The Epiphany of Christ
A Service for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Introduction
Three wonders mark this holy
day,
As the church is joined to
her heavenly Bridegroom:
This day a star leads the
wise men to the manger.
Alleluia!
This day water is made wine
at the wedding feast.
Alleluia!
This day Jesus is revealed
as the Christ in the waters of baptism.
Alleluia! Praise to you,
Lord Jesus Christ!
A HYMN may be sung here or after the introduction.
Grace and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.
An introduction or Bidding may follow, after which the President prays:
Grant us, Lord, who behold
your glory,
To drink from the waters of
the new creation
Flowing from the river of
life at your baptism.
Give us the wings of the
Spirit
That we may hasten to meet
you at your coming,
And praise you, with the
Father and the Holy Spirit,
Now and forever. Amen.
The King of all the World is Revealed to the Magi
This day a star leads the wise
men to the manger.
Arise, shine; for your light
has come
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
Nations shall come to your
light
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
They shall bring gold and
frankincense
And proclaim the praise of the Lord.
Your gates will lie open
continually
Shut neither by day nor by night.
No more will the sun give
you daylight
Nor moonlight shine upon you.
But the Lord will be your
everlasting light
You God will be your splendor.
From Isaiah 60
The New Creation is Revealed in the Water made Wine
This day water is made wine
at the wedding feast.
I saw the holy city, New
Jerusalem
Coming down out of heaven
from God
Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice from
the throne, saying:
Behold the dwelling of God is with his people.
He will dwell with them and
they shall be his own:
And God himself shall be with them.
Behold, I make all things
new:
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
To the thirsty I will give
ater without price:
From the fountain of the water of life.
From
Revelation 21
As a chalice or flagon of
wine is brought, this ACCLAMATION is made.
Blessed are you, Lord our
God, King of the universe:
For the marriage of the Lamb
has come.
Make your Church ready, and
clothe her
With the righteous deeds of
the saints,
To join the praises of your
new creation.
Blessed be God forever.
The Procession, with the chalice or flagon of wine, moves to the table
as a Hymn is sung or music is played. The congregation may follow.
A reading from the Gospel
according to John
Glory to Christ our Savior.
John 2:1-11
At the end the reader says:
This is the Gospel of
Christ.
Praise to Christ our Lord.
The chalice or flagon is placed on the table.
Let us pray:
Almighty God,
In Christ you make all
things new.
Transform the poverty of our
nature
By the riches of your grace,
And in the renewal of our
lives
Make known your heavenly
glory;
Through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Before the
The Christ is Revealed in the Waters of Baptism
This day Jesus is revealed
as the Christ in the waters of baptism.
I will take you from the
nations:
And gather you from all countries.
I will sprinkle clean water
upon you:
And purify you from all defilement.
A new heart I will give you:
And put a new spirit within you.
You shall be my people:
And I shall be your God.
From
Ezekiel 36
As water is brought, this ACCLAMATION is made.
Blessed are you,
Lord our God, King of the
universe:
You bring waters out of the
stony rock.
For with you is the well of
life,
And in your light shall we
see light.
Blessed be God for ever.
The procession with the water moves to the Font, as a Hymn is sung or
music is played. The congregation
may follow.
A reading from the Gospel
according to Mark
Glory to Christ our Savior.
Mark 1:1-11 (or 1,4-5,7-11)
At the end the reader says:
This is the Gospel of
Christ.
Praise to Christ our Lord.
Let us pray:
Almighty God,
Who anointed Jesus at his
Baptism with the Holy Spirit and revealed him as your beloved Son:
Give to us who are born of
water and the Spirit,
The will to surrender
ourselves to your service,
That we may rejoice to be
called your children;
Through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Before the reading, suitable Hymns or Carols may be sung.
After the Collect the water is poured out with these or other suitable
words:
The springs of water were
made holy
When Christ appeared on
earth,
Draw water from the wells of
salvation;
For, by his baptism, Christ
our God
Has made the whole creation
one.
Or
God in Christ give us the
water welling up for eternal life.
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.
Lord, give us this water, and we shall thirst no more.
The president stands before the water, and says either:
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 him thanks and praise.
