Weekly
Services
Welcome and Announcements
Land Acknowledgement
*Gathering
Song: MV156, Dance with the
Spirit (sing twice)
Lighting the
Christ Candle
Today is the Second
Sunday of Epiphany, the season of surprises and a-ha! moments. It is the time
of light dancing and emerging. Appropriately we light the candle reminding us
that Christ is the Light of the World.
Call to Worship
Why are we called to this place?
To be God’s people.
What is required of us?
To seek justice,
to love kindness,
to live humbly with God.
And how shall we do this?
With our prayers,
with our thoughts,
with our actions,
and with our love.
Then, as people who are both blessed and blessing:
Let us worship God!
Opening
Prayer
(for Psalm 40)
I waited patiently for you, O God.
You lifted me out of the miry clay and set me firmly upon a rock.
You put a new song in my
heart, a song of praise and thanksgiving.
Many shall notice and wonder.
Many shall put their trust in you, O God,
just as we put our trust
in you as we gather in this place. Amen.
Prayer of
Confession
Dear God, we come to you today, though many of us are tired
and discouraged.
Give us relief from our
distress.
Lord, we ask for your guidance and intervention,
so that we may be
reconciled and made new.
We put our trust in you. You know our innermost thoughts
and aspirations.
We ask you to shine your
face upon us and fill our hearts with joy.
Let us put our troubles aside.
We lay our burdens to
rest, safely held in your care. Amen.
Words of
Assurance
God’s
grace and forgiveness are larger than our Milky Way galaxy. We are forgiven.
Thanks be to God!
Hymn VU 395 Come
In Come In and Sit Down
Learning Time:
Say Something by Peter Reynolds
Hymn MV182
Grateful
Scripture
Isaiah 49:1-7
Listen to
me, you islands;
hear
this, you distant nations:
Before I was born the Lord called me;
from
my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.
2 He made my mouth like a
sharpened sword,
in
the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow
and
concealed me in his quiver.
3 He said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel,
in whom I will display my splendor.”
4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;
I
have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand,
and
my reward is with my God.”
5 And now the Lord says—
he
who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and
gather Israel to himself,
for I am[a] honored in
the eyes of the Lord
and
my God has been my strength—
6 he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to
restore the tribes of Jacob
and
bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that
my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
7 This is what the Lord says—
the
Redeemer and Holy One of Israel—
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to
the servant of rulers:
“Kings will see you and stand up,
princes
will see and bow down,
because of the Lord, who is
faithful,
the
Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
Responsive Psalm 40:1-11 VU 764
John 1: 29-42
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said,
“Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following
and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which
means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he
replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was
staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what
John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his
brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[b]).
Sermon/
Reflection: What are you looking for?
Minute for
Mission – Mountains of Service
If you ever travel to the northern mountains
of India and meet a man named Surrender Singh, the first thing he’ll do is
invite you on a walk. Not a short stroll, but a real mountain trek. And the
beauty of the Himalayas is only part of what he wants to show you.
With him as your guide, the trail becomes a
story. Every bend holds a memory. Every village has a face he knows.
Many still call him “Singh san” from his time
training at the Asian Rural Institute, a Mission and Service partner in Japan.
For more than four decades, he has climbed these ridges. As you walk beside
him, people call out greetings. He calls them by name. Someone brings tea. He
digs in his pack and pulls out bananas or biscuits to share. And suddenly
you’re not just passing through—you’re part of the conversation.
He’ll point to a house and tell you how he
once slept on the floor there while helping build a water pipeline with the
Mussoorie Village Development Committee, the group he now leads. Another turn
in the path, and he’s showing you the school that has given local children a
chance to learn close to home.
And then there are the women’s groups.
Surrender Singh lights up talking about them. He trained them in organic
farming. Now they grow and sell their produce, earning steady incomes and
strengthening their families and communities.
By the time you reach the end of the trail,
you realize that you haven’t just taken a hike. You’ve walked through the story
of a life spent in gratitude and service to others.
Mission and Service partners like the Asian
Rural Institute are where leaders like Surrender Singh gain the skills and
confidence to transform their communities. When you support Mission and
Service, you help grow this kind of leadership and community—the
kind that takes root, spreads, and changes lives, one mountain path at a time.
Offering Invitation
Our
offering is a sign of our confidence in the ministry we share. It’s a sign of
our gratitude for the blessings we’ve received and our heartfelt intent to pay
forward those blessings as we are able. Let’s dedicate today’s offering with
our prayer.
*Offertory Hymn: MV187 We Give Our Thanks
Prayer of
Dedication
We do offer our whole
lives to you, O God. Like Simon Peter and Andrew, like Philip and Nathanael, we
want to go to Jesus and discover what you are doing through him. Accept these
our gifts today that they might support the discipleship and discovery of this
congregation. We pray in the name of the one we follow, Jesus, our Messiah.
Amen.
Prayers Of
the People
Holy, Holy, Holy!
We are living in a world of destruction, war, fear, and persecution.
