ARISE! YOUR LIGHT HAS COME

Epiphany (shining forth, appearing) observes the manifestation of Christ to all the nations of the world.  In the Sundays of the Epiphany season we see Christ as our light, our revealer.  What these epiphanies have to say to us is that looking with discerning eye and listening with discriminating ear, we can perceive God behind, above, within, around, and below the world all about us.  In Epiphany we begin to see more and more of Jesus, from his baptism in the Jordan River to his transfiguration on the mountain.  Christ is the coming of the light and the power of the light to draw us to God.  This light will unveil evil even as it reveals the goodness and glory of God; God’s unstoppable love for us.

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

WE REMEMBER OUR BAPTISMS, CONFESS OUR FAITHLESSNESS, 

AND HEAR GOD’S FAITHFUL PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS

Pastor: Trusting in the word of life given in baptism,

we are gathered in the name

of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,

the holy Trinity, one God,

the fountain of living water,

the rock who gave us birth,

our light and our salvation.

People: Amen.

Pastor: Joined to Christ in the waters of baptism,

we are clothed with God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Let us  give thanks for the gift of baptism.

Pastor: We give you thanks, O God,

for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters

and by your Word you created the world,

calling forth life in which you took delight.

Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family.

You led Israel safely through the Sea from slavery into freedom and the land of promise.

In the waters of the Jordan, your Son was baptized by John, anointed with the Holy Spirit, and proclaimed your beloved one.

By water, your Word, and the Spirit you claim us as your daughters and sons,

making us heirs of your promise and servants of all.

Through this water remind us of our baptism.

We praise you for the gift of water that sustains life,

and above all we praise you for the gift of new life in Jesus Christ.

Shower us with your Spirit,

and renew our lives with your forgiveness, grace, and love.

To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

People: Blessed be God,

who gives us life with all creation,

joins us to the saving death of Christ,

and raises us to new life by the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

HYMN FOR THE SEASON OF EPIPHANY

 “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright”

[click on the link below]

O Morning Star, how fair and bright!

You shine with God’s own truth and light,

aglow with grace and mercy!

Of Jacob’s line, King David’s son,

our Lord and Savior, you have won

our hearts to serve you only!

Lowly, holy!!

Great and glorious,

all victorious,

rich in blessing!

Rule and might o’er all possessing!

Come, precious diamond, light divine,

and deep within our hearts now shine;

there light a flame undying!

In your one body let us be

as living branches of a tree,

your life our lives supplying.

Now, though daily

earth’s deep sadness 

may perplex us 

and distress us,

yet with heav’nly joy you bless us.

Lord, when you look on us in love,

at once there falls from God above

a ray of purest pleasure.

Your word and Spirit, flesh and blood

refresh our souls with heav’nly food.

You are our dearest treasure!

Let your mercy

warm and cheer us!

Oh, draw near us!

For you teach us

God’s own love through you has reached us.

Almighty Father, in your Son

you loved us, when not yet begun

was this old earth’s foundation!

Your Son has ransomed us in love

to live in him here and above:

this is your great salvation.

Alleluia!

Christ the living,

to us giving

life forever, 

keeps us yours and fails us never!

Oh, let the harps break forth in sound!

Our joy be all with music crowned,

our voices gaily blending!

For Christ goes with us all the way–

today, tomorrow, ev’ry day!

His love is never ending!

Sing out!

Ring out!

Jubilation! Exaltation!

Tell the story!

Praise to Christ, who reigns in glory!

What joy to know, when life is past,

the Lord we love is first and last,

the end and the beginning!

He will one day, oh, glorious grace,

transport us to that happy place

beyond all tears and sinning!

Amen!

Amen!

Come, Lord Jesus! Crown of gladness!

We are yearning

for the day of your returning.

GATHERING

WE RESPOND TO GOD’S CALL WITH PRAISE AND PRAYER,
AND PREPARE TO HEAR GOD’S WORD OF LIFE

GREETING

Pastor: The light and love of God,

who wonderfully made you,

who graciously redeemed you,

who calls you each by name,

be with you all.

People: And also with you

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor:  The Lord be with you. 

People: And also with you. 

Pastor:  Let us pray

People: Living God, in Christ you make all things new.  Transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen.

WORD

THE CHURCH HEARS THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD ACTING
IN THIS AND EVERY TIME AND PLACE

FIRST READING  

Jeremiah 17:5-10

Thus says the Lord:
Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals
   and make mere flesh their strength,
   whose hearts turn away from the Lord.
They shall be like a shrub in the desert,
   and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness,
   in an uninhabited salt land. 

