THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

St. John’s Episcopal Church

Epiphany Sunday

10 January 2021 10 a.m.

Welcome to St. John’s! We are so glad you are joining us at home online.

All of the prayers & responses can be found bolded in this bulletin.

We hope you will join in from home!

Welcome The Rev. Candace Sandfort

The Word of God

Presider Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

The Presider says

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(1 John 1:8,9)

Confession & Absolution Church of England BCP

Presider

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

All

Almighty God, source of all that is,

and giver of every good gift.

You create all people in your image

and call us to love one another as you love us.

We confess that we have failed to honor you

in the great diversity of the human family.

We have desired to live in freedom,

while building walls between ourselves and others.

We have longed to be known and accepted for who we are,

while judging others based on the color of their skin,

or cultural differences.

Forgive us, Holy God.

Give us eyes to see you as you are revealed in all people.

Strengthen us for the work of reconciliation rooted in love.

Restore us in your image, to be the Beloved Community,

united in our diversity;

even as you are one with Christ and the Spirit,

Holy and undivided Trinity, now and for ever. Amen.

The Presider says to the people

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

Please join in at home

Gloria in excelsis (said)

Glory to God in the highest,    and peace to God’s people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King,almighty God and Father,    we worship you, we give you thanks,    we praise you for your glory.Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,Lord God, Lamb of God,you take away the sin of the world:    have mercy on us;you are seated at the right hand of the Father:    receive our prayer.For you alone are the Holy One,you alone are the Lord,you alone are the Most High,    Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,    in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Collect of the Day

The Presider says to the people

The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

PresiderLet us pray.

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Book of Isaiah Deirdre Comey

Arise, shine; for your light has come,and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For darkness shall cover the earth,and thick darkness the peoples;

but the Lord will arise upon you,and his glory will appear over you.

Nations shall come to your light,and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes and look around;they all gather together, they come to you;

your sons shall come from far away,and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms.

Then you shall see and be radiant;your heart shall thrill and rejoice,

because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,the wealth of the nations shall come to you.

A multitude of camels shall cover you,the young camels of Midian and Ephah;all those from Sheba shall come.

They shall bring gold and frankincense,and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. (60: 1-6)

Lector The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Please join us at home as we say the psalm in unison

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 Deus, judicium Deirdre Comey

Give the King your justice, O God, *and your righteousness to the King's Son;

That he may rule your people righteously *and the poor with justice;

That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, *and the little hills bring righteousness.

He shall defend the needy among the people; *he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.

He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, *from one generation to another.

He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, *like showers that water the earth.

In his time shall the righteous flourish; *there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.

The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, *and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts.

All kings shall bow down before him, *and all the nations do him service.

For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, *and the oppressed who has no helper.

He shall have pity on the lowly and poor; *he shall preserve the lives of the needy.

He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, *and dear shall their blood be in his sight.

A Reading from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians Zander Brietzke

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him. (3:1-12)

Lector The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Sequence Anthem 109, “The first Nowell”

The first Nowell the angel did saywas to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;in fields where they lay, keeping their sheep,on a cold winter's night that was so deep.

Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell,born is the King of Israel.

They looked up and saw a starshining in the east beyond them far,and to the earth it gave great light,and so it continued both day and night. Refrain

And by the light of that same starthree wise men came from country far;to seek for a king was their intent,and to follow the star wherever it went. Refrain

This star drew nigh to the northwest,o'er Bethlehem it took its rest,and there it did both stop and stayright over the place where Jesus lay. Refrain

Then entered in those wise men threefull reverently upon their knee,and offered there in his presence,their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense. Refrain

The Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12

People’s response before the GospelGlory to you, Lord Christ.

People’s response after the GospelPraise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon The Reverend Candace Sandfort

Please join us at home

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,

begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,

and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son s/he is worshiped and glorified.

S/He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen

The People respond to each petition from their home.

The Prayers of the People Zander Brietzke

LeaderGod of Peace: We pray for our nation in this time of post-election division and turmoil. Help us listen to one another with respect, always seeking the good in the other. Reconcile families and friends divided. Help us learn to love each other despite our differences and focus on the work before us: the work of forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace. Inspire the people of this nation to speak out against racism, and resist all forms of injustice and oppression, as we strive to form a more perfect union in 2021.

Leader God of Peace:

People Hear our prayers for reconciliation.

Leader God of Freedom: We pray for all who have been elected to serve in our national and local government, especially the President-elect and Vice President-elect. May all those chosen to carry the burden of office be given the wisdom to know what is right, the compassion to seek the common good, and a spirit of service to this nation.