As we gather to worship,
we know that peace, hope, and forgiveness are stronger.
We notice the countries that are being led by those who
prefer greed, power, and violence.
Yet we know truth, love,
and perseverance to be stronger.
In our midst, in our community and our world, there are
those of us who are lonely, struggling, suffering, and marginalized.
May the acceptance and
inclusion we seek to offer be stronger.
In our hearts, there is concern, worry, fear, and pain.
May the peace, healing,
and comfort we know in this place of worship be stronger.
Loving God, we lift up to you our concerns shared with
others or written on our hearts alone.
May we all feel the embrace of the Holy Spirit and be enfolded in hope, now and
always. Amen.
Hymn MV 161
I Have Called You By Your Name
Commissioning
and Benediction
Go
now as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Go now, acknowledging that your discipleship is a growth enterprise.
Go now, knowing you are loved by God. Amen.
Musical postlude
Except where otherwise noted, today’s service
prayers came from Gathering Worship.
Welcome and Announcements
Land Acknowledgement
*Gathering
Song: MV156, Dance with the
Spirit (sing twice)
Lighting the
Christ Candle
These short days of January, we yearn for light.
We must wake up before dawn breaks, and night
descends upon us early in the evening. Oh, how
we crave light.
Into this reality has come Jesus
the Christ, the One we call the Light of the
World.
It is with that assurance that we light the Christ
candle.
Call to Worship
God calls you to ministry in the world
We are
truly thankful.
God calls you beloved, God’s own children.
We are
truly thankful.
God calls you to worship here wit your siblings in faith.
We are
truly thankful.
In gratitude, let us worship
Opening
Prayer
Come to the edge of the sea, the barrier
between
you and a new life, and pray for a path
to freedom.
Turn barriers into highways, Holy One!
Come to the edge of a river, the
obstacle between
you and security in a new way of living,
Turn obstacles into footpaths, Rock of Ages!
Come to this time of worship and its
challenge of
meaning and belonging.
Turn us into a people of the journey, taking the
path, the highway to daring love.
Prayer of
Confession
Creator
Spirit, Ancient of Days, open us to your presence.
Name the
night and the day within each of us, and reassure us that they are both
blessed.
Take us through the waters before us to places of hope and safety.
Let us come
with you on the way to a different world, one of generosity, grace, and
goodness.
Open us in this time of prayer, song, and praise to your word of life. Notice
when we open ourselves to you.
We are not
perfect, and some days we struggle to be good or kind. We lose the commitment
to your purposes. We go our own way.
Forgive us, even when we are slow to forgive others. Remind us of our baptism,
and lead us back to the banquet of love.
We pray in
the name of the Beloved Child. Amen.
Words of
Assurance
God’s water brings us life.
God’s water brings us the Holy Spirit.
God’s water makes us beloved.
The voice of God is connecting to us, today and
every day.
Hymn MV144 Like
a healing Stream
Learning Time:
Hymn MV157 I Am
a Child of God
Scripture
Isaiah 42:1-9
“Here is my
servant, whom I uphold,
my
chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and
he will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout or cry out,
or
raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not
break,
and
a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
4 he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In
his teaching the islands will put their hope.”
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who
spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who
gives breath to its people,
and
life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I
will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to
be a covenant for the people
and
a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to
free captives from prison
and
to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
8 “I am the Lord; that
is my name!
I
will not yield my glory to another
or
my praise to idols.
9 See, the former things have
taken place,
and
new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I
announce them to you.”
Responsive Psalm 29 vu756
Matthew 3: 13-17
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I
need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill
all righteousness.” Then
John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At
that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This
is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Sermon/
Reflection:
Baptism of the Lord
Some
of my favorite artwork is the artwork I receive from children in my
congregation at the end of a service. I expect that adults doodle in worship,
as well, but the children are most likely to show me their drawings and even
make a gift of those drawings. I especially love it when kids draw what they
see or hear about during our worship. It shows that they’re paying attention!
It can even be a way for them to pray.
Well,
last year, on Baptism of the Lord Sunday, it was abundantly clear which part of
the story had captured our kids’ attention: it was the spirit of God descending
like a dove. (I received several pictures of doves, some recognizable as such!)
The dove descending is an especially vivid part of the gospel story, and it’s
reinforced visually for kids in my congregation. In our sanctuary, you can spot
multiple images of doves – most notably atop the baptismal font! That’s
because, as every one of the gospels describes Christ’s baptism, God’s Holy
Spirit is said to descend on him like a dove. So the dove is one of the most
popular symbols for God’s Holy Spirit.
