Bulletin – Sunday, January 14, 2024 – 2nd Sunday of Epiphany / Communion
Sunday, January 14, 2024
2nd Sunday of Epiphany / Communion
We Gather as People of Faith
Words of Welcome
Lighting the Christ Candle
Epiphany is the season of light. A light to reveal God to us. That light is Jesus, the Christ. We light a candle to remind us of Christ who lights our way.
Acknowledging the Territory
One: In this place of worship, we are joined together with all the people of treaty 1 in the traditional territories of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. We acknowledge the failures of the past, offer hope for the future, commit to living together in peace, and strive to bring joy and love into our relationships. As we strive to walk in faith and peace with our brothers and sisters, we also pledge to create a sacred space of welcome where all people might find a home.
All: We will do our part to seek reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous brothers and sisters as we walk together in peace and harmony. We will welcome all people as beloved children of God.
Announcements
Gathering Song – “Behold, Behold, I make All Things New” (MV #115)
Behold, behold I make all things new,
Beginning with you and starting from today.
Behold, behold I make all things new,
My promise is true for I am Christ the way.
Call to Worship
One: “Come with me.”
All: We receive the Jesus words in times of great joy.
One: “Come with me.”
All: We receive the Jesus words in times of stress and difficulty.
One: “Come with me.”
All: We receive the Jesus words when they are the last words we want to welcome.
One: “Come with me.”
All: We receive the Jesus words address to our church.
One: “Come with me.”
All: We receive the Jesus words. We take them to heart, and we faithfully go to work.
(David Sparks, Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2023-2024, page 42)
Opening Prayer
Loving God, you’ve called us and we’ve come. We know our need to be in this place and we give you thanks that we are here. We want to learn more about your love for us. We want to feel the strength of those who have gone before us and whose presence surrounds us now.
We want to find courage for the living of our lives today. We want to notice your presence in the quiet place of our hearts. We want to live with joy and in service to others and to your creation.
We want a lot of things, O God. But, deep down, we know that you know what is best for us.
So, most of all in this time, we want to be with you and to feel your love. Hold us, bless us, touch us, so that, when our worship is over, we may go out to be a blessing to everyone we meet. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Bob Root, Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2023-2023, page 43)
Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, you uplift us and respond when we cry out for help. You offer renewal and eternal kindness. Yet we often lose focus on the truths. Instead we imagine your absence—and put ourselves at the centre. Forgive our selfishness, our egos, and our complaining. Amen.
(Elsie Feltrin, Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2023-2024, page 44)
Assurance of God’s Love
One: Despite the detours we take, God continues to turn our mourning into dancing and fills our hearts with joy. God puts songs of praise on our lips and reminds us once again that we are beloved, we are forgiven, we belong to God!
All: Thanks be to God.
(Elsie Feltrin, Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2023-2024, page 44)
Hymn – “Jesus Calls Us Here to Meet Him”
Jesus calls us here to meet him as, through word and song and prayer,
We affirm God’s promised presence where his people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps his promise; praise the Son who calls us friends;
Praise the Spirit who, among us, to our hopes and fears attends.
Jesus calls us to confess him, Word of Life and Lord of all,
Sharer of our flesh and frailness, saving all who fail or fall.
Tell his holy human story; tell his tales that all may hear;
Tell the world that Christ in glory, came to earth to meet us here.
Jesus calls us to each other, vastly diff’rent though we are;
Race and colour, class and gender neither limit nor debar.
Join the hand of friend and stranger; join the hands of age and youth;
Join the faithful and the doubter in their common search for truth.
Our Story
Sharing the Peace of Christ
One: The peace of Christ be with you all.
All: And also with you.
We Hear God’s Word
Prayer for Illumination
Gracious God, shine your light upon the words of scripture and the words we sing, that you might be revealed in our lives and in our hearts. May these words so reveal you that we see you in creation and in all whom we meet. Amen.
Anthem – “Follow the Way of the Lord”
On each journey that you take,
Follow the way of the Lord.
In ev’ry single choice you make,
Follow the way of the Lord.
Climbing up the mountainside,
Or swimming hard against the strongest tide,
Christ is there to be your guide,
Follow the way of the Lord.
Through the vale where shadows fall,
Follow the way of the Lord.
Jesus answers when you call
Follow the way of the Lord.
As the Saviour’s path unfolds
Come and walk the straight and narrow road.
Christ will lighten up your load,
Follow the way of the Lord.
Follow and pray; follow today;
Follow the way of the Lord.
Follow His grace; follow the faith;
Follow the way of the Lord.
In ev’rything you say or do.
Follow the way of the Lord.
The Saviour watches over you,
Follow the way of the Lord.
On that morning when you rise,
Christ will lead you home up to the skies,
All the way to paradise,
Follow the way of the Lord.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now, decide now Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back, no turning back.