It is indeed right, it is
our duty and our joy
At all times to give you
thanks and praise,
For today the grace of the
Holy Spirit
In the form of a dove
descended upon the waters.
[Today the sun that never
sets has risen
And the world is filled with
splendor
By the light of the Lord.
Today the clouds drop down
upon mankind\
The dew of righteousness
from on high.
Today the Uncreated of his
own will
Accepts the laying on of
hands from his own creature.
Today the waters of the
Are transformed for the
healing by the coming of the Lord.
Today our transgressions are
washed away by the waters of the river.
Today the blinding mist of
the world is dispersed
By the Epiphany of our God.
Today things above keep feast
with things below,
And things below commune
with things above.]
Therefore, heavenly Father,
Accept our sacrifice of
praise,
And by the power of your
life-giving Spirit
Sanctify these waters of
your new creation,
That we, with all who have
been born anew
By water and the Spirit,
May be renewed in your
image,
Walk by the light of faith,
And serve you in newness of
life.
Through your anointed Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
To whom with you and the
Holy Spirit
We lift our voices of
praise:
Blessed be God, our strength
and our salvation,
Now and forever. Amen.
Or
Let us give thanks to the
Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Father, for the gift of
water in creation
We give you thanks and praise.
For your Spirit, sweeping over
the waters, bringing light and life
We give you thanks and praise.
For your son Jesus Christ
our Lord, baptized in the river
We give you thanks and praise.
For your new creation,
brought to birth by water and the Spirit
We give you thanks and praise.
For your grace bestowed upon
us your children,
Washing away our sins
We give you thanks and praise.
So, Father, accept our
sacrifice of praise;
By the power of your
life-giving Spirit
Bless these waters of your
new creation.
Lord, receive our prayer.
May we your servants who
have been washed in them
Be made one with your son,
Who took the form of a
servant.
Lord, receive our prayer.
May your Holy Spirit, who
has brought us to new birth
In the family of your
Church,
Raise us in Christ, our anointed
Lord, to full and eternal life.
Lord, receive our prayer.
For all might, majesty and
dominion are yours, now and forever.
Alleluia! Amen.
The prayer over the Water may be followed by a suitable chant or
acclamation
The Renewal of the Covenant
The congregation remains standing.
Either
At your baptism you turned
to Christ, repented of your sins, and renounced evil. Do you now renew you allegiance to
Christ?
I do, and with God’s grace I will follow him as my Savior and
Lord.
Do you believe in God the
Father?
I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Do you believe in Jesus
Christ, the Son of God?
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
And is seated at the right hand of the Father.\
And will come again to judge the living and the dead.
Do you believe in God the
Holy Spirit?
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting.
Amen.
Will you continue in the
apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the
prayers?
With the help of God, I will.
Will you persevere in
resisting evil, and whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
With the help of God, I will.
Will you proclaim by word
and example the Good News of God in Christ?
With the help of God, I will.
Will you seek and serve
Christ in all people, loving your neighbor as yourself?
With the help of God, I till.
Will you recognize
Christ’s authority over human society, by prayer for the world and its
leade4s, by defending the weak, and by seeking peace and justice?
With the help of God, I will.
Or
In the Old Covenant, God
chose
On the one side, God
promises to give us new life in Christ.
On the other side, we are pledged to live no more for ourselves but for
him.
Let us now renew our part in
this Covenant which God has made with his people, and take the yoke of Christ
upon us.
Christ has many services to
be done; some are easy, others are difficult; some bring honor, others bring
reproach; some are suitable to our natural inclinations and material interests,
others are contrary to both. In
some we may please Christ and please ourselves, in others we cannot please
Christ except by denying ourselves.
Yet the power to do all these things is given us in Christ who strengthens
us.
Lord God,
In our baptism you called us
and brought us into your Church, commissioning us to witness to the faith of
the crucified Christ and to be his faithful disciples to the end of our lives;
so now with joy we take upon ourselves the yoke of obedience and for love of
you engage ourselves to seek and do your perfect will.
We are no longer our own,
but yours.
We are no longer our own, but yours.