Of
course, the dove is not the only symbol we have for God’s Spirit. In the
Pentecost story, when the Spirit comes to the disciples, the Spirit comes as
wind, reminiscent of the wind that blew over the waters when God created the
heavens and the earth. The wind at Pentecost calls attention to the Holy Spirit
breathing life into the Church. Fire is another common representation of God’s
Spirit. The fire that appeared on Pentecost reminds us of the burning bush
through which God spoke to Moses, and the pillar of fire that led God’s people
through the wilderness. The symbol of fire calls attention to the strength and
force of God’s Spirit. And in some places the Bible says we’re made to drink of
God’s Spirit. Like water the Spirit refreshes and cleanses us. Theologians and poets throughout the years
have read what the Bible says about God’s Spirit and have imagined the Spirit
in fresh ways: as the life-giving womb of God . . . as a wind song through the
trees or a secret wrapped in smoke or an inexhaustible stream . . . as a
spiritual midwife or a storm that melts mountains. One image I particularly
like comes from the Iona Community. The dove is too meek for their taste. They
say that, in light of the disruptive and uncontrollable movements the Spirit
makes, a more fitting symbol may be the wild goose.
But
. . . what about the dove?
When
Jesus is baptized . . . when John pulls him, dripping, from the waters of the
Jordan, God’s Spirit descends like a dove and alights on Jesus. While doves are
symbols-of-the-holy-spirit mentioned here and there throughout the scriptures,
this story of the spirit descending like a dove would have brought one
particular story to the mind of Jesus or any good Jew: the story of Noah in the
book of Genesis – Noah, who was similarly dripping wet, and similarly visited
by a dove.
So
let’s think for a moment about the story of Noah, and what it might have been
like for him to emerge from 40 days and 40 nights of torrential rain, a
terrifying flood – a flood that was the culmination of so many other terrifying
events. Even before the flood, the world had become ruined, the scriptures say
– all of it. We have no stories, no details about what was happening . . . but
Genesis points to a time when every thought people had was evil – evil
continually. The earth was corrupt, filled with violence. All flesh had
corrupted its ways, says Genesis. What God had made good had disintegrated
somehow, until it was worse than the worst war zone . . . more violent than the
most violent terrorist cell . . . darker than the darkest alley. The whole world
had become a place of fear, a place of murder and evil and wretchedness, such
that God regretted having made it at all.
Imagine
the weight of that – not only the chaos of the flood, but the years of chaos
that proceeded it. How heavy and weary and hopeless Noah and his family must
have felt as their ark drifted across the waters, across all they had ever
known. It must have felt like the end of the world. Then a single dove returned
to them with an olive branch in its beak! A green and living thing. A sign that
this wasn’t the end. There was life out there: new life. There were growing
things. There was a safe and solid place they could start over. What relief
they must have felt, seeing that dove – that first evidence God had not
forgotten them, and God’s promise of a fresh start would come true.
When
we talk about our baptism – well, when I talk about our baptism – I usually
focus on the cheerful aspects: how we’re washed clean and made new by the Holy
Spirit. How we’re freed, like the Hebrew people were freed from slavery when
God parted the Red Sea. How God claims us and calls us beloved. These are all
true, all-important aspects of our baptism. But there’s the flood, too – the
drowning of evil in us and around us . . . evil that has run so hard and so
rampant, we need God to destroy it. We need God to help us start over.
Just
think about all the things that overwhelm people and crush us and leave us
gasping for breath. Things like financial ruin . . . or cancer cells spreading
. . . or sexual assault . . . or remorse over mistakes we’ve made . . . or
addiction or anger or grief. So many things can flood our hearts, our minds,
our lives, and overwhelm us.
Some
years ago the Christian author Anne Lamott shared her son Sam’s blogpost
entitled, “How I managed not to kill myself yesterday.”
He began by naming the pain of the holiday
season – the “onslaught of commercialism and happiness (genuine or not) . . .
[a] painful reminder of the things we don't feel, [Sam said, the] objects we
can’t afford, and missing pieces we don't have. It is an exercise in endurance
and grit,” and Sam was glad to have survived it - literally, glad to have
survived. Still he found himself exhausted, and he shared that a few days
earlier he’d called the suicide prevention lifeline. It was a turn of events he
found embarrassing to admit, he said, “as these thoughts are confusing and
don't match up with the wonderful life I actually have in front of me. I felt
guilty and ashamed, [Sam went on] and I didn't have the strength to call
anybody in my regular support network of friends and loved ones.” He was
drowning. But the Spirit showed up like a dove and alighted on him. Sam didn’t
call it that; I’m calling it that: how the folks at the suicide prevention
lifeline listened to Sam and helped him see that this wasn’t the end. There was
life out there – a reason to live, a place to start again.
And
next week, as we remember Martin Luther King, Jr., we remember how, for him,
fear could rise like a flood. In one of his sermons, he talked about it, how
after one particularly tense week during which King had been arrested and had
received numerous threatening calls, he attended one of the bus protest
meetings in Montgomery and addressed the group. He tried desperately to project
an image of strength and courage, when deep down, King said, what he felt was
fear and depression. Then an elderly woman – a woman affectionately called
Mother Pollard – a poor and uneducated yet brilliant and wise woman –
approached King and said, “Something is wrong with you. You didn’t talk strong
tonight.” King denied it; he wanted to keep his fears to himself. But she said,
“You can’t fool me. I knows something is wrong. Is it that we ain’t doing
things to please you … or is it that the white folks is bothering you?” And
before King could answer, she looked directly into his eyes and said, “I don
told you we is with you all the way.” Then “with a countenance beaming with
quiet certainty she concluded, ‘but even if we ain’t with you, God’s gonna take
care of you.’