Leader God of Freedom:

People Hear our prayers for this nation.

Leader God of Grace: We pray for our Presiding Bishop, Michael, our Bishop, Carlye, and all other bishops and ministers. Nurture and refresh them with the water of life that they may have the strength to carry the weight of office in this difficult and demanding time.

LeaderGod of Grace:

People Hear our prayers for your servants.

Leader God of Mercy: We pray that you keep the merciful face of Christ ever before us as we strive to be more fully your healers of this broken world. We pray for the first-responders, scientists, medical personnel, and essential workers on the frontlines of this pandemic. We pray for those who are lonely, isolated, sick or suffering physically or financially. We pray for the poor, the refugees, the immigrants, and all who are without homes, or food, or meaningful work. We pray especially for those unfairly incarcerated who received no justice or mercy from our court system because of the color of their skin.

Leader God of Mercy:

People Hear our prayers for those who are exhausted, despondent, or suffering in

any way.

LeaderGod of Creation: We pray for the Earth, entrusted to our care: For animals, atmosphere, aquifers, rainforests, oceans, and all parts of your creation struggling with global warming that have no voice of their own. Throughout the world stir up a spirit that seeks to protect the Earth and all its resources, that we may leave to our children’s children’s children the beauty and abundance you have given us.

LeaderGod of Creation:

People Hear our prayers for the Earth.

Leader God of Mercy: We pray for those who have died, especially those who have died alone from Covid-19. For the faithful in past generations; for the prophets who called us to racial reconciliation, sometimes at the cost of their own lives; for all of the black people in this country who died because of police brutality. Help us remember the saints of the past that they might inspire us to proclaim your Good News to all people, by our words and actions, and bring us at last into the glorious company of the saints in light.

Leader God of Mercy:

People Hear our prayers for the faithful in all generations.

Leader We pray for the special needs and concerns of this congregation.

The People may add their own petitions silently or aloud from home. Please remember to unmute yourself, and then mute yourself again when finished.

The Presider adds a concluding Collect

Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide and protect the people of this nation and our newly elected officials and representatives; that by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation find peace in this polarized environment, so that we can fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

3

The Holy Communion

Please join in singing from home

Offertory Hymn 124: “What star is this, with beams so bright” John Sandfort

Eucharistic Prayer B p. 367, BCP

The Celebrant says to the people:

The Lord be with you.

PeopleAnd also with you.

CelebrantLift up your hearts.

PeopleWe lift them to the Lord.

CelebrantLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.

PeopleIt is right to give God thanks and praise.

All say

Sanctus

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Celebrant & People

The Acclamation

We remember his death ,

We proclaim his resurrection,

We await his coming in glory;

Fraction Anthem 301: “Bread of the world in mercy broken” John Sandfort

All join in at home saying the

Prayer for Spiritual Communion

In union O Lord, with all the faithful, in our homes and at this and every altar of your Holy Church where your blessed Body and Blood is being offered, we present to you our souls and bodies. And because we cannot all receive sacramentally, we ask that you come spiritually into our hearts. Cleanse and strengthen us with your grace Lord Christ and let us never be separated from you. May we live in you, and you in us, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.

All join in at home saying

The Postcommunion Prayer

CelebrantLet us pray.

Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image and nourishing us with spiritual food. Now send us forth a people, forgiven, healed, renewed; that we may proclaim your Christmas message of love to the world and continue in the risen life of Christ our Savior. Amen.

Epiphany Blessing

May Almighty God, who led the Wise Men by the shining of a star to find the Christ, the Light from Light, lead you also, in your pilgrimage, to find the Lord. Amen.

May God, who sent the Holy Spirit to rest upon the Only- begotten at his baptism in the Jordan River, pour out that Spirit on you who have come to the waters of new birth. Amen.

May God, by the power that turned water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana, transform your lives and make glad your hearts. Amen.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you always. Amen.

The flowers today are given to the Glory of God

by Susan Dunn

"With love and compassion for all who suffer from depression”

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Here’s a great way to enrich yourself during Lent,

and make good use of another 40 days of the Pandemic…

Lent begins February 17th and I am putting together a study of the Old Testament Book of Job and the meaning of suffering—a timely subject—I hope you’ll consider joining in what could be your “Lenten Discipline” perhaps? We will read the contemporary play “JB,” which tells the story of Job through a twentieth-century American banker/millionaire whom God commands be stripped of his family and wealth, but who refuses to turn his back on God. J.B. won the Pulitzer Prize for drama and the Tony Award for best play. We will also watch (at home) and discuss two movies in the course of the 40 days: The Tree of Life, from the great director Terrence Malick, and A Serious Man, directed by the equally amazing Coen brothers. Let me know if you’re interested by calling the office, texting me, or emailing: Rectorstjmontclair@gmail.com

THE STATE OF OUR UNION

LAST YEAR @ this time 58 households

had pledged $202,132

THIS YEAR 50 households

have pledged $166,979

We’re in the home stretch!