Put us to what you will, rank us with whom you will;
Put us to doing, put us to suffering;
Let us be employed for you or laid aside for you,
Exalted for you or brought low for you;
Let us be full, let us be empty;
Let us have all things, let us have nothing;
We freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and
disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
You are ours and we are yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which we have made on earth,
Let it ratified in heaven.
The Prayers
See the section which follows.
As we look for the coming of
the Kingdom, let us pray together in the words our Savior has taught us:
The Lord’s Prayer
Blessing of the People
May God the Creator, the
rock of our salvation,
Who has given us new birth
by water and the Holy Spirit and forgiven us all our sins through our Lord Jesus
Christ,
Keep us faithful to our
calling, now and for ever. Amen.
Water may be sprinkled over the people
These words may be used:
Remember your baptism into
Christ Jesus
Thanks be to God!
A Hymn or other chant may be sung while the water is sprinkled.
Blessing and Dismissal
May God, who in Christ gives
us a spring of water welling up to eternal life, perfect in you the image of
his glory;
And the blessing of God
almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Be upon you and remain with
you always. Amen.
Or
May God the Father
Who led the Wise Men by the
shining of a star
To find the Christ, the
Light from Light,
Lead you also in your
pilgrimage to find the Lord. Amen.
May God the Son,
Who turned water into wine
at the Wedding Feast at
Transform your lives and
make glad your hearts. Amen.
May God the Holy Spirit,
Who came upon the beloved
Son at his baptism in the River Jordan,
Pour out his gifts on you
who have come to the waters of new birth.
Amen.
And the blessing of God
almighty,
The Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit,
Be upon you and remain with
you always. Amen.
Go in peace to love and
serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ.
Amen.
Sentences and Prayers for use from Epiphany to Candlemas
On the Feast of the Epiphany
Greeting
Blessed are you, Lord our
God, King of the universe!
From the rising of the sun
to its setting
Your name is proclaimed in
all the world.
The Lord of glory be with
you
The Lord bless you.
Invitation to Confession
The grace of God has dawned upon
the world with healing for all. Though we have grieved him, yet he will heal us
if we confess our sins in penitence and faith.
The Gospel
The Gospel may be read from the Crib. After the Gospel, the traditional
gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh may be offered at the Crib. Alternatively, the three figures of the
Wise Men may be placed in the Crib.
These ACCLAMATIONS may be made.
At the offering of Gold:
Blessed are you, Lord our
God, King of the Universe:
To you be praise and glory
for ever!
As gold in the furnace is
tried and purified seven times in the fire,
So purify our hearts and
minds that we may be a royal priesthood
Acceptable in the service of
your kingdom.
Blessed be God for ever!
At the offering of Incense
Blessed are you, Lord our God,
King of the Universe:
To you be praise and glory
for ever!
As our prayer rises up in
your presence as incense,
So may we be presented
before you with penitent hearts and uplifted hands to offer ourselves in your
priestly service.
Blessed be God for ever!
At the offering of Myrrh
Blessed are you, Lord our
God, King of the Universe:
To you be praise and glory
for ever!
As you give medicine to heal
our sickness
And the leaves of the tree
of life for the healing of the nations,
So anoint us with your healing
power
That we may be the
first-fruits of your new creation.
Blessed be God for ever!
After the gifts have been offered, a SERMON may be preached.
Intercession
This form may be used
Today the Wise Men knelt
before our Savior. Let us also
kneel to worship him with great joy, and to make our prayer to his heavenly
Father.
Father, the wise men came
from the east to worship your Son:
Grant to Christians
everywhere a true spirit of adoration.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our payer.
Father, y0ou are the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords:
Grant an abundance of peace
to your world.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Father, the Holy Family
shared the life of the people of
Protect in your mercy our
neighbors and our families, together with the whole community of which we are
part.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Father, though you were
rich, for our sake you became poor:
Show your love for the poor
and powerless, and strengthen _____ and all those who suffer.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Father, the wise men
presented to your Son gold, incense, and myrrh:
Accept the gifts we bring,
and the offering of our hearts at the beginning of this new year.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Father, you are the King of
Heaven, the hope of all who trust in you:
Give to ______ and all the
faithful departed the wonders of your salvation.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Rejoicing in the fellowship
of wise men, shepherds, and angels, and of the blessed Virgin Mary and
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Savior Jesus
Christ. Amen.