Everything
in me quivered [King said . . . quivered] with the pulsing tremor of raw energy
when she uttered these consoling words.” And Mother Pollard’s words came back
to King, time and again, “amid howling winds of pain and jostling storms of
adversity” . . . her words gave peace to King’s troubled soul. “God’s gonna
take care of you.”4 When I think of the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, I
think of those moments our hope is rekindled, even when the floodwaters are
high, and we have nowhere to go quite yet. The Spirit comes to us in pulsing
tremors of raw energy, or moments of serenity, or when something strikes us as
funny, and we know: there’s life out there. The Spirit comes to us in
well-timed offers of help, or in a story that inspires us, or in a delicious
meal, and we remember: the world is still beautiful. The Spirit comes to us at
important moments in our lives (as in Jesus’ life), and we glimpse our reason
for hope – which is ultimately God’s faithfulness and love no flood can drown.
With signs of that love, those promises, and life beyond what we can see, God’s
Spirit comes like a dove at the end of a long and terrible flood. It’s a sign
that God will help us to start again.
©
Carla Pratt Keyes, 2023
Minute for
Mission -- Good Food, Good Futures
In St. John’s, NL, Hungry Heart Café &
Catering is a place where good food and good hearts come together. For 18
years, this social enterprise of Mission and Service partner Stella’s Circle
has been serving the community while opening doors for people who face barriers
to employment.
At Hungry Heart, every dish tells a story of
learning and possibility. The café provides hands-on culinary training and real
work experience for people who are rebuilding their lives. Many participants
live with the impacts of mental health challenges, trauma, poverty,
homelessness, or low literacy. Some are trying to re-enter the workforce after
long absences.
What they find at Hungry Heart is a safe
space to learn at their own pace.
Staff offer mentorship, life-skills support,
and steady encouragement. The goal isn’t just to teach restaurant skills. It’s
to help people gain confidence, develop independence, and imagine a future
where they can thrive.
Food security is another part of the café’s
mission. Through the Meals Squared program, customers can add a small donation
to their bill. That donation goes directly toward providing nutritious meals to
Stella’s Circle participants and other neighbours who are experiencing hunger.
It’s a simple way to care for the community, one meal at a time.
And behind it all is Stella’s Circle, a
Mission and Service partner known for responding quickly to changing needs, and
for creating programs that meet people where they are. Whether it’s updating
training opportunities, collaborating with community groups, or addressing
rising food insecurity, the people at Stella’s Circle continue to innovate so
community members can receive the kind of support that makes a real and
sustainable difference.
Through Mission and
Service, your support helps strengthen Stella’s Circle and the
Hungry Heart Café, ensuring this community remains a place of opportunity,
dignity, and good food shared with care. It’s one way to come together to help
people build skills, find stability, and move toward the futures they imagine
for themselves, reflecting Christ’s call to walk with one another in compassion
and hope.
Offering Invitation
Baptism is about an offering and a purpose. It is
a free offering of God’s love to us, and our offering of a commitment to love
and serve God. The collection today is an offering toward the purposes of God
and God’s purpose for us. We give our offering in the spirit of baptism, as a
commitment to God’s loving purposes.
*Offertory Hymn: MV187 We Give Our
Thanks
Prayer of
Dedication
Creator God, you created a day of rest. In our frenetic life, let us
remember that this is your day of rest given to us to cherish. Thank you for
your generosity. Now with our offerings, we give thanks for limitless
possibilities. You help us to recognize all that we are seeking as we follow
the Way of Jesus. Let us be radically committed to you and to helping fulfill
your loving purpose. These gifts are a sign of our radical commitment to you
and to the Way of Jesus. Amen.
Prayers Of
the People
Friends,
like raindrops running across stones,
finding their way down toward the shore
to the racing rivers and deep into the earth,
our prayers run together, returning to their source.
God receives our prayers, like parched earth soaking up cool
rains, desperate to taste on her tongue the trust and vulnerability of her
children. She welcome us with the
tugging of love’s tidal pull.
In this knowledge, let us hold silence so that together in this
silence,
we can unburden ourselves, praying to the One Who Has Claimed Us
as her own. Let’s hold silence together:
(Silent prayer)
All these prayers, O God, we release to you, all our joys and
fears, all our prayers for ourselves, and all our prayers for others, may your mercy and peace be on us. May your mercy and peace be upon the world. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Hymn MV135 Called by Earth and Sky
Commissioning
and Benediction
Go from here to live out your baptismal faith, and let the waters
of creation buoy you up and give you strength. Go from here nourished at this
table of love, and let the Holy One of Bethlehem be your guide and light.