Only $33,000 is needed to support

our $200,000 operating budget!

"Give thanks in all circumstances”

I Thessalonians 5:18 We are so grateful to those who have

pledged, and so grateful for those we are

counting on to help us reach the $200,000

minimum we need to run St. John’s.

Need a pledge card? Let Michelle know at the office and she’ll send one out to you pronto!

Pledging made easy:

· Just fill out your card and drop it in the mail or the mail slot next to the Parish Hall door.

· OR use the “Online Payments” tab on our website to set up automatic pledge payments on our secure Vanco page.

· OR easier yet, use this QR code which will go directly to our Vanco page to pledge:

How to use the QR code:

1. Simply point your phone’s camera at the QR code below (don’t click!)

2. Tap the drop-down message that appears.

3. You will automatically be taken to our website’s “Online Payments” page.

Here’s what you’ll see when you get to the Vanco page:

While you’re looking at the Vanco page please notice: “Flowers, weekly ($75)” There are only two flower donation dates available until Easter (since we have no flowers in Lent). They are:

· January 17th

· January 24th

Flowers can be given to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, to remember a loved one, to give thanks for a blessing in your life—or anything else you like. Call Michelle to reserve one of these dates: 973-746-2474, then mail your $75 donation to St. John's or drop it in the mail slot outside the Parish Hall door.

OR EASIER YET: Quickly pay online on the VANCO page of our website (see above).

Dismissal

PresiderGo in peace to love and serve the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.

PeopleThanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

2

1

W

elcome

to St. John’s! We are so glad you are joining us at home online.

All of

the prayers & responses can be found

bolded

in this bulletin.

We hope you will join

in

from home!

Welcome

The Rev. Candace Sandfort

The Word of God

Presider

Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People

And blessed be

God’s

kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

The

Presider

says

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the

truth is not in us. But if we confess our

sins, God, who is

faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all

unrighteousness.

(

1 John 1:8,9

)

Confession & Absolution

Church of England

B

CP

Presider

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

All

Almighty God,

s

ource of all that is,

and g

iver of every good gift

.

You create all people in your image

and call us to love one another as you love us.

We confess that we have failed to honor you

in the great diversity of the human family.

We have

desired to live in freedom,

while building walls between ourselves and others.

We have longed to be known and accepted for who we are,

while judg

ing

others based on the color of

their

skin,

or

cultural differences

.

Forgive us, Holy God.

Giv

e us eyes to see you as you are revealed in all people.

Strengthen us for the work of reconciliation rooted in love.

Restore us in your image, to be the Beloved Community,

united in our diversity;

even as you are one with Christ and the Spirit,

Holy and undivided Trinity, now and for ever. Amen.

The

Pr

esider

says to the people

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ

,

s

trengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.

Amen.

St. John’s Episcopal Church

Epiphany

Sunday

10 January

20

2

1

10 a.m.

1

Welcome to St. John’s! We are so glad you are joining us at home online.

All of the prayers & responses can be found bolded in this bulletin.

We hope you will join in from home!

Welcome The Rev. Candace Sandfort

The Word of God

Presider Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

The Presider says

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our

sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(1 John 1:8,9)

Confession & Absolution Church of England BCP

Presider

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

All

Almighty God, source of all that is,

and giver of every good gift.

You create all people in your image

and call us to love one another as you love us.

We confess that we have failed to honor you

in the great diversity of the human family.

We have desired to live in freedom,

while building walls between ourselves and others.

We have longed to be known and accepted for who we are,

while judging others based on the color of their skin,

or cultural differences.

Forgive us, Holy God.

Give us eyes to see you as you are revealed in all people.

Strengthen us for the work of reconciliation rooted in love.

Restore us in your image, to be the Beloved Community,

united in our diversity;

even as you are one with Christ and the Spirit,

Holy and undivided Trinity, now and for ever. Amen.

The Presider says to the people

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ,

strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

St. John’s Episcopal Church

Epiphany Sunday

10 January 2021 10 a.m.