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,
   whose trust is the Lord.
They shall be like a tree planted by water,
   sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
   and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
   and it does not cease to bear fruit. 

The heart is devious above all else;
   it is perverse—
   who can understand it?
I the Lord test the mind
   and search the heart,
to give to all according to their ways,
   according to the fruit of their doings. 

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

THE GOSPEL

Luke 6: 17-26

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the sixth chapter.

People: Glory to you, O Lord.

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. 

Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
‘Blessed are you who are poor,
   for yours is the kingdom of God.
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
   for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
   for you will laugh. 

‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
‘But woe to you who are rich,
   for you have received your consolation.
‘Woe to you who are full now,
   for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
   for you will mourn and weep. 

‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. 

Pastor:   The Gospel of the Lord.

People: Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

[click on the link below]

HYMN OF THE DAY

“We Come to the Hungry Feast”

We come to the hungry feast
hungry for a word of peace.
To hungry hearts unsatisfied
the love of God is not denied.
We come, we come to the hungry feast.

We come to the hungry feast
hungry for a world released
from hungry folk of ev’ry kind,
the poor in body, poor in mind.
We come, we come to the hungry feast.

We come to the hungry feast
hungry that the hunger cease,
and knowing, though we eat our fill,
the hunger will stay with us; still
we come, we come to the hungry feast.

APOSTLES’ CREED

Pastor: Let us confess our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

All:       I believe in God, the Father, Almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

              I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord.

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father.

And he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

      and the life everlasting. Amen.

TODAY IN OUR PRAYERS

Bill, Carol, Curtis, and Christine Buchkowsky, Teri Peterson, Wayne Turner, Janet Gregory, Marge McMillan, Kyrie Parimi, John Beaven, Doris Turner, Hilda Anderson, Linda Wolfe, Naomi, Bev Gregory, Dale Robinson, Bryan Matschke, Audrey Hedlin,  Mona Neher, Carl Rausch, Oma Ywo, Joan Schock, Helen Neher, the family of Norm Gregory, the family of Mary Anderson (Evelyn Robson’s mother), the family of Joel Zimmerman, the family of baby Mavrick Gallant (Bev Gregory’s great-grandson), the family of Ray Johnson (the brother of Doris Turner), and the family of Katherine Meger (Joshua Bratvold’s great grandmother), the family of Lois Jenkins (Ann Salmon’s mother)

We remember the missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada, the children and people buried in unmarked graves at residential schools and First Nation lands, and all those who have suffered the trauma of residential schools, the people of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Venezuela, Hong Kong, the Palestinians and Israelis, the civil war in Ethiopia, Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Belarus and the refugees at the Belarus/Poland border, Lebanon, the Rohingya Muslim refugees and the ethnic Karen of Myanmar, all at the Mexico/United States border seeking refuge, the people of Haiti suffering from earthquake, hurricane, and political disasters, those in northwestern Washington, southern B.C., especially the communities of Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Merritt, and Princeton, devastated by torrential rains and flooding, the communities in the Philippines ravaged by typhoon Rai, the people of Tonga whose communities are destroyed by volcano and tsunami, the people of Madagascar recovering from two cyclones, those in the United States, Canada, and throughout the world caught up in racism and injustice and the resulting violence, and those throughout the world, in Canada, in our province, and in our community still threatened by the coronavirus and fearful of the omicron variant.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE OF FAITH

 [The congregational response after each petition is:  “HEAR OUR PRAYER.”]

Pastor:  As we see and hear the promises of God revealed in Jesus, the Word made flesh, let us pray for all people and the whole creation that the light of Christ’s grace  shine upon all , saying, “O Christ, our light and life,” and responding, “Hear our prayer.”

Petitioner:  God of new life, wash us in your cleansing grace, as we daily return to our baptism.  Give your Church the courage to live faithfully.  Fill us with hope that outlasts any suffering, and faith that draws all people together in the name of Christ.  O Christ, our light and life …

Petitioner:   Almighty God, heal the wounds of hatred and mistrust that exist between people of different nations, religions, and ethnic backgrounds, or disregarded because of gender, colour, or creed. We remember those protesting and those subjected to the protesting in Ottawa and at various border crossings.  Raise up leaders who will hear the cries of people for peace, safety, respect, and justice and work to peacefully resolve the issues.  O Christ, our light and life …

Petitioner:   God of new life, give us perseverance in ministering in our congregation, community, and the wider world, that we will not grow weary or discouraged, but remain confident of your sustaining presence and the transformative power of your grace.  O Christ, our  light and life …  