May the Creator of All fill you with hope. May Jesus the Christ
meet you at the table and fill you with hunger for change. May the Spirit of
Liberation lead you into the path of grace.
Go in peace.
Musical postlude
Epiphany:
A New Year, a New Vision
―by David Sparks
Welcome and Announcements
Indigenous
Land Acknowledgement
Lighting the
Christ Candle
The season of Epiphany begins with the magi from a
distant land following the light of a star to the child Jesus. They were the first sign that Jesus was a
gift for everyone.
May we
continue to seek Christ’s enlightening spirt in the company of all people.
We gather in the light of Christ.
Deep Spirituality. Bold
Discipleship. Daring Justice.
These six words are our
call as a United Church. And they go with a vision:
Called by God, as
disciples of Jesus, The United Church of Canada seeks to be a bold, connected,
evolving church of diverse, courageous, hope-filled communities united in deep
spirituality, inspiring worship, and daring justice.
Hymn More
Voices 156, Dance with the Spirit (sing
twice)
Call to Worship. Called
to a Spirit Journey
You
call us to a journey of the Spirit, Loving God.
As we prepare, you speak,
and we listen.
You call us to a journey of the Spirit, Loving God.
Our goal is clear; we seek
the highest good.
You call us to a journey of the Spirit, Loving God.
We are not alone; our
faith companions go with us.
You call us to a journey of the Spirit, Loving God.
You are our guide; we have
nothing to fear. Amen
Hymn Voices
United 87, I Am the Light of the World
Opening
Prayer: A Prayer of Bold Discipleship
Loving
God,
In our discipleship we will be bold.
As bold disciples, we will
listen carefully to those who
experience life differently from us.
In our discipleship we will be bold.
As bold disciples, we will
work out our own faith
and explore that of other faith communities.
In our discipleship we will be bold.
As bold disciples, we will
meet with the powerful ones
but will not submit to them.
In our discipleship we will be bold.
As bold disciples, we will
experience love in a little child with their carers and will humbly worship.
Amen
A Prayer
before the Reading
Touch
us with your Word, Loving God,
stir up within us fresh
ways of enlivening your Word for our day.
Hold us with your Word, Loving God,
challenge us as we search for
your way in our faith community.
Shake
us with your Word, Loving God,
set us ablaze with a
determination to be bolder disciples.
In the name of Jesus we pray,
Amen
Readings
Isaiah
60:1‒6 The future glory of Jerusalem
“Arise, shine, for
your light has come,
and
the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See,
darkness covers the earth
and
thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and
his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will
come to your light,
and
kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “Lift
up your eyes and look about you:
All
assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
and
your daughters are carried on the hip.
5 Then
you will look and be radiant,
your
heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
to
you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds
of camels will cover your land,
young
camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come,
bearing
gold and incense
and
proclaiming the praise of the Lord.
Matthew
2:1‒12 Visitors from the East
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem
in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from
the east came to Jerusalem 2 and
asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his
star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When
King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When
he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law,
he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In
Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has
written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are
by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who
will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the
exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and
search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that
I too may go and worship him.”
9 After
they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen
when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child
was. 10 When they saw the star, they were
overjoyed. 11 On coming to
the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and
worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with
gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And
having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned
to their country by another route.
A Prayer
after the Reading
We thank you for your Word, Loving God,
gracious words that tell
of your presence.
We thank you for your Word, Loving God,
enlivening words that
enthuse and affirm.
We thank you for
your Word, Loving God,
familiar words that faithfully
inspire
We
thank you for your Word, Loving God,
challenging words that are
surprising and heartening.
Living
God, we thank you for your Word.
Amen
An Epiphany Reflection in Light of the Call and
Vision Statement of the United Church
Leader: The church, our
church, The United Church of Canada, has deliberated, the church has wrestled
with some different concepts,the church has come to a conclusion, and now we
have a Call
and Vision, endorsed by the 43rd General Council. Are we thankful to GC or
what?!
Here
it is:“Deep Spirituality. Bold Discipleship. Daring Justice.”
These
six words are our call as a United Church. And they gowith a vision:
Called
by God, as disciples of Jesus, The United Church of Canada seeks to be a bold,
connected, evolving church of diverse, courageous, hope-filled communities
united in deep spirituality, inspiring worship, and daring justice.
Questioner: Sounds great, sounds
challenging, but whatever has it to do with the season of Epiphany that we are
in, and the often-told, often-sung story of the magi that we heard read
earlier? (sing:)
“We three Kings of Orient are,/Bearing gifts we traverse so far…”
Leader:A good question! It
deserves a good answer, and I’ll do my best. You got a few minutes?
Questioner:Bring it on!
Leader: Let’s begin by looking
at the season of the church year that we are beginning today, Epiphany. It’s
the time of a great insight. One description of its importance made clear that
Epiphany is like the insight that came when Newton experienced the apple
falling and then formulated the concept of gravity.
Questioner: Wait a minute, “hugely
important,” but was this a historical incident, were there historical magi on a
quest, or has another story about how the Queen of Sheba pays homage to King
Solomon been modified by the gospel writer Matthew?