Follow today; follow the way of the Lord.
Follow His grace; follow in faith;
Follow the way of the Lord
Follow and pray; follow today;
Follow the way of the Lord.
Follow His grace; follow in faith;
Follow the way of the Lord.
Follow the way of the Lord.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
12 “All things are permitted for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are permitted for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food,” and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is meant not for sexual immorality but for the Lord and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, “The two shall be one flesh.” But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun sexual immorality! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against the body itself. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
Hymn – “Come to My Heart” (VU #661)
Come to my heart, Lord Jesus;
Teach me to walk in your way.
Come to my heart, Lord Jesus;
Come to my heart today.
Give me the peace and joy
That only you can bring.
Come to my heart, Lord Jesus;
Give me a song to sing.
Fill me with love, Lord Jesus;
Teach me to walk in your way.
Fill me with love, Lord Jesus;
Fill me with love today.
Give me the peace and joy
That only you can bring.
Fill me with love, Lord Jesus;
Give me a song to sing.
Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus;
Teach me to walk in your way.
Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus;
Answer my prayer today.
Give me the peace and joy
That only you can bring.
Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus;
Give me a song to sing.”
Gospel Reading: John 1:43-51
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
The light of Christ, God’s word revealed.
Thanks be to God!
Gift of Music
Reflection
Hymn – “Would I Have Answered When You Called”
Would I have answered when you called, “Come, follow, follow me!”?
Would I at once have left behind both work and family?
Or would the old, familiar round have held me by its claim
And kept the spark within my heart from bursting into flame?
Would I have followed where you led through ancient Galilee,
On roads unknown, by ways untried, beyond security?
Or would I soon have hurried back where home and comfort drew,
Where truth you taught would not disturb the ordered world I knew?
Would I have matched my step with yours when crowds cried, “Crucify!”
When on a rocky hill I saw a cross against the sky?
Or would I too have slipped away and left you there alone,
A dying king with crown of thorns upon a terrible throne?
O Christ, I cannot search my heart through all its tangled ways,
Nor can I with a certain mind my steadfastness appraise.
I only pray that when you call, “Come, follow, follow me!”
You’ll give me strength beyond my own to follow faithfully.”
We Respond to God’s Word
Stewardship Moment – “Making a Home for Refugees”
An Invitation to Share
As we come to know God we are called to shine God’s light upon others. We do so by sharing from our blessings that others may have their needs fulfilled. We present our gifts as we sing our offering song and we pray:
Offering Response – “I Praise You, O God” (MV #61)
I praise you, O God with all of my heart.
With all the earth I will sing your praises.
I praise you, O God with all of my heart.
With all the earth I will sing your praises.
I praise you, O God with all of my heart.
With all the earth I will sing your praises.
We Dedicate Our Gifts
Holy Generous Loving Creator, we ask your blessing for the gifts you have given and we now return to you. They are given as a gift of praise. May they be used as a continuing gift of praise. Amen.
(Jeanne Wilson. Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2023-2024, page 47)
Prayers of the People “And When You Call for Me” (MV #96)
And when you call for me,
I have already answered.
And when you call for me,
I am already there.
And when you call for me,
I have already answered.
And when you call for me,
I am already there.
One: Gracious God, may we imagine your vision for all your people: the lonely who need a friend, the hungry who need food, the homeless who need shelter, the sick and weary who need a bed, those who can’t rest because there is too much to do, those who would like to feel useful, too. We pray too for creation—the animals and the plants—and imagine a future that looks like a joyful dance. We thank you, God, for calling us, for calling us into the future with you. May we hear, understand, imagine, and follow, and live into your vision for all
One: We pray for those in our community who need your healing touch…We take time now to pause and allow each of us, individually, to offer prayers, silently or out loud for people and situations near to our hearts.
One: As part of the Prairie to Pine Regional Council prayer cycle, we pray for Clandeboye-Winnipeg Beach (Clandeboye-Winnipeg Beach), Deloraine-Melita-Tilston (Deloraine-Melita-Tilston – disbanding) and Graysville: St. Paul’s – disbanding). And as part of the World Council of Churches prayer cycle, we pray for the people and lands of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
One: As we pray for healing, wholeness, and holiness, turn our prayers from words into actions. Bless our journey, we pray. We continue to pray, saying together the words Jesus taught his disciples:
All: Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, they 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, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
(Prayers for All Seasons-Year B, Ellen Turnbull, ed. Page 28)
Sacrament of Communion
Hymn – “Long Ago and Far Away” (MV #195)
Long ago and far away
Jesus lived and worked and prayed
Healed the sick and the fearful and lonely
Lived his life to show us God’s way.
Stretched his arms out as he said
Fill the cup and share the bread
Remember me in love and joy and blessing.
