January 28, 2007

4^th Sunday in Epiphany

Preparation for Worship

Before I formed you in the womb

I knew you,

and before you were born

I consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 1:5

Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyone's task is unique as his specific opportunity.

 Viktor Fankl

My ultimate vocation in life is to be an irritant. Elvis Costello

As we continue in this season of Epiphany, a time in which we seek to recognize and offer praise for the light of Christ placed in our hearts, our worship today focuses on the God who unites and empowers us for ministry.  The Old Testament text well describes our need for God to place his word on our lips in order that we may share his message with others. This scripture is perhaps best reflected in the sermon hymn, “Lord, Speak to Me That I May Speak,” and in the offertory, which is a setting of the familiar text from I Corinthians 13:  “though I may speak with bravest fire and have the gift to all inspire, but have not love my words are vane.”  Should you wish to reflect on the text during the offertory.

     The prelude is a setting of a Bach chorale with a text expressing praise to God for revealing his word to us through the apostles and prophets.  Our opening hymn, “Lord of Light, Your Name Outshining,” reflects the Epiphany themes of God’s light and the ministry of that light in the world.

     “The Church’s One Foundation” is offered as an expression of prayer and praise for Jesus Christ who is the cornerstone of our faith and the unifier of our ministry.  Christ’s role as head of the church is also echoed in our sending hymn, “In Christ There Is No East or West.”  In worship today, we will sing this text to a tune whose roots trace back to the African-American spiritual tradition.  The tune was adapted for use with this text by African-American musician, Harry T. Burleigh in 1939.  Burleigh (1866-1949) studied music at the National Conservatory in New York where he was a student of the famous symphonic composer, Anton Dvorak.  Burleigh was gifted by God with a powerful commanding baritone voice.  It is said that Burleigh’s interpretations of spirituals heavily influenced Dvorak’s famous composition, the New World Symphony.  Burleigh was a gifted composer himself and set more than 200 pieces of music in his lifetime.  His compilation of spirituals, Jubilee Songs of the USA, is a set of vocal recital pieces still performed today.

     Our worship ends with an energetic postlude setting of the hymn “Sent Forth By God’s Blessing.”  As we leave worship today and follow the light of Christ out into the world, may we carry God’s blessing with us and may it inspire each of us to speak and do his Word.