January 7, 2007

Epiphany Sunday

Preparation for Worship

Where is the child

who has been born

King of the Jews?

Matthew 2:2

The wizard kings observed celestial signs

a moving eastern star especially bright

cast shadows in the pitchest dark of night

a hint enough to agitate their minds

And, journeying through a sleeping world, they found

a manger pin-pricked by a point of heaven

a tiny entry vivifies - like leaven;

a break in lifeless patterns - round and round;

a growing beam of light revealing all.

We thought we knew until we saw it clear

the manger glowed with knowledge God was near.

Who’d ever seen their Maker in a stall?

Light shines unbidden shows the way. We see

new truth, new light, new life - Epiphany.

Harold Macdonald

Today is Epiphany Sunday, a day set aside for celebrating the “shining forth” or revelation of God to mankind in the person of Jesus Christ.  Both Eastern and Western Christian churches observe Epiphany, however the specific date of the celebration varies with each tradition.  In the Western church, Epiphany is observed twelve days after Christmas (January 6).  Like Westminster, many reformed congregations choose to observe Epiphany on the first Sunday following the first Saturday in January, and to continue to observe the liturgical season of Epiphany until Transfiguration Sunday, which is celebrated on the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday.  The liturgical color for Epiphany Sunday is white.

     “Light” is the common liturgical symbol for the season of Epiphany.  In worship today, we hear in scripture the appearance of the light of Christ in the form of the Christmas star, which led the three wise men to Bethlehem.  The prelude is a setting of the carol of the three kings arranged from the perspective of a listener who encounters the three kings en route to the manger.  The sound of the camels approaches from a great distance; the Kings enter with fanfare, and then disappear into the distance as they continue on their journey.  During our processional hymn, we will sing together of the wise men and watch as the Christ Candle, enters the sanctuary.

     The communion hymn, “Bring We the Frankincense of Our Love” was composed in the late 1970’s by H. Kenn Carmichael, a Presbyterian pastor and communications consultant to the Middle East and Africa on behalf of the Commission on Ecumenical Mission and Relations.  As it speaks of the love that we bring to the baby Jesus, this hymn well prepares us to partake in the Lord’s Supper in communion together.  The offertory anthem offers a poetic and prayerful perspective on the light of Christ, through which is revealed God’s salient truth, splendor, and perfect peace.  The music during the time of communion is a setting of Phillip Nicolai’s (1559) setting of the now famous German -chorale, “O Morning Star”.  In this setting by Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707), we hear the light reflected in a variety of ways from the calm and stead to the energetic and playful.  Should you wish to reflect on the text of this chorale during your communion meditation, it is Hymn 69.

     Through the contemporary sending hymn, “Shine, Jesus, Shine”, and the postlude improvisation on “This Little Light of Mine”, we sing of the light of Christ that dwells within us.  This light is one that is meant to be shared with one another and with the world as, together, we go to tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.