The Peace
Let the peace of Christ rule
in your hearts to which you are called as members of one body.
Or
Our Savior Christ is the
Prince of Peace. Of the increase of
his government and of peace there shall be no end.
Proper Preface
And now we give you thanks
because in coming to dwell among us as man, he reveled the radiance of your glory,
and brought us out of darkness into your own marvelous light.
Or
And now we give you thanks
because you have brought us from darkness to light and made your light shine in
our hearts to bring us the knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus Christ,
our Lord.
At the breaking of the Bread
We break the bread of life
and that life is the light of the world.
God here among us, light in the
midst of us, bring us to light and life.
Post-Communion Prayer
Lord God,
The bright splendor of all
the nations:
May we who with the Wise Men
have beheld the glory of your presence discern the radiance of your Son, even
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Blessing
May God the Father
Who led the Wise Men by the
shining of a star to find the Christ, the Light from Light, lead you in your
pilgrimage to find the Lord. Amen.
May God who has delivered us
from the dominion of darkness
Give us a place with the
saints in light, in the kingdom of his beloved Son. Amen.
May the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ shine in your hearts and fill your lives with his joy
and peace. Amen.
And the blessing of God
almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with
you always. Amen.
Or
Christ our Lord, to whom
kings bowed down in worship and offered gifts, reveal to you his glory, and
pour upon you the riches of his grace, and the blessing …
Or
May God the Father,
Who led the Wise Men by the
shining of a star to find the Christ, the Light from Light, lead you also in
your pilgrimage to find the Lord. Amen.
May god the Son, who turned
water into wine at the Wedding Feast at
May God the Holy Spirit, who
came upon the beloved Son at his baptism in the River Jordan, pour out his
gifts on you who have come to the waters of new birth. Amen.
And the blessing….
On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
After the Gospel, or after the Sermon, water is poured into the Font
with these words:
The springs of water were
made holy when Christ appeared on earth.
Draw water from the wells of
salvation; for by his baptism Christ our God has made the whole creation one.
Or
God in Christ gives us water
welling up for eternal life. With
joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Lord, give us this water, and we shall thirst no more.
The president stands before the water and says:
Let us give thanks to the
Lord our God.
He is worthy of all thanksgiving and praise.
Blessed are you, Lord our
God, King of the universe:
You are our light and our
salvation!
For today the grace of the
Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon the waters. Therefore, heavenly Father, accept our
sacrifice of praise, and by the power of that same life-giving Spirit sanctify
these waters of your new creation; what we, with all who have been born anew by
water and the Spirit, may be renewed in your image, walk by the light of faith,
and serve you in newness of life; through your anointed Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit we lift our voices of praise:
Blessed be God, our strength and our salvation, now and for ever. Amen.
This or other suitable CHANTS or ACCLAMATIONS may be sung:
I saw water flowing from the
threshold of the
Wherever the river flows everything will spring to life. Alleluia!
On the banks of the river
grow trees bearing every kind of fruit.
Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail.
Their fruit will serve for
food, their leaves for the healing of the nations.
For the river of the water of life flows from the throne of God and of
the Lamb.
The thanksgiving over Water may be followed by this act of penitence
and dedication.
God of truth, you are
faithful to the covenant you have made with us; look in mercy on your people.
Cleanse us, Lord, from all our sins:
Wash us and we shall be whiter than snow.
We have broken the pledges
of our baptism, and failed to be your disciples. Cleanse us, Lord, from all our sins:
Wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow.
Though we are saved by
Christ and dead to sin through the deep waters of death, we have not witnessed
to his grace by our manner of life.
Cleanse us, Lord, from all our sins:
Wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow.
We have shown indifference
to those in need and have been afraid to stand up for justice and truth. Cleanse us, Lord, from all our sins:
Wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow.
We have been slow to
forgive, and have failed to remember your repeated forgiveness of our
sins. Cleanse us, Lord, from all
our sins:
Wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow.
Today we rejoice and give thanks
because your son humbled himself to be baptized in the
Wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow.
