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GATHERING, ADVENT/CHRISTMAS/EPIPHANY 2017‒2018Advent to Epiphany and the Season after Epiphany, Year B

Season of Advent............................................................................................................2Season of Christmas.......................................................................................................2Season of Epiphany........................................................................................................2December 3 – Advent 1..................................................................................................4December 10 – Advent 2................................................................................................6December 17 – Advent 3................................................................................................8December 24 – Advent 4..............................................................................................10December 24 – Christmas Eve (Sunday).......................................................................12December 25 – Christmas Day (Monday)......................................................................14December 31 – First Sunday after Christmas................................................................16January 1 – New Year’s Day (Monday)..........................................................................18January 6 – Epiphany (Saturday)...................................................................................20January 7 – Baptism of the Lord....................................................................................22January 14 – Second Sunday after Epiphany.................................................................24January 21 – Third Sunday after Epiphany....................................................................26January 28 – Fourth Sunday after Epiphany..................................................................28February 4 – Fifth Sunday after Epiphany.....................................................................30February 11 – Transfiguration Sunday..........................................................................32

2 Gathering, A/C/E 2017

Season of AdventDates: Advent is the beginning of the church year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is sometimes the last Sunday in November, and ends on Christmas Eve at sundown. Sometimes the fourth Sunday of Advent is Christmas Eve.

Feast Days* and Special Days*December 6 – St. Nicholas’ Day – provides a good antidote to the commercial Santa Claus.December 6 – National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women (Canada).

Meaning of Name:The term Advent comes via Old English from the Latin adventus (“arrival”). It is a combination of ad (to) + venire (come). In Advent, we are anticipating the arrival of the baby Jesus as well as the Second Coming of Christ.

Liturgical Colour: BlueBlue is used within most United Churches for Advent, though some continue with the older practice of using purple. Blue was adopted to symbolize hope and replace the penitential purple, associated with Lent.

Season of ChristmasDates: Christmas Day is fixed on December 25 and begins the Christmas season, which runs through January.

Meaning of Name:The word Christmas comes from Old English Crīstes mæsse or “Christ’s mass,” referring to the worship service in celebration of Christ’s birth.

Liturgical Colours: White and GoldWhite, which is all colours of light combined, traditionally symbolizes goodness, innocence, and God’s faithfulness. Gold reflects glory, triumph, wealth, richness, and extravagance. Together, they symbolize the light of dawn and are colours of celebration.

Season of EpiphanyDates: January 6 through to Shrove Tuesday. The length of the season of Epiphany varies, based on the beginning of Lent.

Feast Days* and Special Days *January 6 – Epiphany – also celebrated as Christmas Eve for Orthodox Christians.*Baptism of Jesus – the Sunday after the day of Epiphany.January 18–25 – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.*Transfiguration – This feast comes from the Eastern churches, who celebrate it on August 6. It became part of the Western calendar in about the ninth century and was universally celebrated by the fifteenth century. In some Western denominations, the date was moved to the last Sunday before Lent.*Shrove Tuesday – the day before Ash Wednesday, on which pancakes are traditionally served. Shrove comes from the word shriven or “to confess.” The practice

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Gathering, A/C/E 2017‒2018

of making pancakes was meant to use up rich foods in the house, such as fats and sugars, to prepare for Lenten fasting.

Meaning of Name:The word epiphany means a sudden insight or new understanding. It comes from the Greek word epiphainein meaning “to reveal” or “to be manifest.”

Liturgical Colours: White and Gold; GreenWhite and gold are used for Epiphany and Baptism of Jesus Sunday. Green is for the rest of the season. Green is a cool colour, evoking nature, growth, vitality, freshness, harmony, endurance, and fertility. It is associated with healing and rest. It is the depth and stability of blue combined with the warmth and joy of yellow.


December 3 – Advent 1Worship materials for Advent were contributed by Maggie Watts-Hammond, Gilmore Park U.C., Richmond, B.C.

Isaiah 64:1–9Tear open the heavens and come down.

Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19 (VU p. 794 Part One)Shine upon us, shepherd of Israel.

1 Corinthians 1:3–9In every way, you have been enriched in Christ.

Mark 13:24–37You will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds.

To PonderWhat have you asked God and what did you expect, only to find that God answers in a different way?

SparkHave ready a large piece of dark blue cloth, cut in half and joined by Velcro. Or use a cheap piece of fabric you can tear. When it comes time for the reading of Isaiah, tear apart the cloth so the sound is audible. Prepare a place in the sanctuary to hang the ragged cloth. At each Advent service, add pieces of cloth, for example, purple for turning back to God and for the mountains; green for comfort (Isaiah 40) and for the earth; red for the annunciation (Luke 1:26–38), the Spirit, and the sunrise; pink for the Magnificat (Luke 1:47–55) and for joy; white and gold for the presence of Christ. On Christmas Eve, gather the pieces and roll them into a bundle of swaddling cloths for the manger.

With ChildrenYou may want to teach a song such as Bruce Harding’s “Shine Upon Us” (search www.evensong.ca) and then share the Isaiah reading. Read Isaiah from the beginning again and have the children help tear the cloth and hang it up (see above). Tell them that each time they gather, they’ll add another cloth to remind everyone that God comes to mend the broken-hearted, to free the captives, and bring good news to those in poverty.

Sermon StarterIt is the great paradox of Christian faith that the story of Christ is one of glory bound up in ragged cloth. We cry out for God’s help and it comes in forms we don’t expect and maybe don’t want. In his song “Anthem,” Leonard Cohen sang of the crack that allows the light in. In “Narrative Theology #2” poet Pádraig Ó Tuama speaks of God as the crack that allows the story of God’s love to begin.