Leader: Wrong question!
This
is not just a story of some “wise guys” going off on a whim following a moving
comet. The story makes clear that risk was involved, risk to life and limb in
coming to see the baby Jesus. Herod was a powerful and nasty character, yet the
magi made the journey anyways. It was of supreme importance to them.
Questioner: I get it. To go back to the new United Church
Call and Vision, the story is gently reminding us that it isn’t the state of
the economy that matters most, or holidays in exotic places, or our financial
or workplace success, it is what we have going for us in the realm of
spirituality, deep spirituality. The magi found their goal―the birthplace of
the baby Jesus―and they gave the baby appropriate and valuable gifts.
You
don’t give presents worth a whole lot to someone who isn’t vital. Jesus is
central to their quest, and he is on the receiving end of gold, frankincense,
and myrrh, valuable gifts.
Leader:
And
more than that, we are united in our
spirituality. We find it, we are silent with it, we pray it from the bottom of
our hearts, and we share it in the faith community. The spiritual is a hopeful faith-shared sphere of our
existence, and it matters hugely.
The
magi got it right.
Questioner: But wait a minute, we set out to see whether
the Call and Vision approved by General Council had relevance to the Epiphany
story. I get the point about spirituality, even deep spirituality, but there is
nothing in the story about the magi becoming disciples. The second part of the
Call and Vision relates to disciples, and bold ones at that.
Leader:
Okay,
remember you are not dealing with history. This is likely a very good story,
and we only have to look a little further into the gospel account of Matthew to
read the call of disciples Andrew and Simon Peter, and James and John, sons of
Zebedee.
Throughout
Matthew’s gospel the training and work of the disciples has a prominent place.
Not far into the gospel of Matthew (Matt. 10:9‒15) there is an account of the
training program for the disciples, and it even includes a section on what to
do when rejection comes your way.
The
Call and Vision talks about bold discipleship. Bold―not perfect!―and that is
what is made clear in the gospel record.As the early church finds its feet,
disciples emerge and grow, sometimes not very expertly in their committed
following of Jesus.
Questioner:
But
what about now?
Leader:If ever there was a
time for developing a bold program for a new local program for evangelization,
using Facebook and other social media, it is today (or maybe yesterday!).If
ever there was a time to go out in twos and knock on doors and tell people, “The
church is alive; this is what the church is really about, not what the media
often says it is about,” it is now! You could try it!
Questioner:
Fair
enough! But what about “Daring justice”?
Leader:Well, you have read the
story. It’s about magi, sages―dedicated, recognized,but way down the power
ladder―taking on King Herod, ruler and supreme leader of his time, and the
underdogs coming out on top.
In
the story we are all rooting for the magi to get their gifts to Jesus and get
away from Herod, and for once the right people are on the winning side! Alleluia!
Questioner:
Very
well and good, but do you have some daring justice stories that tell what the
church has been up to recently? Such as the national church with Mission and
Service stories?
Leader:
Actually,
I have. Here is a Stories
of Our Mission on the United Church website, “Stories of Our Mission” about
working with others toward justice.
Building on a Year of Care
As we step into a new year, we pause to celebrate the faithful
work of our Mission and Service partners around the world. These
partners—farmers, educators, community leaders, and local organizations—are on
the ground responding to needs, creating opportunities, and building stronger,
more resilient communities.
Through your prayers and your support of Mission and
Service, they are able to focus on what matters most. Financial
support helps ease the practical challenges of running programs, providing
meals, training leaders, and responding to emergencies. Your partnership allows
them to carry out their work with steadiness and care.
As 2026 begins, our partners have already been looking ahead
with intentionality and hope. They are preparing to support people seeking
stability, respond to crises both local and global, strengthen communities, and
equip people with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to thrive. Each
partner continues to adapt and innovate, finding new ways to meet the needs of
their communities today, while preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.
This year, and in the years to come, your support helps ensure
that these efforts can continue. Together, we walk alongside partners who are
living out God’s call to justice, care, and hope—creating spaces where people
are seen, supported, and empowered. As we look forward to 2026, we do so with
gratitude for what has been achieved, and with intentional hope for all that is
yet to come.
Questioner: So to sum it all up,
what emerges from the ancient story at the beginning of Matthew’s gospel as it
relates to the Call and Vision statement?
Leader: What we have in this magi
story in the Epiphany, what we as church people have in the birth of Jesus, is
of huge fundamental importance.
It
calls on us to take the Call and Vision statement seriously.
It
calls us to deepen our spirituality.
It calls us to be emboldened as disciples.
It calls us to be daring as we strive for justice.
Are
you up to the challenge? Am I? Amen
Ameni
ameni MV219
Offering Invitation
It
can be difficult to give in joy when we are
surrounded
by so much talk of shortages and
cutbacks.
And yet Jesus teaches us and reassures
us
that even a cup of cold water is precious in
God's
sight. We give, then, as we are able, freely
and
joyfully, trusting in God's abundant love.
