Epiphany 1998: In The World

Seekers Church:
A Christian Community
In the Tradition of the Church of the Saviour

Epiphany 1998

In The World

SILENT REFLECTION

Faint not, nor fear, but go out
to the storm and the action,
Trusting in God, whose commandment
you faithfully follow;
Freedom exultant will welcome
your spirit with joy.

Dietrich Bonhoffer

PRELUDE

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:: Arrest us, O God.
The time of preparation is now past.
The time of expectation is now fulfilled.
As the new world rides into our midst
like a child on the shoulder of Christ.
Unison:: Let us stop — and look — and listen.
For the form of our old world shall pass away,
and the newly born shall lead us.

INVOCATION

HYMN

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

SILENCE

LITANY OF ACTION

Leader:: When God’s word comes upon the world,
the world is never again the same.
An old age ends — a new age begins..
People:: When Jonah caught wind of the word of the Lord,
he tried to run away.
Why should he go to a hostile people
in a faraway place, to deliver a message
from the God of another land?
Leader:: But he went … and they believed.
People:: God calls us to speak the word
of tolerance and inclusion
in an increasingly intolerant and exclusive world.
Leader:: When the leper came to Jesus, asking to be healed,
the leprosy was cured at Jesus’ touch.
People:: We are called to have faith that every diseased,
untouchable part within each one of us
can indeed be healed.
Leader:: When Zebedee caught sight
of the word of the Lord,
he went on mending his nets.
People:: Why should he drop his home and his work
to chase a carpenter’s dream?
Leader:: But James and John went;
they believed and followed.
People:: Jesus calls us to take the risk of total commitment;
to follow Christ throughout the world.
Unison:: God’s word has come again to the world.
Let the old age end!
Let the new day begin!

SILENCE

PRAYERS

COMMON CONFESSION

Unison:: Transforming God,
sometimes we do not welcome what is new.
Broken, we do not want an inbreaking.
We want to shut our doors against the world
when you would have us throw them open
and make the world our home.
We want to clutch our trreasures to our breasts
when you would have us go on a pilgrimage
to place them in another’s hands.
Forgive us, Lord.

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE

Leader:: This is the good news in Jesus Christ:
God loves us more than we love ourselves.
God forgives us, encourages us,
and frees us to love others.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE COMMUNITY

HYMN

THE WORD

FIRST LESSON

SILENCE

GOSPEL LESSON

SERMON

SILENT REFLECTION

The first Sunday of each month we switch to a Communion Liturgy here.

OFFERING

SHARED REFLECTIONS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HYMN

BENEDICTION

Leader:: Faint not, nor fear,
but go out to the storm and the action,
trusting in God, whose commandment
you faithfully follow;
Freedom exultant will welcome
your spirit with joy. Amen.

LITURGY RESOURCES

Call to worship: Phylllis Cole & Everett Tillson, Litanies and Other Prayers, p 41.
Litany: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Mark 1:40-45; Mark 1:14-20
Confession: Cole & Tillson, p 180.
Benediction: Dietrich Bonhoffer

Revised Common Lectionary

Epiphany 1998
Year C

6 January 1998 Epiphany of the Lord: Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12
11 January 1998 Baptism of the Lord (First Sunday after the Epiphany): Isaiah 43:1-7
Psalm 29
Acts 8:14-17
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
18 January 1998 Second Sunday after the Epiphany: Isaiah 62:1-5
Psalm 36:5-10
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
John 2:1-11
25 January 1998 Third Sunday after the Epiphany: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Luke 4:14-21
1 February 1998 Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany: Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 71:1-6
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Luke 4:21-30
8 February 1998 Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany: Isaiah 6:1-8
Psalm 138
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11
15 February 1998 Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany: Jeremiah 17:5-10
Psalm 1
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 6:17-26
22 February 1998 Transfiguration Sunday (Last Sunday after the Epiphany): Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm 99
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Luke 9:28-36