God is the crackwhere the story beginsWe are the crack where the story gets interesting.*



The image of God being the tear, the rift in the heavens, the crack in reality, brings me up short when I think of how afraid we are of the things that don’t make sense, that disrupt or confuse, so much so that we will paper over, or throw away, things or even people that seem “cracked.” This season can offer us a chance to suspend that fear—to see the glory of “the crack.”

HymnsIsaiah 64:1–9VU 23 “Joy shall come”VU 509 “I, the Lord of sea and sky”VU 578 “As a fire is meant for burning”MV 25 “O God, send out your Spirit”Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19VU 1 “O come, O come, Emmanuel”VU p. 755 “The God of heaven”MV 11 “Come, come Emmanuel”1 Corinthians 1:3–9VU 337 “Blessed assurance”VU 345 “Come, children, join to sing”MV 157 “I am a child of God”Mark 13:24–37VU 25 “Lo, he comes with clouds descending”“Days of Elijah” by Robin Mark“Come Christmas child” by Shirley Erena Murray & Ron KlusmeierGeneral/SeasonalMV 158 “Dream a dream”MV 164 “Christe, lux mundi”*from In the Shelter: Finding a Home in the World by Pádraig Ó Tuama (Hodder and Stoughton, 2015). Used with permission.


December 10 – Advent 2Isaiah 40:1–11Comfort, O comfort, my people.

Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13 (VU p. 802)Will you be angry with us forever?

2 Peter 3:8–15aThe day will come like a thief in the night.

Mark 1:1–8The preaching of John the Baptizer.

To PonderWhen you are on a journey, when you feel far from home, what brings you comfort?

SparkAdd the piece of purple cloth for turning back to God and for the mountains. Also add green cloth today for comfort and for the earth and valleys, creation themes in Isaiah 40 as well as in Romans 8. You may also add a brown cloth for John the Baptizer (Mark 1:1–8) and for the earth. They can be torn and ragged if you like.

With ChildrenTell the children how the prophets called the people back to God and how they told stories of a messiah. Have the children help hang the purple cloth. Tell them the story of John, Jesus’ cousin, and how he baptized people so they could be clean of their old ways and see things fresh. Have the children hang the brown cloth. If you wish, tell them how the prophets told the people that the mountains would be made low, the valleys raised up, and the pathway made clear to people returning home. Hang the green cloth.

Sermon StarterThere are those who embrace the idea of science in the same way others embrace dogma about God. Science, they say, cannot be wrong. But, of course, scientists can be wrong. The whole scientific endeavour (at its best) is based on the idea that by observing, the scientist might learn something new—something not known before. Therefore, they may prove themselves wrong in their previous assumptions. Even many scientists find this hard to accept. When John the Baptizer calls on people to repent, he doesn’t care if they feel guilty. He cares that they change what they do. Being wrong is not the end, for science or for faith, and it should not be the end of our sense of self. Opening up to the idea that we might be wrong can be freeing. A child, like the one whose birth we are about to celebrate, will make many mistakes learning how to walk, but without those mistakes, will never walk at all.

HymnsIsaiah 40:1–11VU 5 “All earth is waiting”VU p. 883 “Comfort, comfort now my people”MV 84 “In you there is a refuge”Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13



VU 379 “O Holy Spirit, root of life”2 Peter 3:8–15aVU 2 “Come, thou long-expected Jesus”VU 254 “Songs of praise the angels sang” Mark 1:1–8VU 18 “There’s a voice in the wilderness”VU 29 “Hark the glad sound”VU 31 “O Lord, how shall I meet you”VU 949 “Grant to us, O God”MV 12 “Come touch our hearts”General/SeasonalVU 17 “O ancient love”VU 215 “Hope of the world”VU 406 “See the morning sun ascending”


December 17 – Advent 3Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11The spirit of the Lord is upon me.

Psalm 126 (VU p. 850)Sow in tears; reap in joy.

or Luke 1:47–55 (VU pp. 898–899)Song of Mary.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–24Rejoice always; pray without ceasing.

John 1:6–8, 19–28John testified to the Light.

To PonderWhat is the power source for your preaching? Prayer is key. Upon what else do you rely?

SparkToday, you may add cloths of other colours, depending on your focus. Pink is the traditional colour for the joy candle, used when purple candles are used for the other three Sundays. The tradition of using pink is ancient and has been brought into Advent from a very old Lenten tradition. It’s a reminder that there is joy even in the midst of sorrow and hard times. Orange or red cloth might represent the Spirit.

With ChildrenTalk to the children about Mary, about who she was and why she was joyful. Share a version of the Magnificat and Mary’s “prophecy” that God would raise the lowly and cast down the powerful. Have them hang the pink cloth as a sign of joy and the red or orange cloth for the Spirit.

Sermon StarterAccording to his biographer Thomas of Celano, Francis of Assisi said, “The preacher must first draw from secret prayers what he will later pour out in holy sermons; he must first grow hot within before he speaks words that are in themselves cold.” The readings this week are both prayers and preaching. Isaiah speaks about being anointed to bring good news to the oppressed; the psalm speaks of labouring in the fields of the Lord; the Song of Mary is a praise, prayer, and justice sermon all in one; and Paul writes (preaches) to the church in Thessalonica and urges them to rejoice always and pray without ceasing, to give thanks in all circumstances, even in hardship. The gospel writer John speaks of “testifying” to the light and the importance of the Word. Ultimately, we arrive at the great “hymn” to the incarnation—that Christ is the “Word,” the creative Word, the testimony itself, prayer itself, incarnate in the world. That is a powerful statement that takes prayer and preaching from the ordinary to the transcendent; to a power beyond mere conversation, to something else, something greater than the preacher or the pray-er if, as Francis says, we draw from secret prayers to pour out in the holy, and grow hot within before speaking words that in themselves are cold.