Pastor:   Compassionate God, bind and make whole those who have broken bodies and hearts.  Comfort those who hurt and grieve, relieve those who worry or are depressed, restore those who are sick. We remember especially before you …  Bring healing, courage, and hope into their lives.  O Christ, our light and life…

Petitioner:  God of wholeness, renew your people through our baptism when we are paralyzed by sin and evil.  Breathe your Word into us, that we may speak with authority and act with strength where those working against your love are most oppressive and human hearts yearn for dignity and compassion. Deepen our care for one another as we reach out to those who are absent or experiencing difficult circumstances.  O Christ, our light and life … 

Petitioner:   Sustaining God, look with kindness on your creation, and restore wholeness to rivers, lakes, and seas, deserts and forests, farmland and wilderness, that the hearts of all living things may sing their thanks for generations to come. O Christ, our light and life…

Petitioner:   We give thanks to you, O God, for the greatest of epiphanies in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  May it be the source of our hope, a guide for our lives, and the power that enables us to sing, to pray, to hear the Gospel, and to love our neighbour.  O Christ, our  light and life …  

Pastor:   God of splendor and light, hear our prayer, illumine us with the radiance of your glory, and fill us with your presence among us in Jesus Christ our Lord.

People:  Amen.

THANKSGIVING

THE COMMUNITY PRAISES GOD FOR THE GRACIOUS GIFTS OF
 CREATION AND THE SAVING DEEDS OF JESUS CHRIST

THE GREETING AND SHARING OF PEACE

Pastor: Since we are forgiven and renewed by God’s Spirit, let us also be reconciled with one another and share the Peace of the Lord.  

The peace of Christ be with you always.

People: And also with you.

(The congregation greets one another with a gesture of peace, using these or similar words:
“Christ’s peace be with you.”)

THE OFFERING

(We worship God with the offering of our selves, our time, our talents, and our possessions.)

OFFERTORY PRAYER

Leader: Let us pray.
God of all creation,

People: with great joy we worship you and lay before you these gifts.

Use what we have gathered here

in feeding the hungry world with your love.

Let our lives serve you only,

and lead us always to our dearest treasure,

Jesus Christ, the light of the world and the life of all. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray with confidence in the words our Saviour gave us:

People: Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

  on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

  who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever. Amen.

SENDING

ALL RECEIVE THE BLESSING OF GOD, LEAVE IN PEACE,
AND ARE SENT OUT TO SERVE

BENEDICTION

Pastor:  May Christ, whose epiphany revealed God’s glory to the world,

deepen your faith and make your hearts glad.

God’s blessing be with you,

Christ’s peace be with you,

the Spirit’s outpouring of love be with you, now and always.

People: Amen

CLOSING HYMN

“Great Is Thy Faithfulness ”

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

Refrain:

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine with 10, 000 beside

Refrain

DISMISSAL

Pastor: Go forth as light into the world.  The joy of the Lord is your strength.

People: Thanks be to God.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

King of Glory will hold our regular in-person worship services—following the provincial protocols recommended—on a weekly basis at the regular time 6:30 p.m.  Of course, should there be any significant changes with regard to the pandemic situation the Church Council will revisit the issue.

Thank you from Canadian Lutheran World Relief for your contributions to their various aid programs in Canada and throughout the world.

December, January, and Year-to-Date Budget and Contribution Report for KOG

2022 Budget:  $48,854       Monthly Budget:  $4,071.17     Weekly Budget:  $939.50

2021income/expenses: –$1,734.04

December income/expenses: $2,994.99

Weekly contributions for January:  January 2: $650    January 9: $10,050

January 16: $300  January 23: $0  January 30: $340

Weekly contributions for February:  February 6: $103 

Offerings.  

(Please no cash for mail security reasons)

Send your contributions to:  King of Glory Lutheran Church

    3318 Merritt Street

    Saskatoon, SK  S7M 3P6

Thank you for your generosity.

Checklist and Guidelines for Re-opening Worship Services

Disinfect/sanitize worship space and entrance etc before the service

One person preps worship materials [pastor]

Six feet distancing recommended

No sharing of pencils, pens, etc.

No serving of food or beverages

Try not to use the washrooms

Open doors and windows if possible

Use/wear face masks, but you may sing quietly recommended

Hand sanitizer available

No physical contact (e.g. sharing of the peace, no passing of offering plate)

Communion procedure: distribution in a way that maintains physical distancing

Disinfect/sanitize worship space and entrance etc after the service