Jesus gathered the children around him
Spoke of Love and the joy to be found
Told them stories of wisdom and wonder
God’s creation in all that’s around
Stretched his arms out as he said
Fill the cup and share the bread
Remember me in love and joy and blessing.
Jesus called all his friends to be with him
Share the bread and the cup once again
Life to you I will offer it gladly
Love will be with you right to the end.
Stretched his arms out as he said
Fill the cup and share the bread
Remember me in love and joy and blessing.
Stretched his arms out as he said
Fill the cup and share the bread
Remember me in love and joy and blessing.
Invitation
One: May God be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to God.
One: Let us give thanks to God.
All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.
One: In wonder of your expansive embrace, we give you praise, O God. Through your radical welcome, you reveal the limitations of our own imaginations. You break down walls and boundaries we don’t even realize we have erected.
One: Life the magi guided by the light of star through foreign territory, you call us all towards you. You lead your people across borders of hate and into lands of curious and different. You strengthen us as we journey, learning and unlearning stories about one another. Gathered in your presence, we come to recognize the gifts of community rich in diversity.
One: Therefore we join our voices with your people on earth and all the company of heavens, singing praise to you.
Sung Response: “Sanctus and Benedictus” (MV # 203)
O holy, holy, holy God,
O God of time and space.
All earth and sea and sky above
Bear witness to Your grace.
Hosanna in the highest heav’n
Creation sings your praise.
And blessed is the One who comes
And bears Your name always!
One: You move in mysterious ways, O God. This journey with you is filled with more questions than answers. Each time we think we have you figured out, you surprise us again, revealing yourself in new ways.
One: In Jesus, we saw your radical welcome of strangers extended in challenging ways. Ways that disrupt our traditions and unsettle our comfort zones.
One: Jesus broke religious rules in order to include all people. He lifted up the sacredness of the people and places deemed unclean. He cared more about the well-being of the oppressed than his own reputation.
One: Jesus taught us to rethink your presence among us, but we couldn’t accept it. Resistant to transformation, your people sent him to the cross.
One: On the night of his arrest, Jesus shared a meal with his companions.
One: He took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to his disciples and said: “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
One: After the meal, he took the cup, blessed it, and shared it saying: “This is the cup that is poured out is the new covenant.”
One: In remembrance of all you have done to save us, we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Sung Response: “Memorial Acclamation” (MV # 204)
Sing Christ has died and Christ is risen,
Christ will come again!
Sing Christ has died and Christ is risen,
Christ will come again!
One: May the same Spirit that lifted Christ form the grave be poured out on these gifts. Make this bread and this cup be an extension of your welcome that knows no bounds. Fill us with the courage and faith to join you in the work of tearing down walls that exclude and pointing to the Sacred in the margins.
One: In anticipation of the taste of your Kindom on earth, we join together proclaiming:
Sung Response: “Great Amen” (MV # 205)
Amen, amen, O Holy One!
Hosanna and Amen!
Amen, amen, O Holy One,
Hosanna and Amen!
One: The body of Christ,
All: the bread of life.
One: The lifeblood of Christ,
All: the cup of blessing.
One: The gifts of God for the people of God.
All: Thanks be to God!
Prayer after Communion
God, this meal we shared together is a remembrance of your radical embrace of the outcast and oppressed. May it strengthen us as we open our minds and hearts to new ways of recognizing your presence among us. Amen.
(https://resistham.com/worship/epiphany-communion-prayer/. Accessed January 10, 2024)
We Go Into God’s World
Hymn – “Forth in Your Name, O Christ” (VU #416)
Forth in your name, O Christ, we go
Our daily labour to pursue,
You, only you, resolved to know
In all we think, or speak, or do.
The task your wisdom has assigned
Here let us cheerfully fulfil;
In all our works your presence find,
And prove your good and perfect will.
You may we set at our right hand,
Whose eyes our inmost secrets view,
And labour on at your command
And offer all our works to you.
Help us to bear your easy yoke,
In every moment watch and pray,
And still to things eternal look,
And hasten to that glorious day.
Then with delight may we employ
All that your bounteous grace has given,
And run our earthly course with joy,
And closely walk with you to heaven.
God Calls Us into the World
Let us go from here rejoicing with the thankful hearts for all we have received and shared. May we be faithful followers of Jesus, willing and eager to love and serve others. Go out to share the love of God, the peace of Christ, and the sustaining fellowship of the Holy Spirit, this day and always. Amen.
(Dora White. Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2023/2024, page 48)
Song of Blessing – “Go Now in Peace, Guided by the Light” (MV #211)
Go now in peace, guided by the light of Christ,
So you may be nourished by the Word of Life.
Go now in peace, guided by the light of Christ,
So you may be nourished by the Word of Life.
Go in Peace! Amen!