HymnsIsaiah 61:1–4, 8–11VU 378 “Spirit of God, descend upon my heart”MV 97 “Listen, God is calling”“The Spirit of the Lord” by Jim Strathdee Psalm 126VU 9 “People, look east”Luke 1:47–55VU 61 “Of the Father’s love begotten”MV 120 “Canticle of the Turning”MV 134 “There was a child in Galilee”“Magnificat” (with Wexford Carol) by Keith & Kristyn Getty“Breath of heaven” by Amy Grant1 Thessalonians 5:16–24VU 249 “Rejoice in the Lord always”MV 57 “I’ll praise eternal God”John 1:6–8, 19–28VU 30 “Hail to God’s own anointed”VU 42 “Down to earth, as a dove”VU 87 “I am the light of the world”VU 336 “Christ whose glory fills the skies”SeasonalVU 84 “O radiant Christ, incarnate Word”MV 71 “When the wind of winter blows” MV 115 “Behold, behold, I make all things new”


December 24 – Advent 42 Samuel 7:1–11, 16Who will build God’s house?

Luke 1:47–55 (VU pp. 898–899)Song of Mary.

or Psalm 89:1–4, 19–26 (VU p. 804)I will sing of God’s steadfast love.

Romans 16:25–27Glory to the only wise God through Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:26–38The angel Gabriel visits Mary.

To PonderWhy me? Why do I bear this story, as Mary carried the Word?

SparkContinue with the theme of adding cloths of different colours. The liturgical colour for the annunciation is often purple or wine-red. The traditional colour for Mary is blue for Theotokos, the God-bearer. While pink is often used to represent joy, wine-red symbolizes Mary as she enters into her role as prophet, knowing that this is a joy that comes with grief and work. The blue symbolizes the openness to the Holy Spirit.

With ChildrenThere is a wonderful simile used to describe peace. It says that peace is like a precious baby you carry. If someone bumps into you on the street, or hurts you, you would never set the baby down and leave it in the street while you respond in anger. Instead, you carry the baby (peace) with you and respond while you hold the precious gift. This is the story we carry. Hang the cloths for today.

Sermon StarterMary and Joseph commit themselves to carry a precious child no matter what. Long before the child is ever born, long before they have even seen the child, they commit themselves to this precious child. They literally carry the light of the world, the hope of the nations, love embodied, all at risk to their own lives. We have been given this story to carry. The story is a truth about who we are and how we love. In a world where we are developing a whole new language of lying, the only salvation of the “post-truth” era may be the truth of this embodiment of love.

Hymns2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16VU 499 “O Christ, the Word incarnate”MV 1 “Let us build a house”Luke 1:47–55 (see Advent 3 hymns)Psalm 89:1–4, 19–26VU 61 “Of the Father’s love begotten”MV 103 “Ka mana’o ’I ’O”



Romans 16:25–27VU 315 “Holy holy, holy, Lord God almighty”VU 686 “God of grace and God of glory”VU p. 750 “Lift up the gates eternal”Luke 1:26–38VU 8 “Lo, how a rose e’er blooming”VU 14 “To a maid whose name was Mary”MV 134 “There was a child in Galilee”“The angel Gabriel from heaven came” (Basque carol) S. Baring-Gould, trans.General/SeasonalMV 82 “Bathe me in your light”“Always there’s a carol” by Shirley Erena Murray & Ron Klusmeier“Come, radiant one” by Bruce Harding“Daughter Mary, saying yes” Brian Wren & Ron Klusmeier“Oh, what a wonderful gift!” by Linnea Good


December 24 – Christmas Eve (Sunday)Worship materials for December 24 to January 1 were contributed by Elise Feltrin, St. Andrew’s U.C., Bayfield, Ont.; Randy Banks, Brucefield Community U.C., Brucefield, Ont.; Gary Clark, Blythe U.C. and Brussels U.C., Blythe, Ont.; and Kate Crawford, Huron Shores U.C., Grand Bend, Ont.

Isaiah 9:2–7A child has been born for us.

Psalm 96 (VU p. 816)Sing to God a new song.

Titus 2:11–14Live a godly, upright life.

Luke 2:1–14, (15–20)Jesus’ birth.

To PonderWhat is the fresh message for you in the midst of this ancient celebration?

SparkCongregations may have trouble because Advent 4 is the morning of Christmas Eve, and there may be multiple services that evening. The changeover in the same day may be challenging. To distinguish the evening event from the morning, consider visual changes in the sanctuary. Changing the paraments from blue/purple to white/gold is one example. Bring in a crèche, hang angels from the ceiling, show slides of barnyard animals…. You will know what will work in your context to make the worship space fresh and engaging.

With ChildrenHave ready a small reflective Christmas ball that will show the entire congregation reflected in its shape. Explore the theme of “big promise; small people.” How do very common people work toward the fulfillment of a big promise? When we feel small and inadequate, how do we achieve great results? The answer is in this Christmas ball. What do you see? The whole congregation. When we work together, we can achieve great things. Jesus was a small baby, but he grew to do big things because God was working in him, just like God works within each of us and within our congregation.

Sermon StarterThe Christmas Eve scriptures have a political theme: peace, justice, hope for an end to violence, and more. In addition, the personal theme cannot be denied. Try exploring the difference between celebrating Christmas as a corporate event versus a personal one: What does that mean to each person attending? Other than the Lukan passage, traditional for this evening, the readings are difficult to hear. They speak of political turmoil, economic justice, even war. Much as we may wish that Jesus was born “for us,” he was born “for all.” The kingdom will bring turmoil and upheaval, even though it starts with a baby’s cry. The tug of consumerism is so strong this night—yet so is the pull of God’s plan for the earth. The preacher will need to balance adeptly on the knife-thin edge of prophecy, resisting the urge to fall into the sweet syrup of the season on



the one hand or the winnowing fork of condemnation on the other. Jesus Christ is a stumbling block as well as a babe of hope and peace.

