany on the Sunday prior, we are observing twos days later, January 8.
Prelude
Hymn in Procession
Bethlehem, a noble city
Stuttgart
Words: Aurelius C. Prudentius, (348-410) Trans: E. (1814-1878); Music: C. F. Witt (c 1660—1776)
Blessed be God: most holy glorious, and undivided Trinity.
And blessed be God’s reign, now and for ever. Amen.
The Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen
Hymn of Praise
Arise your light has come
St. Thomas
Words: Ruth Duck, b. 1947; Music:
The Collect for Epiphany
O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah 60:1-6
Arise, shine; for your light has
come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God
Psalm 72:1-7,10-14 Bold parts said by all, regular print by women, italics by men.
Give to your leaders good judgement, O God, and a sense of what is right.
May they govern your people with justice and do right for those who are powerless.
May the mountains bring peace for the people, and the hills bring forth justice.
May they defend the poor among the people, save the children of those who are needy, and crush the oppressor.
May they endure as long as the sun, like the moon through all generations; like the rains that fall on the early crops, like the showers that water the earth.
May justice flower in their days, and peace till the moon is no more.
May they rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.
May they rescue the needy when they cry out, and the poor who have no one to help them.
May they have pity on the weak and the powerless; may they save the lives of the poor.
May they redeem them from oppression and violence, and regard their blood as precious.
To them, long life and continuous prayers as, day by day, the are blessed.
Let grain be abundant throughout the land, and wave on the tops of the mountains.
Let the crops blossom like Lebanon and the people flourish in the cities like the grass of the fields.
Blessed be their name for ever; may their names last as long as the sun.
In them let all the nations be blessed; and proclaim their happiness.
Blessed for ever be the glorious name of God.
May the whole earth be filled with God’s glory! Amen.
A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians 3:1-12
This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles– for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.
In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power.
Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
We greet the Gospel by singing Wise ones they came
Melody: Wer nur den lieben Gott,Georg Neumark (1621-1681); Words: Christopher Martin Idle (b. 1938
The Holy Gospel
The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ According to Matthew
Glory to You, O Christ.
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”
When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: `And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'”
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared.
Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you Lord Christ
The Sermon
The Rev. Gigi Conner
We Affirm Our Faith Together
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
We Pray for the Church and the World
O Christ of the manger and Christ of the universe, as a star rose and drew people from great distances to Bethlehem that they might greet you; draw us, your Church, and all of your people to you.
May we, as the people of God, be Christ’s incarnated spirit in the world.
As Gentiles streamed to Jesus’ Light, and Magi to the brightness of his rising;
May all leaders work together to establish racial equity, end gun violence, and care for the earth through the light and life of Christ.
As angels sang ‘Glorias’ to you and proclaimed peace on earth, and goodwill among all peoples;
We vow to follow your will by striving to produce peace, not war as we yearn for an end to terror and strife.
As shepherds were drawn away from their flocks by night;
Draw those who do not know you yet to the knowledge and love of you.
We pray for those who suffer from illness, addiction, unsafe housing, mental illness, domestic abuse and for those who sleep in doorways at night.
May we work with our local leaders to solve homelessness, lack of affordable housing, public safety, and other challenges of city life.
We pray for all who travel to far off lands, sometimes for pleasure and sometimes seeking safety.
Bless all who are pilgrims and protect those who travel.
We pray for the peace of Jerusalem; for those seeking to make peace among Muslims, Jews and Christians in the Holy Land; we pray for all in this country who have been attacked because of racism or hatred toward other cultures or religions. May we offer the light of your love to all people.
We pray in particular today for those places still struggling from tornados, hurricanes, blizzards, or fires. We pray for the people and all living creatures who are being surrounded and threatened the elements of nature.
May your protective and healing love fall upon this land.
We pray for all who work in our local communities, for a sharing of talents and awareness of needs. We thank you for the gifts you have given to us, and we seek to use them aright.
