Another brief service for another cold Sunday

Sunday, January 5, 2025
Epiphany Sunday

The weather outside is frightful, but hopefully a brief little live stream will be delightful! Winter storms have kept us from gathering in person this Sunday, but I pray this may at least be a little God moment for the start of your week.

watch this service online

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Hymn: Brightest and Best of the Stars of the Morning (ELW 303)

Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
dawn on our darkness and lend us your aid.
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant redeemer is laid.

Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are shining;
low lies his head with the beasts of the stall;
angels adore him in slumber reclining,
maker and monarch and savior of all.

What shall we give him, in costly devotion?
Shall we bring incense and off'rings divine,
gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
myrrh from the forest or gold from the mine?

Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
vainly with gifts would his favor secure;
richer by far is the heart's adoration,
dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
dawn on our darkness and lend us your aid.
Star of the east, the horizon adorning,
guide where our infant redeemer is laid.

Reading: Luke 2:41-52
⁴¹ Now every year [Jesus’] parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. ⁴² And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. ⁴³ When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents were unaware of this. ⁴⁴ Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. 

⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.⁴⁸ When his parents saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously looking for you.” ⁴⁹ He said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand what he said to them. ⁵¹ Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them, and his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favor.

Reflection / ramblings on the reading

Epiphany House Blessing (grab some chalk and bless along!)

Following an eastern European tradition, either Twelfth Night (January 5) or the Epiphany of Our Lord (January 6) offers an occasion for a blessing for the home. A visual blessing may be inscribed with white chalk above the main door (for example, 20 + CMB + 25). The numbers change with each new year. The letters stand for either the ancient Latin blessing Christe mansionem benedicat, which means, “Christ, bless this house,” or the legendary names of the magi (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar).

Greeting
May peace be to this house and to all who enter here.

By wisdom a house is built and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. (Proverbs 24:3-4)

Reading
As we prepare to ask God’s blessing on this house, let us listen to the words of scripture:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (John 1:1-4, 14, 16)

Inscription

20 ☩ C M B ☩ 25
This inscription may be made with chalk above the entrance as the following is spoken:

The magi of old, known as

(write ‘C’)   Caspar,

(write ‘M’)  Melchior, and

(write ‘B’)   Balthasar followed the star of God’s Son who came to dwell among us

(write ‘20’) two thousand

(write ‘25’) and twenty-five years ago.

Inspire us by their witness, that while we live and dwell here, we too may follow your star and boldly shine with the light of Christ.

(write ☩)  Christe mansionem bendicat; Christ, bless this house,

(write ☩)  and remain with us throughout the new year.

Prayer of Blessing
O God, you revealed your Son to all people by the shining light of a star. We pray that you bless this home and all who live here with your gracious presence. May your love be our inspiration, your wisdom our guide, your truth our light, and your peace our benediction; through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayers

Lord’s Prayer
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, forever and ever. Amen.

Hymn: As with Gladness Men of Old (ELW 302)

As with gladness men of old 
did the guiding star behold;
as with joy they hailed its light,
leading onward, beaming bright;
so, most gracious Lord, may we 
evermore be led by thee.

As with joyful steps they sped,
Savior, to thy lowly bed,
there to bend the knee before
thee, whom heav'n and earth adore;
so may we with willing feet
ever seek thy mercy seat.

As they offered gifts most rare
at thy cradle, rude and bare,
so may we with holy joy,
pure and free from sin's alloy,
all our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to thee, our heav'nly king.

Holy Jesus, ev'ry day
keep us on the narrow way;
and when earthly things are past,
bring our ransomed souls at last
where they need no star to guide,
where no clouds thy glory hide.

In the heav'nly country bright
need they no created light;
thou its light, its joy, its crown,
thou its sun which goes not down;
there forever may we sing
alleluias to our king.

Blessing
May the light of Christ shine in your hearts as brightly as the Epiphany star, guiding you to new revelations of divine joy and love.
Amen.

Dismissal
Go in peace. Happy new year!
Thanks be to God!

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Thanks for joining me for this first snowy service of the new year! Stay warm and safe out there, everyone. Blessings to you!