HymnsIsaiah 9:2–7 VU 44 “It came upon the midnight clear”MV 120 “My soul cries out”MV 158 “Dream a dream” “O holy night” verse 3 by Placide CappeauPsalm 96VU 59 “Joy to the world”Titus 2:11–14VU 61 “Of the Father’s love begotten”Luke 2:1–14 (15–20) VU 47 “Still, still, still” VU 64 “O little town of Bethlehem”


December 25 – Christmas Day (Monday)Isaiah 62:6–12Prepare the way for the people.

Psalm 97 (VU p. 817)Let the earth be glad!

Titus 3:4–7Saved by grace; heirs of hope.

Luke 2:(1–7), 8–20Shepherds and angels.

To PonderWhat is your feeling about gift giving? What gift did God really give us in Jesus?

SparkThink of all the Christmas carols. How can they tell the story? Sing them sequentially to narrate the story of Christ’s birth.

With ChildrenAsk the children, “So…where’s my present?” Ask them if that is a question they have asked. Remind them that we all long for gifts. Have a box wrapped in multiple layers of gift wrap. You might write words like love, thoughtfulness, grace, and caring on the inside of the wrapping paper first. Invite the kids to unwrap the box, one layer at a time. Keep asking the kids what they think is in the box. Create eagerness to see what is inside. Keep going. Inside is…more wrapping paper. This is not a material gift. It’s the gift of an idea. It’s the unwrapping that is the point. Knowing that someone has taken the trouble to buy you a gift, that they love you, is the present. A big part of the story is the waiting and the anticipation. That’s part of the fun of a wrapped gift as well. Now you can point out the words inside the paper and say, “Look what we have overlooked—the real gifts are here.” Jesus is the gift that God gives to show how much God loves us. The real gift of Christmas is with us now.

Sermon StarterThis is a good day to use narrative—that is, story—as an entryway to the message. You might use the narrative from the President’s Choice ad that shows people setting a table in a common apartment hallway so that neighbours can break through the isolation created by electronics and gather to eat together (Internet search: President’s Choice eat together world love). Or try the ad from Sainsbury’s where Mog the cat accidentally ruins Christmas, burning the turkey and destroying the house and all with the gifts, but the neighbours all rally to create a feast (Internet search: Sainsbury’s Christmas advert 2015). The Titus passage is a beautiful summary of the theology of both incarnation and salvation, how we become heirs of God through Jesus Christ. It might be used as a complement to the gospel, in which the ripples of the good news are starting to spread out, first to shepherds in the fields and soon to the whole world.

HymnsIsaiah 62:6–12VU 10 “Prepare the way of the Lord”



MV 158 “Dream a dream”Psalm 97 VU 24 “Let the heavens be glad”Titus 3:4–7VU 266 “Amazing grace”Luke 2:(1–7), 8–20VU 36 “Angels, from the realms of glory”VU 38 “Angels we have heard on high”VU 40 “Before the marvel of this night”VU 41 “Christ is born”VU 43 “Go, tell it on the mountain”VU 52 “Sheep fast asleep”VU 75 “While shepherds watched their flocks”MV 33 “Jesus came bringing us hope”


December 31 – First Sunday after ChristmasIsaiah 61:10—62:3God clothes me with salvation and righteousness.

Psalm 148 (VU p. 871)Let all creation praise God.

Galatians 4:4–7No longer a slave but a child of God and an heir.

Luke 2:22–40Jesus is presented in the temple.

To PonderWhat are you releasing with the old year? What are you anticipating in the new year? Where is your faith life in the releasing and anticipating?

SparkThe old year ends today. The new year begins tomorrow. Symbolize this in worship. The passing of the old year may allow us to leave a sense of dread behind. In scripture, we find the promise of hope for the future. There is also a feeling of wonder and freshness in welcoming a new year. Parallel the “old year” and “new year” with an image of two elder prophets holding the newborn baby.

With ChildrenIn Isaiah, we hear the words, “God clothes me in salvation.” Does that mean God is wrapping around us like clothing? From the nativity story, we have images of swaddling. How many layers do children put on to go outside in the winter? Julian of Norwich said, “I saw that God is to us everything which is good and comforting for our help. God is our clothing who wraps and enfolds us for love…that God may never desert us” (from Revelations of Divine Love). You might share this idea that God, who wraps and enfolds us in love, is our clothing. How can we enfold others in love?

Sermon StarterIt’s a rare treat to be able to preach on Simeon and Anna, the prophets in the temple. How they had longed for the child to come! Their long lives are almost past before their hope is fulfilled. Yet, there was still a long way to go: a difficult road ahead and an awful death by crucifixion for Jesus; hope fulfilled and yet not fulfilled. Simeon and Anna understood that. In spite of that, they rejoiced and gave thanks, knowing as they looked at the child that salvation was at hand. Faith is about knowing in spite of, believing in spite of, just as we do in our day and age.

Hymns Isaiah 61:10—62:3VU 78 “Sing till sundown”Psalm 148VU 45 “Joy is now in every place”HB* 428 “Every star shall sing a carol”Galatians 4:4–7VU 467 “One bread, one body”



Luke 2:22–40 VU 9 “People, look east”VU 16 “Mary, woman of the promise”VU 62 “Once in royal David’s city”VU 590 “A prophet-woman broke a jar”VU pp. 902 & 903 “Song of Simeon” “People get ready” by Curtis Mayfield

*The Hymn Book


January 1 – New Year’s Day (Monday)Ecclesiastes 3:1–13For everything there is a season.

Psalm 8 (VU pp. 730–732)We are crowned with God’s glory.

Revelation 21:1–6aA new heaven and a new earth.

Matthew 25:31–46When I was hungry, you gave me food.

To PonderWhat is your renewed commitment to your faith life and to God this year?