(Gathering Worship)
Offering
Offering Song MV187 We Give Our Thanks
Offering Prayer
We offer our gifts to nurture the faithful
journey of this community.
We offer our money to
sustain its teaching and worship.
We offer our time for compassionate care.
We offer our talents to support its work for justice.
As these gifts are used in this fellowship,
and worldwide through Mission and Service,
Loving God, you will bless
them,
and you will bless us, the givers.
In the name of Jesus, who could not have given more, we pray,
Amen.
Pastoral
Prayer: A Prayer of Daring
Loving
God, there are opportunities for us to work and advocate for
cleaner air and cleaner water. (Time of silent reflection)
As those who believe the environment matters way beyond our lifetime,
we will dare to get
involved.
Loving God, the never-ending procession of refugees fills us
with horror(Time of silent
reflection).
As those who believe that every family has the right to a safe home,
we will dare to get
involved.
Loving God, we are among those who are ignored and looked down
on because of an addiction. (Time
of silent reflection)
As those who have a difficult story to tell,
we will dare to get
involved.
Loving God, we know those who are going through hard times with
sickness, in relationships, and because dreams will not become reality. (Time of silent reflection)
As those who are ready to listen and act compassionately,
we will dare to get
involved.
Loving God, we rejoice in this faith community, our work in
this neighbourhood, and our outreach through the Mission and Service. (Time of silent reflection)
As those who, in community, are ready to renew and commit time, talents, and
gifts,
we will dare to get
involved
Loving God, we give thanks for our Christian faith.
Our faith has been a rock, is a source of strength, and will be a beacon of
hope in all the years that lie ahead (Time
of silent reflection)
As individuals we acknowledge all that is ours in Jesus the Christ.
We dare to witness, “Yes,
I am faithfully involved!” Amen.
The Lord’s
Prayer
An Act of
Faithful Commitment for a New Year
Follow
the star!
The light of Jesus Christ
will be our light in the new year.
We will study faithfully and listen patiently.
We will proclaim Jesus joyfully and care compassionately.
We will play our part in the faith community fully
and pursue justice with daring.
You will go with God,
and God will go with us.
Thanks be to God!
Hymn VU 79 Arise, Your Light Is Come
A
Commissioning for the New Year
You go into a new year
with us, Loving God,
with us as we explore new
adventures of faith.
You go into the new year with us, Loving God,
with us as we test the
depth of our spirituality.
You go into the new year with us, Loving God,
with us as we are
emboldened as disciples of Jesus the Christ.
You go into the new year with us, Loving God,
with us as we dare to
confront and overcome injustice,
with us on our personal quest,
with usas we draw strength and go forward as faith communities.
We will suffer setbacks, we will encounter challenges,
we will feel like giving up, we will say, “What’s the use?”
But you, Loving God, will forge us in hope; you will renew our strength.
With us when life is good,
with us when life is
tough,
our Never-Failing God. Amen
Hymn MV 212 Sent Out in Jesus’ Name
Musical
Postlude
―David Sparks is a retired United Church
of Canada minister living in Summerland, British Columbia. He is the author of
the Prayers to Share, Pastoral Prayers to Share,
and Responsive Prayers series of lectionary-based prayers
(Wood Lake Publishing). He is also the author of Off to a Good Start
and A Good Ending (United Church Publishing House).
Welcome/Announcements
God
Moments
Land Acknowledgement
*Gathering
Song: VU #5 All Earth is Waiting, verse 1
Call
to Worship
While the sun endures
Let
us praise God
While the waters cover
the sea
Let
us praise God
As the moon shines
Let
us praise God
As rain and snow shower
the earth
Let us praise God
Advent 2 Candle lighting:
Voice 1: “The wolf shall live with the lamb, the
leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion will feed together,
and a little child shall lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6)
Voice 2: What does peace look like in the new
world?
Multiple Voices:
1.
Peace looks like a flowing
river where every living thing has what that they need to flourish.
2.
Peace looks like a place where those who are weak are not afraid
of those who are strong.
3.
Peace looks like good conversations around big tables.
Voice 2: Advent is the beginning of this new
world, a better world, where we can boldly build a good life together.
Voice 1: May it be so.
Voice 2: (Second Advent candle is lit.) Amen.
Candle Lighting
Hymn
VU 7 “Hope is a Star”
(verse 2)
Opening
Prayer
God of peace,
In the gathering of your people,
In the fellowship that we share,
In the reading of scripture,
and the reflection on the word,
In the praying
In the singing
In the beauty of this day,
May we grow in greater hope, in greater peace, in greater
love.
Amen.
Prayer
of Confession
Search us God,
Help
us to honestly reflect on the situations where we have relied on our status,
privilege or ancestry, focusing more on who we are than how we behave and who
we hope to become. Help us to dig deep, and rediscover who you wish us to be
and wherever this differs, grant us the wisdom and courage to turn back towards
you, so that we may bear good fruit. Amen.
