Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

five o’clock in the evening

The Rev. Kathy Rock Pfister, Canon Vicar Celebrant

Lighting of Votive Candles

Worshipers are encouraged to sit in front of the alms basin. During the opening contemplative music, they are invited to observe prayerful quiet or to come forward to light a votive candle in acknowledgement of a prayer, concern, or in memory of a loved one.

Opening Music

Traditional Scottish and Irish Tunes

At the sound of the bell, please stand.

The poem is read by the Celebrant.

God’s Grandeur

THE WORLD is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil

Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?

Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent; There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;

And though the last lights off the black West went Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

— Gerard Manley Hopkins

1. Lord,

2. From you or and thou we been dust make ú œ the sand will hills years sing us œ œ œ ter our the e turn, glad; nal your with ú U lone. night. praise. your - -- - or pass for œ œ œ God in life in us a the long

The Word of God

The people remain standing. The Celebrant begins

Celebrant Welcome to this holy place.

People Friend and stranger, saint and sinner, all who gather here.

People Generous God and generous Savior, touch us through your Spirit.

Celebrant The Lord be with you.

Celebrant Let us pray.

Stay with us, Lord, since the day is far spent and the night is coming; kindle our hearts on the Way, that we may recognize you in the scriptures, in the breaking of the bread, and in each other. Amen.

Reader A Reading from the first Letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God.

After a pause, the people stand for the hymn.

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Words & Music by Becky Baxter ~ ©Becky Baxter, August 2016 ~ used with permission

The people remain standing.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Reader The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

The Reflection

Two minutes of silence is observed following the reflection.

Prayers of the People (The people may stand or kneel for the prayers.)

The Leader begins

As evening falls and courage sometimes falters, let us turn our hearts to God in prayer.

Silence

We pray for those gathered here and all that lies heavy on our hearts. We pray that you would know our needs even before we recognize them. Grant us those good things for which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot, ask.

Silence

We pray for those in positions of leadership in the world, our nation, our state, and our city. Grant them the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice, that they may promote the well-being of all people.

Silence

We pray for the sick, the bereaved, the oppressed, and the homeless, that they may be comforted by your Holy Spirit, who brings light to the darkest places.

Silence

We pray for the broken and torn fabric of the earth as it yearns for healing, trusting that you make all things new.

Silence

We pray for this and all communities of faith. We pray that you would open the hearts of your faithful to seek your truth and pursue it in love.

Silence

We pray that you would disturb us, Lord, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little; when with the abundance of things we possess we have lost our thirst for the water of life. Push back, we pray, the horizons of our hopes, and move us into your future in strength, courage, hope, and love.

The Confession and Absolution

Celebrant Let us confess our sins.

The People may kneel or stand.

Merciful God, we have sinned in what we have thought and said, in the wrong we have done and in the good we have not done. We have sinned in ignorance; we have sinned in weakness; we have sinned through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry. We repent and turn to you. Forgive us, for our Savior Christ’s sake, and renew our lives to the glory of your name. Amen.

Celebrant

Through the cross of Christ, God have mercy on you, pardon you, and set you free. Know that you are forgiven and be at peace. God strengthen you in all goodness and keep you in life eternal. Amen.

The people stand for the Peace.

The Peace

Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you. People And also with you.

The People greet one another in the name of the Lord.