SparkYou might use John Wesley’s Covenant Renewal Service, which was traditionally done at the turn of the year. An excellent complete resource can be found at www.umcdiscipleship.org (search Covenant Renewal Service).*

With ChildrenUse an old wall calendar that’s been written on and a fresh, new one for 2018 to talk about the changing year. A new year brings all sorts of excitement. What are you excited about for the new year? But it might also bring some hard things, some challenges. What might those be for you? Whether our days are happy or sad, comfortable or uncomfortable, joyous or tragic, exciting or challenging, all of our days are held in God’s hands. We are safe, because we belong to God. As we say in our creed, “God is with us—we are not alone.”

Sermon StarterPreaching on New Year’s Day pulls one toward resolutions, commitments, and intentions. Jesus’ words in Matthew’s gospel are a natural orientation and guiding star for our own ethics every day, but no day more so than this one. Holding these things together with the beautiful vision of Revelation reminds us all that our actions are more than personal; they are political. All the world will be changed. A new heaven and a new earth are planned. Each cup of water given, each loaf of bread shared, helps build the beautiful city of God. An act of covenanting or of personal commitment is most appropriate.

HymnsEcclesiastes 3:1–13VU 530 “All beautiful the march of days”VU 703 “In the bulb there is a flower”MV 136 “When hands reach out and fingers trace”MV 165 “There is a time”Psalm 8VU 226 “For the beauty of the earth”VU 308 “Many and great, O God, are your works”“When He cometh” by W.O. Cushing



Revelation 21:1–6aVU 54 “Unto us a boy is born”VU 678 “For the healing of the nations”VU 713 “I see a new heaven”MV 142 “Oh a song must rise”MV 199 “When at this table”Matthew 25:31–46VU 45 “Joy is now in every place”VU 592 “Come, now, you blessed”VU 600 “When I needed a neighbour”MV 114 “Behold the face of Christ”

* “Wesley’s Covenanting Prayer” is a wonderful SATB anthem written by Canadian composer and United Church minister Robin King. You can request it from Robin King at [email protected].


January 6 – Epiphany (Saturday)Worship materials for January 6 through January 21 were contributed by the Cross-Country Preachers: Beth Johnson and Juanita Swinamer, Hantsport P.C., Hantsport, N.S.; Barbara Cairns, York-Covehead P.C., Stratford, P.E.I.; Monica Rosborough, Athabasca U.C., Athabasca, Alta.; Don Sellsted, Oak Lake U.C. & Griswold U.C., Oak Lake, Man.; and Brian Thompson, St. Paul’s U.C., Carp, Ont.

Isaiah 60:1–6Arise, shine; for your light has come.

Psalm 72:1–7, 10–14 (VU p. 790 Parts One and Two)God’s anointed defends the poor.

Ephesians 3:1–12Boldness and confidence through faith.

Matthew 2:1–12The visit of the magi.

To PonderHow do you shine in this world? How does your light add to the light of others?

Spark Enjoy stars! Option 1: Share “star gifts”—brightly coloured star shapes with words written on them—in the offering plates (Internet search: reformed worship star gifts). Option 2: Place glow-in-the-dark stars in a box and “charge” them with a small LED light. When the box is opened, the stars are glowing.

With ChildrenTalk about New Year’s resolutions and what they’re usually about. Ask for examples (e.g., eat less sugar, do more chores, study more). After the children answer, speak about the resolutions or promises that God makes to us for life, light, and hope. Use one of the star options above to invite the children to think about their own sense of being light in the world. We can add the light of love, friendship, and caring to the world. Or:Share: Humphrey’s First Christmas by Carol Heyer (Ideals, 2013)Sing: “Rise and Shine”Pray: “Dear God, we give our thanks to you for your light that helps us always. Help us to shine our light in this world, sharing love, friendship, and caring, like glowing stars on a cold winter night. Amen.”

Sermon StarterWhy are moths attracted to light? There are many explanations. One theory proposes that moonlight and natural light from stars helps moths navigate. The unnatural light created by humans confuses the moth, so that they are disoriented. Do we get disoriented with all the items that we have created? Have we lost our direction?

Play the American folk song “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” used by Underground Railroad conductor Peg Leg Joe to guide enslaved African-Americans to freedom. The



lyrics of the song act as the hidden guide posts on the Underground Railroad that led to “glory,” which was freedom. The “drinking gourd” is the Big Dipper in the night sky.

When the wise men follow the natural light of the star of Bethlehem, they are led to the dangerous King Herod. The Spirit of God not only provided the physical guidance to find the Christ child, but also the spiritual insight to illuminate Herod’s evil character.

HymnsIsaiah 60:1–6VU 79 “Arise, your light is come”VU 82 “A light is gleaming”VU 96 “Will you come and see the light”MV 82 “Bathe me in your light”Psalm 72:1–7, 10–14 VU 30 “Hail to God’s own anointed”VU 601 “The church of Christ in every age”MV 28 “God of the Bible”MV 209 “Go, make a diff’rence”Ephesians 3:1–12VU 477 “I come with joy”VU 633 “Bless now, O God, the journey”MV 176 “Three things I promise”Matthew 2:1–12VU 71 “’Twas in the moon of wintertime”VU 74 “What child is this”VU 91 “The first nowell”


January 7 – Baptism of the LordGenesis 1:1–5The first days of creation.

Psalm 29 (VU p. 756)God’s voice is over the waters.

Acts 19:1–7Paul baptizes with the Spirit.

Mark 1:4–11Jesus is baptized by John.

To PonderWhat does your baptism mean to you?

SparkHave someone arrive dressed in a way that stands out in your context (not in a good way), proclaiming to churchgoers that “going to church is not enough. When you leave, you have to BE the church and live God’s love.” They might offer a cup of water or hand out an orange as a way of saying that small gestures count.

