Beacon Worship 1/2/22 - Epiphany Sunday

We hope you join us for worship, either live-streaming on our Youtube Channel or via zoom. Email info@thewordatbeacon.org for zoom info.

Gathering Time (unmuted)

Feel free to say hi and check in with others before the service begins!

Welcome/Announcements

___________

01.02.22

Facing God (from Psalm 147)

Leader: Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

All: He grants peace within your borders; he fills you with the finest of wheat.

Leader: He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.

All: He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.

Leader: Let us worship God.

Angels From the Realms of Glory

Angels from the realms of glory,

wing your flight o'er all the earth;

ye who sang creation's story

now proclaim Messiah's birth

Chorus

Come and worship, come and worship,

worship Christ, the newborn king.

Shepherds, in the field abiding,

watching o'er your flocks by night,

God with us is now residing;

yonder shines the infant light

Chorus

Sages, leave your contemplations,

brighter visions beam afar;

seek the great Desire of nations;

ye have seen his natal star

Chorus

Laying Down Our Burdens & Assurance

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

All: Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you by what we have done and what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart, mind, and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your name. Amen.

Leader: The Good News is that Christ has come and Christ will come again.

All: In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God.

People Look East v. 1

People, look east. The time is near,

Of the crowning of the year.

Make your house fair as you are able,

Trim the hearth and set the table.

People, look east and sing today:

Love, the guest, is on the way.

Lectio Conversation (John 1:1-18)

(Hold onto these questions while we read our scripture.)

What do you notice in the test? What stands out from this story?

What questions do you have?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[b]

10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own,[c] and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,[d] full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,[e] who is close to the Father’s heart,[f] who has made him known.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Discussion

What stands out to you about this text?

How do you think Mary and Joseph felt about the wise men?

Homily

Prayers of the People

Now is the time when we share the prayers on our hearts and minds. If you have a private prayer, you can email them to us throughout the week and the pastoral team will pray over them.

If you have a prayer, please unmute your mic to share.

After each prayer, I will lead our response on mute:

Lord in your mercy // hear our prayers

***

Now I will offer a prayer for the greater community and world. We will end by saying the Lord’s Prayer together in whatever language you prefer. Let us pray.

(muted)

Leader: Just as God/Christ taught us to pray...

All: 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen.

Communion

Invitation:

Amidst great uncertainty and fear, Jesus gathered his friends together for a meal that would become for countless saints of the faith a way to experience and remember his eternal grace and love.

Jesus said, come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

[You are invited to use whatever elements you have on hand – any beverage, any food]

Leader: The Lord be with you.

All: And also with you.

Leader: Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to the Lord.

Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Prayer

Institution

[The bread of life, the cup of salvation.]

As We Gather At Your Table

As we gather at your table,

as we listen to your word,

help us know, O God, your presence;

let our hearts and minds be stirred.

Nourish us with sacred story

till we claim it as our own;

teach us through this holy banquet

how to make Love's victory known.

Turn our worship into witness

in the sacrament of life;

send us forth to love and serve you,

bringing peace where there is strife.

Give us, Christ, your great compassion

to forgive as you forgave;

may we still behold your image

in the world you died to save.

Gracious Spirit, help us summon

other guests to share that feast

where triumphant Love will welcome

those who had been last and least.

There no more will envy blind us

nor will pride our peace destroy,

as we join with saints and angels

to repeat the sounding joy.

Offering

To give online, click here: https://www.thewordatbeacon.org/donate

To give your prayers, email us at info@thewordatbeacon.org

Go Tell it On a Mountain

Go, tell it on the mountain

Over the hills and everywhere

Go, tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is born

While shepherds kept their watching

O'er silent flocks by night

Behold throughout the heavens

There shone a Holy light

Go, tell it on the mountain

Over the hills and everywhere

Go, tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is born

The shepherds feared and trembled

When, lo! Above the Earth

Rang out the angel chorus

That hailed our Savior's birth

Go, tell it on the mountain

Over the hills and everywhere

Go, tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is born

Down in a lowly manger

Our humble Christ was born

And brought us all salvation

That blessed Christmas morn

Go, tell it on the mountain

Over the hills and everywhere

Go, tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is born

That Jesus Christ is born

Sending/Blessing (from Ephesians 1)

(Remain muted and read liturgy aloud at home)

As we close this time together, let us read this word from the letter to the Ephesians:

All: In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight God has made known to us the mystery of God’s will, according to God’s good pleasure that God set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Leader: The steadfast love of God goes with you, the deep and abiding peace of Christ goes with you, and the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit goes with you, now and always. Amen.