Words
of Assurance
May the God of steadfastness
and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance
with Christ Jesus, that together we may with one voice glorify God in our
Worship and Praise. (Romans 15:5–6)
Hymn:O
Jordan’s Bank VU 20
Learning
Time: The
Jesse Tree
Begin
with the Jesse Tree as a visual symbol.
This tree reminds us of
the story of God’s love through history—a story that leads us to Jesus. Each
ornament tells a part of that story. When we remember where we come from—our
beginnings, our ancestors, the prophets, and the Gospel—we choose to grow in
God’s love.”
Every story has a
beginning. Ours begins with God’s creative love.
Retelling
In the beginning, God created light and life. He made the earth and all
living things and called them good. But humanity turned away, and the world
became broken. Still, God’s love endured. Through Noah, God preserved life and
gave a rainbow as a promise: never again would the earth be destroyed by
flood.”
“What does it mean for us today that God’s love was present at creation
and remains steadfast even when we fail?”
Action
- Place dove, rainbow, fruit tree, ark
ornaments on the Jesse Tree.
Retelling
God called Abraham to trust Him and promised descendants as numerous as
the stars. Isaac was the child of promise. Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching
heaven. Joseph, betrayed by his brothers, became a source of salvation in
Egypt. Through these ancestors, God’s covenant unfolded.How do the stories of
faith from those before us inspire our trust in God’s promises today?
Action
- Place stars, ram, ladder, multicolored coat
ornaments on the tree.
Hymn VU 8 “Lo’ How a Rose
‘er Blooming”
Scripture:
Isaiah
11:1–10
The Branch From
Jesse
11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from
his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the
Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the
Spirit of counsel and of might,
the
Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the
fear of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
or
decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will
judge the needy,
with
justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
with
the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt
and
faithfulness the sash around his waist.
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the
leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
and
a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their
young will lie down together,
and
the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the
cobra’s den,
and
the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on
all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of
the Lord
as
the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a
banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his
resting place will be glorious.
Psalm
72:1–7, 18–19 VU 790
Matthew 3:1–12
John the Baptist
Prepares the Way
3 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the
wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven has come near.” 3 This
is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make
straight paths for him.’”[a]
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a
leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to
him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were
baptized by him in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to
where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned
you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in
keeping with repentance. 9 And
do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I
tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the
trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and
thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with[b] water
for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose
sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the
Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he
will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning
up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Sermon/
Reflection
The Second Sunday of Advent, Year A (2019) - A Sermon for Every Sunday
Your
Generosity Matters
Gifts
with Joy, Gifts with Hope, Gifts with Vision
December always seems
to arrive in a blink, doesn’t it? Some are already checking off shopping lists,
and others are thinking about starting. Wherever you fall, Gifts with Vision
can make your Christmas giving simple and meaningful.
With Gifts with Vision,
there’s no wrapping, no shipping deadlines, and no frantic mall searches.
Instead, you can choose a gift that truly matters. Every gift supports
communities across Canada and around the world—addressing poverty and hunger,
strengthening education, supporting healing and reconciliation, and more.
There’s something thoughtful for everyone on your list.
Each Gift with Vision
connects directly to a Mission and Service project that relies on the
generosity of people like you. Your gift becomes part of real change and real
hope for people who need it.
As you settle into the
season, whether you’re a planner or a last-minute shopper, consider a gift that
gives back. Gifts with Vision is just a click away.
Our
Gifts are Presented
*Offertory
Hymn: MV 81 As With Gladness Men of Old verse 3
Prayer of Dedication
Truly
in your abundant mercy there is enough for all, if we learn to share it.
In
the giving and receiving of our offering may we practice the gift of sharing,
In
the hopes that one day all will choose to share what blessings they have for
the good of all.
In the hopes that we will all continue to grow in your
love.
Bless these gifts, bless the giver, and bless the
receivers.
Amen.
Pastoral Prayers
We long for your
peaceable Kin-dom,
A
place where our children can play outside without fear of predators Where the
vulnerable are not exploited for their labour
Where there is enough
for all
We
long for a world without exploiters, vultures, and abusers A world where
everyone will know your peace and hope
Until
then, we are trapped in a world where fear, pain, and suffering are inevitable
But where comfort can always be found in your love.
Surround those of us
who are suffering from the ills of this world,
And
send all of us messengers of your hope, grace and peace wherever and whenever
possible. May those who are conflicted find comfort in those who are
comfortable And those who are comfortable by conflicted until all are at peace.
We
join these prayers together in the prayer that Jesus taught us … [prayer of
Jesus] Amen.
(Based on a quote by Cesar A.
Cruz)
Hymn:
VU 684 “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”
Commissioning and Benediction
May the God of
steadfastness and encouragement bless and keep us all as we work towards your
kin-dom of peace.
Amen.
Except where otherwise noted, today’s service prayers came
from Advent Unwrapped© 2025 The United Church of Canada/L’ÉgliseUnie du
Canada. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike
(by-nc-sa) Licence.