With ChildrenHave a pitcher of water and cups. Invite the children to enjoy a refreshing drink with you. Speak about what water is used for: cooking, cleaning, bathing, healing…and also baptism. Tell the gospel story or read it from the Lectionary Story Bible by Ralph Milton (Wood Lake Books, 2008). Talk about the ordinary action of using water and how water is also special because it marks us as God’s people. We are baptized into community and we profess our faith in God’s love for all creation. Or fill the baptismal font with water and place a small mirror in the bottom of it. Place a stepstool beside the font. Splash the children (and adults) with the water one at a time. Tell them that baptism is a sign that God loves us. Ask them if they would like to see the picture of the person God loves very much. Tell them not to share who it is until everyone has had a turn to see the picture. Invite them to look into the font and see the picture. Or check out this visual version of the baptismal story on YouTube (search: baptism Jesus superbook).Pray: “Loving God, thank you for the gift of water for all creation. Bless us as we remember your promise to love us and our promises to love you. Help us to share this love with others. We thank you for the gift of baptism. Amen.”

Sermon StarterThis is a Sunday with a lot of theology but not really enough “text” to fully develop one theme, because it’s hard, if not impossible, to get all the traditional Epiphany theology from one set of Sunday readings. Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams (Touchstone Pictures, 1989), is about a private school teacher who wants his students to think for themselves. One student does not enjoy his father’s favour and ends up completing suicide because he is being forced into a career he does not want. How important it is to have the favour of those who love us! Our task is to help people develop their call and to help them know their own belovedness. In this way, we shed light on the shadow side of the world that tells people who to be and how to dress and what is important (things like looks, nice stuff, and making lots of money). We are called to promote faith conversations about life-giving changes. Repentance is not,



after all, about “feeling bad” for what one has done or not done; it is a resolve to go in a new direction.

HymnsGenesis 1:1–5VU 409 “Morning has broken”VU 679 “Let there be light”MV 82 “Bathe me in your light” Psalm 29VU 217 “All creatures of our God and King”VU 222 “Come, let us sing”VU 264 “Immortal, invisible, God only wise”VU 449 “Crashing waters at creation”Acts 19:1–7VU 376 “Spirit of the living God”VU 381 “Spirit of Life”VU 382 “Breathe on me, breath of God”MV 157 “I am a child of God”MV 161 “I have called you by your name”Mark 1:4–11VU 20 “On Jordan’s bank”VU 380 “She comes sailing on the wind”VU 710 “Shall we gather at the river”MV 135 “Called by earth and sky”


January 14 – Second Sunday after Epiphany1 Samuel 3:1–10, (11–20)God calls Samuel.

Psalm 139:1–6, 13–18 (VU p. 861)God has searched and known me.

1 Corinthians 6:12–20Your body is a temple of God’s Spirit.

John 1:43–51Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael.

To PonderHow is your church sanctuary a place for you to be safe? How do you make it safe for others?

SparkDisplay or project images of the many ways that people communicate, now and in the past. Include both a rotary-dial phone and a cellphone.

With ChildrenTalk to the children about the idea of “call.” Show the cellphone and an old rotary-dial phone. Pick up the rotary phone and ask if anyone knows how to use it. Encourage a senior adult to show how it’s used. Then bring out the cellphone. Ask the children if they know how to use that. God calls us, but not by using the telephone. God even calls children to live to help others. We don’t need to be adults to hear God’s voice; we all have gifts that God needs, whatever our age.Or imagine God is a child in your classroom and is passing notes or texting you during class about doing something really exciting. What message would you send to your friend God? What message might God send to you?Or read Giant, or Waiting for the Thursday Boat by Robert Munsch (Annick Press, 1989).Or try this Lego-animated version of the story Samuel Hears the Voice of God (available on YouTube).Pray: “Hey, God, we want to hear you calling us. Help us to listen and pay attention to the many wonderful ways that you speak. We are listening. Amen.”

Sermon StarterWhat is it like to have the truest friend, one you can trust with your greatest secrets and dreams? Someone whom knows us better than we know ourselves? Someone who we get excited about when we think of them, hear their voice, or see an e-mail or message from them? Someone whom we can’t wait to see again, even after they’ve just left? Someone who calls us to adventures that we can’t wait to get started on, even if the details are a little fuzzy, because we have complete trust in them? In these passages, our greatest friend calls us to adventure, to awareness, to self-care, and to follow. How is our experience with our friends like our experience with God? Is it possible that God is planning a surprise for you? Have you ever felt the call to adventure? Or the call to go beyond your experience to something really new? What did you discover about others? What did you discover about the world? What did you



discover about yourself? What did you discover about the one who called you out into the unknown?

Hymns1 Samuel 3:1–10, (11–20)VU 299 “Teach me, God, to wonder”VU 418 “Go forth for God”VU 506 “Take my life and let it be”VU 509 “I, the Lord of sea and sky”VU 572 “Send me, Lord”MV 97 “Listen, God is calling”MV 161 “I have called you by your name”Psalm 139:1–6, 13–18VU 387 “Loving Spirit”MV 131 “You, Creator God, have searched me”1 Corinthians 6:12–20VU 385 “Spirit divine, attend our prayers”MV 79 “Spirit, open my heart”MV 153 “Body, mind and spirit”John 1:43–51VU 104 “We have come at Christ’s own bidding”VU 567 “Will you come and follow me”MV 213 “Take up his song”Other Suggested Music “You’ve Searched Me, God” Pat Mayberry, music & lyrics; David Kai, arr. SATBTo obtain the music, contact Pat at [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]


January 21 – Third Sunday after EpiphanyJonah 3:1–5, 10Jonah calls Nineveh to repent.

Psalm 62:5–12 (VU pp. 779–780)Be still, my soul, and wait for God.

