St Clement Church Community Feast of Epiphany 2023

 

Good morning to you all as we celebrate our Feast of Epiphany Service.  I hope you are continuing to keep safe and well and may Christ’s love sustain you always.

Much love to you all,

Rev Di and family xx

 

Let us pray;

Creator of the heavens, who led the Magi by a star to worship the Christ-child: guide and sustain us, that we may find our journey’s end in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Hymn; ‘We have a Gospel to Proclaim’ 

 

Our prayers of Penitence

During this season of Epiphany, let us seek the renewal of our lives in the light of God’s love for us, revealed by Jesus Christ:

 

Jesus, Saviour of all, who revealed the breadth of God’s love, forgive us when we fail to show care to those who are different…

Lord, have mercy.

 

Jesus, Son of God, who revealed the depth of God’s love, forgive us when we are too busy to pray, or to seek God’s will…

Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, Son of Man, who revealed the cost of God’s love, forgive us when we have made light of our sins…

Lord, have mercy.

 

May Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

 

Let us pray our Collect for today

O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith, may at last behold your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

Readings:

Isaiah 60. 1-6

Ephesians 3. 1-12

 

Hymn; ‘We Three Kings of Orient are’’

 

Gospel Matthew 2. 1-12

(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)

 

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.

 (This is the Gospel of the Lord.  Response: ‘Praise to you, O, Christ’)

 

Reflection

Today we, as a church are celebrating the feast of Epiphany.

The holy day in the Christian Church that marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas and the beginning of the Epiphany season.

The feast remembers the visit of the magi to Bethlehem, signifying the nations coming to Christ, drawn by the light of the star, the Gentile visitors who came to worship the Christ child. 

In fact, in earlier times, Epiphany was called the Christmas of the Gentiles, because although Jesus was born a Jew, it didn’t take very long to see that he came to be the Saviour not only of the Jews, but of all people.

Stars have always held a magical quality for us, the very word magi has the same root as magic, and those early visitors to the Christ child were themselves studiers of the stars. They knew of a prophecy connecting a special star with the coming of a great figure in history, and they followed such a star from its rising, perhaps travelling for two years from the east, in order to reach the one to whom it was connected, to find their king.

Their learning gave them insight into the need for a Saviour, and they found him under the guiding star of Bethlehem, in a stable among the animals also sheltering there.

In modern times, we sometimes associate stars with a hopeful ideal, for instance, we talk of ‘following a star’ when we want to voice a dream or ambition. The star is a crucial element in what we know as the Epiphany – the moment when it becomes clear that God has decided to do something very different in the world, marking a new way of living, and doing, and being. 

A new way of God relating to all creation, not based on an ‘out there’ kind of deity, but a ‘down here’, right in the very thick of it God.

On this Sunday as we celebrate Epiphany, let us like last year, take a few moments to allow the star to shine upon us, to light both the past and the future.

Close your eyes, and in your mind, look back over the past year, allow the star to shine into the moments of joy and happiness, and give thanks to God for them. 

Imagine the star shining upon those people who have helped you along the way, those from whom you have learned, upon those you have loved for a long time, and upon those you are just getting to know.

In a time of silence let us thank God for their presence in our lives, and for the circumstances which have brought these people to us…..

 

Now imagine the star lighting up points of regret, or shame, or failure, unhappiness or frustration, and recognise that they are already known, understood, and forgiven by God, and let the light of the star lead us on from those moments into brighter, more hopeful times……

 

Now in this holy space allow the star to guide your thoughts into the future, let us offer to God our hopes and dreams, all that we have been, all that we are, and all that we long to be……….

 

As we move into 2023, let us reflect upon those people and places who are in need of a guiding star, those living in the midst of conflict, those living in the depth of hopelessness, those living in the grip of loneliness or ill health, and let us pray that God may be seen at work in the lives of those who love him, offering healing and peace……

 

In all of this, let us pray for the courage to be like the magi, to follow the star and travel long and hard to meet Jesus Christ, and to have the openness of heart and mind to know him whenever and wherever we may meet him.  After all, we should remember that we bring a gift more precious that gold, frankincense or myrrh, we bring the most expensive gift there is, ourselves.  We are expensive because of what it took to buy us back from death: the very life of the Christ child, nailed to a cross 33 years later.

And as we are guided by the star, our lives are the only thing worthy enough to be given to such a great king as Jesus, we belong to him. In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Hymn; ‘O Thou who camest from above’
 

 

Affirmation of our faith

Let us declare our faith in God.

We believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist. 

 

We believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again. 

 

We believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world. 

 

This is the faith of the Church. This is our faith.

We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

 

Our Intercessions this week are written by Helen Dunbar

We are all companions on a spiritual journey. As we travel together, let us pray.

We thank God for all those who brought the good news of Jesus to us, and all who nourish our faith today. We pray that the whole people of God may work in unity and openness for the coming of God’s kingdom.

 

Lord God, as we face the start of 2023, we pray for your world. Let the star of your justice always shine in the hearts of those who are in authority.  Enable all nations to recognize the sanctity of each and every human life in their care, so that all may experience an abundance of peace and security.

Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer

 

Dear God, your son shared the life of his home and family in Nazareth: we give thanks for his presence with us in our homes and in our lives.  Guide us in our relationships with family and neighbours, especially those in trouble or need and bless those who have guided and enriched our own lives. We pray for our holy Church throughout the world and also here in the diocese of Truro. We pray for our Bishops, for Archbishop Justin and Bishops Philip and Hugh. We pray for those who are persecuted for their faith.

We ask your blessing on Revd Di as she continues with her busy work load and we pray for Ken and all her family, who are a great support to her.

Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer

 

Let us pray for the peace of the world, for statesmen and rulers, that they may have wisdom to know and courage to do what is right.  For all who work to improve international relationships; that they may find the true way to reconcile people of different race, colour and creed.  And for men and women the world over, that they may have justice and freedom and live in security and peace.

 

Show us, oh God, how to love not only the animals, birds, and all green and growing things, but the soil, air and water by which we live, so that we may not exploit or pollute them for our own profit or convenience.

Help us to cherish these necessities for our survival, and guide those in authority to ensure that the human spirit may not be starved in pursuit of material comfort and wealth.

Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer

 

Bless and guide Charles our King and all the royal family.

O God, give wisdom to those who govern us, a sense of justice to those who wield power, that they may frame laws that are life-giving, that the poor and the weak may breathe freely.  May they defend the cause of the needy, save the abandoned and orphans; disarm the rebellious and violent.

 

Loving God, we pray for all those who have lost their way or have been led astray and for all who are living below their potential and who feel unfulfilled.  We pray for all those whose lives are restricted by illness. We remember the chronically ill, those in constant pain, the depressed and the despairing. We pray for all those known to us who are suffering from ill health and their loving families who look after them: Revd Diane and Ken, Barrie and Sandra, Alison and Rob, Rupert and Linda, Lyn, Stephen, Carole, Liz, Paul and Jan, Dot and Terry, Maureen, Alison, Margaret, Brian, and baby Willow.

Lord in your mercy; hear our prayer

 

Lord, hear us as we remember those who have recently passed away and we remember all the people who lost their lives in the tragic helicopter crash in Australia.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray with confidence as Jesus taught us;

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, the power and the glory,

for ever and ever.  Amen.

 

Hymn; ‘Be Thou my vision’

 

The Peace

Our Saviour Christ is the Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end.

May the peace of God be always with us. 

Amen.

 

Blessing

May Christ the Son of God perfect in us the image of his glory and gladden our hearts with the good news of his kingdom; and may the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us, those whom we love, and remain with us always.

Amen.