May our homes be places where the Christ abides and is always welcomed.
Lord, hear our prayers, and if today we might be the means by which you answer the prayers of others, then may you find us eager and dedicated to fulfill your purpose, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
The Confession
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor
Eternal God, we confess that sometimes we withhold the gifts you have bestowed on us for service, using them only for our own benefit. We humbly confess the mistakes we have made and the good we have neglected, the promises we have broken and the duties we have refused.
In Jesus’ name, forgive us, and grant us a new birth of spirit, that we may remember all you have given us. Amen.
The Absolution
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
We Exchange the Peace
The Peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Announcements – Birthdays, Anniversaries
We Set the Table
As the gifts of bread and wine and our offerings are brought forward we sing
The Offertory
What star is this
Puer nobis
Words: Charles Coffin (1676-1749), Melody from 15th Century
We Celebrate the Eucharist
The Great Thanksgiving : Eucharistic Prayer B
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.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth.
As children of your redeeming purpose, we have seen the radiance of your glory, revealed to all the nations, and we give you thanks because, in the incarnation of the Word, a new light has dawned upon the world; you have become one with us that we might become one with you in your glorious kingdom.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
The Sanctus
Gloria
Setting: David Oakley Ruberg (b. 1946)
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In Christ, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In Christ, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Savior Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper Jesus took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Therefore, according to his command, O God,
We remember his death, We proclaim his resurrection, We await his coming in glory;
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Savior of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine. We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant.
Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with Blessed Matthew and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Savior, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation. By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and for ever. Amen.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say
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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
We Break the Bread
Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.
The Communion of the People
All who seek God and a deeper life in Christ are welcome to receive Holy
Communion.
Communion Hymn
I wonder as I wander
Words & Music: John Jacob Niles, 1933
The Blessing
Beloved, remember that life is short, and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us. So be quick to love, quicker still to forgive. Always show kindness to strangers. And may the blessing of God Almighty, Father Son and Holy Spirit, be with you now and forever. Amen.
Hymn in Procession
Christ is the world’s true light
St. Joan
Words: George Wallace Briggs (1875-19590, alt. Music: Percy E.B. Coller (b.1895)
Journey of the Magi by T.S. Eliot
A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter. “And the camels galled, sore footed, refractory, lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted the summer palaces on slopes, the terraces, and the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling and running away, and wanting their liquor and women, and the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters, and the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly and the villages dirty and charging high prices a hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night, sleeping in snatches, with the voices singing in our ears, saying that this was all folly.
Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley, wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation; with a running stream and a water mill beating the darkness, and three trees on the low sky, and an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel, six hands at an open door icing for pieces of silver, and feet kicking the empty wineskins.
But there was no information, and so we continued and arrived at evening, not a moment too soon finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.
All this was a long time ago, I remember, and I would do it again, but set down this set down this: were we led all that way for Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly, we had evidence and no doubt.
I had seen birth and death, but had thought they were different; this Birth was hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms, but no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation, with an alien people clutching their gods. I should be glad of another death.
About the Hymn at Communion: I Wonder As I Wander” is a Christmas carol written by folklorist and singer John Jacob Niles. The carol has its origins in a song fragment collected by Niles on July 16, 1933. While in the town of Murphy in Appalachian North Carolina, Niles attended a fundraising meeting held by evangelicals who had been ordered out of town by the police. In his unpublished autobiography, he wrote of hearing the song: “A girl had stepped out to the edge of the little platform attached to the automobile. She began to sing. Her clothes were ragged, and her ash-blond hair hung down in long skeins…. but, she was beautiful, and in her untutored way, she could sing. She smiled as she sang, smiled rather sadly, and sang only a single line of a song.” The girl, named Annie Morgan, repeated the fragment seven times in exchange for a quarter per performance, and Niles left with “three lines of verse, a garbled fragment of melodic material—and a magnificent idea”.