1 Corinthians 7:29–31The time is short for the present form of the world.

Mark 1:14–20Jesus calls Simon, Andrew, James, and John.

To PonderHow did you feel the call of God to ministry or worship leadership?

SparkDisplay materials for activities such as knitting, crocheting, woodworking, baking, cooking, pottery, and reading. Ask people about their gifts and their vocation. Connect gifts and vocation to the items set out. Knitting can be a gift to clothe people or to help them stay warm. Cooking can help feed those who are hungry. Woodworking can provide shelter. Reading materials can be read to someone in hospital or given to someone confined to the home or incarcerated.

With Children Saying sorry: How do we say sorry? Why do we say sorry? Does saying sorry help? Talk about forgiveness and how saying sorry is not as hard as it sounds. When we say sorry, we often feel better and it helps us to have a better relationship with others, with our family, friends, and even God. God loves us and wants us to be happy and well. When we say sorry, it mends our hearts and our relationships.Or read Love You Forever by Robert Munsch (Firefly Books, 1995) or Sidney and Norman: A Tale of Two Pigs by Phil Vischer (Thomas Nelson, 2006).Or watch the video Rock Giant Teaches Kids to Say Sorry (available on YouTube).Pray: “Loving God, we thank you for the gift of saying sorry. Help us to remember that when we are sad and feeling sorry, you are with us. You mend relationships. We are not alone. Amen.”

Sermon StarterYou’ve heard the story of folks who take a cold, polar bear dip into icy water, ready to live their lives anew starting in the new year. We are called to take the baptismal plunge and live out our baptisms. The Lord calls Jonah, and the people of Nineveh turn to a new way of living, a new perspective. Paul urges the Corinthian community to gain new perspective. Jesus calls the early disciples, and they have a new perspective on life. They have a job to do. Living out our baptism is our real job—our vocation in life.

In a life of faith, vocation is something different than a career choice. It’s a summons and a gift from God. The word vocation comes from the Latin vocare, meaning “to call,” and to discover our calling takes some special listening. It is God turning toward us and our turning toward God. Jonah was running away and God turned him around. Those fishermen heard the call and abandoned everything. Paul, too, received his call.



What is your story? How did your call come to you? Share your personal story. Then invite others to consider how they use their gifts in following the vocation God has presented for them.

HymnsJonah 3:1–5, 10VU 271 “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy”VU 364 “Forgive our sins as we forgive”VU 635 “All the way my Saviour leads me”MV 155 “Unbounded Spirit, breath of God”Psalm 62:5–12VU 262 “A mighty fortress is our God”VU 652 “Be still, my soul”VU p. 808 “On eagle’s wings”MV 157 “I am a child of God”1 Corinthians 7:29–31VU 356 “Seek ye first the kingdom”VU 713 “I see a new heaven”MV 144 “Like a healing stream”Mark 1:14–20VU 563 “Jesus, you have come to the lakeshore”VU 567 “Will you come and follow me”VU 649 “Walk with me”MV 10 “Come and seek the ways of Wisdom”


January 28 – Fourth Sunday after EpiphanyWorship materials for January 28 to February 11 were contributed by John Moses and Sarah Keddy, Aylesford U.C., Aylesford, N.S.

Deuteronomy 18:15–20God will raise up a prophet after Moses.

Psalm 111 (VU p. 833)The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

1 Corinthians 8:1–13Concerning food offered to idols.

Mark 1:21–28A man with an unclean spirit is healed in Capernaum.

To PonderHave you ever been a stumbling block or an impediment to another’s faith? How? Have you ever helped someone find faith or grow in faith? How?

SparkPlace a partially eaten plate of food in front of a large, cardboard dollar sign. The dollar sign is an idol of our culture to which we offer sacrifice.

With ChildrenHave you ever been in trouble? At home? At school? Did anyone help you get into trouble? They might have suggested doing something you both knew was wrong. Then talk about people who have had the opposite effect. What did they do or say that helped you do the right thing? Share your own personal stories with the children. Jesus asks us to help others to do the right thing (and not be a stumbling block). How might you do that this week?

Sermon StarterThe 1 Corinthians text is not likely the destination of choice for most preachers because its context seems so alien to ours. Yet, there are many points of intersection. Just as the Christians at Corinth had to learn to live as a minority in a robustly pagan environment, we are trying to learn how to live as a minority in a secular culture. Food offered to idols is not our particular concern, but there are all sorts of competing claims on our loyalty. Secular culture has many gods, although they are not named as such. How do we remain faithful to Christ, confronted as we are by so many opportunities to be unfaithful? With which idols will we not consort?

There is also the very important question of how we encourage and nurture those who are new to the faith. A few such people are always finding their way into our congregations because they are looking for an alternative to what the dominant culture offers. They often leave because what they find seems to be pretty much the same as what is “out there.” In other words, our concern for bricks, mortar, the bottom line, and survival, or our lack of enthusiasm for what we are about, are all stumbling blocks to people seeking faith. If we are to thrive as a minority in this time, we will need to focus on “building up.” The apparent absence of anything life-changing or compelling in our attitudes and actions is a huge obstacle to anyone checking out “church stuff.” We



must be especially attentive to encouraging growth in faith in both newcomers and long-timers.

HymnsDeuteronomy 18:15–20VU 344 “How sweet the name of Jesus sounds”VU 509 “I, the Lord of sea and sky”VU p. 894 “Holy God, we praise your name”Psalm 111VU 220 “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”VU 240 “Praise, my soul, the God of heaven”VU 313 “God, whose almighty word”VU 410 “This day God gives me”1 Corinthians 8:1–13VU 327 “All praise to thee”VU 595 “We are pilgrims”Mark 1:21–28VU 358 “When Jesus the healer”VU 608 “Dear God, who loves all humankind”VU 620 “Silence, frenzied, unclean spirit”VU 622 “Your hands, O Christ”


February 4 – Fifth Sunday after EpiphanyIsaiah 40:21–31Those who wait upon God shall renew their strength.