Through water and Spirit you
give us new life as the people of God, and pour out upon us the gifts of your
new covenant. Cleanse us, Lord,
from all our sins:
Wash us, and we shall be white than snow.
Almighty God, in Christ you
make all things new. Transform the
poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our
lives make known your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Or
Almighty God, in our baptism
you have consecrated us to be temples of your Holy Spirit. May we, whom you have counted worthy,
nurture your indwelling Spirit with a lively faith, and worship you with
upright lives; through Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The water may be sprinkled over the people, or they may come and sign
themselves with the Cross in it as the president says:
‘Come,’ say the
Spirit and the Bride,
‘come forward, you who
are thirsty,
Receive the water of life,
free gift to all who desire it.’
The Peace
God has made us one in
Christ. He has set his seal upon
us, and as a pledge of what is to come has given the Spirit to dwell in our
hearts.
The peace of the Lord be
with you always.
And also with you.
Proper Preface
And now we give you thanks
because you celebrated your new gift of Baptism by signs and wonders at the
At the Breaking of the Bread
We break the bread of life,
and that life is the light of the world:
God her among us, light in
the midst of us, bring us to light and life.
A Prayer after Communion
Father, in baptism we die to
sin, rise again to new life, and find our true place in Christ’s living
body. Send us out sealed in the blood
of the new Covenant, to bring your reconciliation to this wounded world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Blessing
God, who in his Christ gives
us a spring of water welling up to eternal life, perfect in you the image of
his glory; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
Or
May God the Father, who led
the Wise Men by the shining of a star to find the Christ, the Light from Light,
lead you also in your pilgrimage to find the Lord. Amen.
May God the Son, who turned
water into wine at the Wedding Feast at
May God the Holy Spirit, who
came upon the beloved Son at his baptism in the River Jordan, pour out his
gifts on you who have come to the waters of new birth. Amen.
And may the blessing of God
almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with
you always. Amen.
Intercessions
For the right use of Gifts
We pray that Christ may be
seen in the life of the Church, saying:
Jesus, Lord of the Church,
In your mercy hear us.
You have called us into the
family of those who are the children of God.
May our love for our
brothers and sisters in Christ be strengthened by your grace. Jesus Lord of the
Church,
In your mercy hear us.
You have called us to be a
temple where the Holy spirit can dwell.
Give us clean hands and pure
hearts so that our lives will reflect your holiness. Jesus, Lord of the Church,
In your mercy hear us.
You have called us to be a
light to the world so that those in darkness come to you. Make our lives shine as a witness to the
saving grace you have given for all.
Jesus, Lord of the Church,
In your mercy hear us.
You have called us members
of the body of Christ, so when one suffers all suffer together. We ask for your comfort and healing
power to bring hope to those in distress.
Jesus, Lord of the Church,
In your mercy hear us.
You have called us to be the
Bride where Christ the Lord is the Bridegroom. Prepare us for the wedding feast where
we will be united with him forever.
Lord of the church,
Hear our prayer, and make us
one in heart and mind to serve you with joy forever. Amen.
For the ministry and mission
of the Church
We pray for the coming of
God’s kingdom, saying, Father, by your Spirit,
Bring in your kingdom.
You came in Jesus to bring
good news to the poor, sight to the blind, freedom to the captives, and
salvation to your people: anoint us with your Spirit; rouse us to work in his
name. Father, by your Spirit,
Bring in your kingdom.
Send us to bring help to the
poor and freedom to the oppressed.
Father, by your spirit,
Bring in your kingdom.
Send us to tell the world
the good news of your healing love.
Father, by your Spirit,
Bring in your kingdom.
Send us to those who mourn,
to bring joy and gladness instead of grief. Father, by your Spirit,
Bring in your kingdom.
Send us to proclaim that the
time is here for you save your people.
Father, by your Spirit,
Bring in your kingdom.
Lord of the Church,
Hear our prayer, and make us
one in heart and mind to serve you with joy forever. Amen.
Or
God of our salvation, hope
of all the ends of the earth, we pray:
Your kingdom come.
That the world may know
Jesus Christ as the prince of peace, we pray,
Your kingdom come.