Psalm 147:1–11, 20c (VU pp. 868–869 Part One)God heals the broken-hearted.

1 Corinthians 9:16–23I have become all things to all people for the gospel’s sake.

Mark 1:29–39Simon’s mother-in-law and many others healed.

To PonderWhat renews your strength and your faith? What drags you down or wears you out? Is the faith community a help—or not?

SparkPost or project pictures of people of all ages walking and running—some healthy and strong, some exhausted and struggling. Avoid the stereotype of having all the seniors appear decrepit.

With ChildrenMost children like to run. They have energy to spare. Not all children can run, but maybe they can race in their wheelchair. Invite the children to think about all the ways that their friends move about. What does it feel like to be left behind when others are moving ahead? What can we do so that no one is excluded? Talk about issues of accessibility. Could a wheelchair go everywhere in your church? What about around town or in the school? If you have someone in your congregation (child or adult) who moves around in a wheelchair, might they share the joys and challenges? Sometimes, we run with each other, or walk together, or sit together. The most important thing is that we are there with each other and no one is left out or left behind.

Sermon StarterPaul’s claim that he has “become all things to all people” might seem to be a guaranteed formula for burnout, not just for clergy, but for anyone who might attempt this. It also raises the potential lack of integrity, as in “I will tell them whatever they want to hear.” I don’t think that is what is going on here. Paul’s primary concern is his calling, indeed, his obligation to preach the gospel. He knows that in order to do this effectively, he has to be able to “sit with” or “walk alongside” all sorts of people. He has to be accessible to them so that the gospel will be open to them.Both the Isaiah reading and the psalm say that God is accessible to us. In Isaiah, it is the mighty, never-wearying Creator who “gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless.” In the psalm, the namer of stars is also the healer of hearts. Likewise, in the Mark reading, Jesus meets people in their suffering and need. He goes to the places where they are—physically, spiritually, emotionally. There is a lot here about how we can communicate the good news and about what it means to be “church.”

HymnsIsaiah 40:21–31



VU 22 “Wait for the Lord”VU 313 “God, whose almighty word”VU 391 “God, reveal your presence”VU p. 882 “Prepare the way”VU p. 883 “Comfort, comfort now my people”Psalm 147:1–11, 20cVU 395 “Come in, come in and sit down”VU 600 “When I needed a neighbour”MV 94 “Love knocks and waits”MV 144 “Like a healing stream”1 Corinthians 9:16–23VU 589 “Lord, speak to me”MV 178 “Who is my mother”Mark 1:29–39VU 340 “Jesus, friend of little children”VU 357 “Tell me the stories of Jesus”VU 570 “Jesus’ hands were kind hands”VU 670 “Precious Lord, take my hand”MV 12 “Come touch our hearts”


February 11 – Transfiguration Sunday2 Kings 2:1–12Elijah is taken up into heaven.

Psalm 50:1–6 (VU p. 775)God summons the earth.

2 Corinthians 4:3–6The light of knowledge shines in our hearts.

Mark 9:2–9The Transfiguration of Jesus.

To PonderWhat have been the shining moments in your life? Do you trust those moments or do you distrust them as “not being real”?

SparkTry to find aerial views of your church and your community. Post or project these images.

With ChildrenShow pictures of people climbing mountains. Mountain climbing is hard and it can be dangerous. Why do people do this? Talk a bit about how mountains have always caused people to imagine stories. The gods lived up there. Moses went to the mountain to meet God. Today, we have a story about Jesus and his friends going up to a mountain. Does anyone know this story? Share the story. I wonder why they went? I wonder what happened? If you had been there with them, what would you have noticed? What would you have done?

Sermon StarterYou could begin by recounting a shining moment in your life, an experience that lifted you up, helped you see beyond immediate problems and troubles, gave you a new perspective. We tend not to trust these moments. We see them as somehow less authentic than the shadowed times when everything closes in on us. If we pay attention to them, the moments when we are lifted up can help us read the difficult or mundane occasions in our lives. They have a transfiguring or transforming effect because they allow us a glimpse of the holiness that is there, even in what seems unholy and unbearable.

In the first reading, the prophet Elisha cannot bring himself to speak of the imminent departure of Elijah. How can he face a world that does not contain that fearsome and fearless old character? The theophany (disclosure of God) that he witnesses empowers him to face what must be faced and to carry on the prophetic work. The story of the Transfiguration follows the first prophecy in which Jesus speaks of his own suffering and death and gives the call to his disciples to deny self and carry the cross. This is something we’d rather not deal with. Peter tries to argue Jesus out of it. The Transfiguration may be the ultimate shining moment, but it is not disconnected from the shadows of death and suffering. In 2 Corinthians, Paul says that the gods of this world draw our attention away from noticing the light of God. There is much in the



world to divert our attention from God and the gospels. Nonetheless, the light of God is still there. Wherever it shines, however dimly, there is transformation.

Hymns2 Kings 2:1–12VU 103 “How good, Lord, to be here”VU 104 “We have come at Christ’s own bidding”“Swing low, sweet chariot” African-American spiritualPsalm 50:1–6VU 296 “This is God’s wondrous world”VU 299 “Teach me, God, to wonder”VU 509 “I, the Lord of sea and sky”2 Corinthians 4:3–6VU 232 “Joyful, joyful we adore you”VU 334 “All hail the power of Jesus’ name”VU 399 “God, whose love is reigning o’er us”MV 150 “Spirit God, be our breath”Mark 9:2–9VU 102 “Jesus on the mountain peak”VU 336 “Christ whose glory fills the skies”VU 341 “Fairest Lord Jesus”VU 642 “Be thou my vision”

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