That all who are estranged
and without hope may be brought near in the blood of Christ, we pray,
Your kingdom come.
That the Church may be one
in service and proclaiming the Gospel, we pray:
Your kingdom come.
That we may be bold to speak
the word of god while you stretch out your hand to save, we pray,
Your kingdom come.
That the Church may be
generous in giving, faithful in serving, bold in proclaiming, we pray:
Your kingdom come.
That the Church may welcome and
support all whom God calls to faith, we pray,
Your kingdom come.
That all who serve the
gospel may be kept in safety while your Word accomplishes its purpose, we pray:
Your kingdom come.
That all who suffer for the
gospel may know the comfort and glory of Christ, we pray:
Your kingdom come.
That the day may come when
every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, we
pray:
Your kingdom come.
At the Peace
Christ is our peace. If anyone is in Christ, there is a new
creation. The old has passed away:
behold, the new has come.
2
Corinthians 5:17
God has made us one in
Christ. He has set his seal upon
us, and as a pledge of what is to come, has given the Spirit to dwell in our
hearts.
2
Corinthians 1:22
We are all one in Christ
Jesus. We belong to him through
faith, heirs of the promise of the Spirit of Peace. Galatians
3:28
God has entrusted to us the
message of reconciliation. First be reconciled to one another.
Welcome one another as
Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God.
Christ came and proclaimed
the gospel: peace to those who are far off and peace to those who are near.
Proper Prefaces
And now we give you thanks
because by water and the Holy Spirit you have made us a holy people in Jesus Christ
our Lord; you renew that mystery in bread and wine to show forth your glory in
all the world.
And now we give you thanks
because you have revealed you eternal plan of salvation, and have shown you Son
Jesus Christ to be the light to the nations.
And now we give you thanks
because, in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to
shine in our hearts to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Today we give you thanks
because you have anointed your son as the Messiah, the light of the nations,
and revealed him as the hope of all who thirst for righteousness and peace.
And now we give you thanks,
for you are the hope of the nations, the builder of the city that is to
come. Your love is made visible in
Jesus Christ, you bring home the lost, restore the sinner and give dignity to
the despised. In the face of Jesus
Christ your light shines out, flooding lives with goodness and truth, gathering
into one a divided and broken humanity.
Post-Communion Prayers
God of truth, we have seen
with our eyes and touched with our hands the bread of life. Strengthen our faith that we may grow in
love for you and for each other; through Jesus Christ our risen Lord.
God of glory, you nourish us
with your Word which is the bread of life.
Fill us with your Holy Spirit, that through us the light of your glory
may shine in all the world. We ask
this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Eternal Father, we thank you
for refreshing us with these heavenly gifts. May our communion strengthen us in
faith, build us up in hope, and make us grow in love, for the sake of Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Lord, by your mercy we have
feasted upon the bread of life, and have shared the cup of salvation. Help us so to live out our days that our
lives may proclaim your wonders; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Father in heaven, we pray
that the joy of this celebration may fill our hearts with a new and deeper
sense of your love for us and for your world, and that we may reflect your love
by lives of service; through Christ our Lord.
Blessings
Christ our Lord, to whom
kings bowed down in worship and offered gifts, reveal to you his glory, and
pour down upon you the riches of his grace; and the blessing ….
Christ, who by his
incarnation gathered into one things earthly and heavenly, fill you with his
joy and peace; and he blessing
….
Christ the Son of God
gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom; and the blessing
….
The congregation turns and faces the door.
To a troubled world:
Peace from Christ.
To a searching world:
Love from Christ.
To a dying world:
Hope from Christ.
We proclaim Jesus as Lord
And ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
Arise, shine out, for your
light has come;
The glory of the Lord is rising upon you.
The Cross We shall take it
The Bread We shall break it
The pain We shall bear it
The joy We shall share it
The Gospel We shall live it
The Love We shall give it
The Light We shall cherish it
The darkness God shall perish it
The
I set before you an open
door,
A door which no one can shut.
Grace from the Father of
light,
Life from the Lamb of God.
Services and other worship materials are from The Promise of His
Glory: for the season from all saints to Candlemas, The Liturgical Press: