Bulletin – Sunday, January 4, 2026 – Epiphany

Wednesday, December 31, 2025 Sue Turley

Sunday, January 4, 2026
Epiphany

We Gather as People of Faith

Welcome

Lighting the Christ Candle

Announcements

Call to Worship

One: We gather as a new year begins!
All: A new year of life, of laughter and tears.

One: We do not know what the new year may hold for us…
All: But we know that the new year will be held in God’s love

One: We know that we will be held in God’s love
All: We gather to worship our God of new days, new years, and new beginnings!

Please join in the singing of the hymn – “Arise Your Light is Come” (Voices United #79, verses 1, 3, and 4)

Arise, your light is come!
The Spirit’s call obey,
Show forth the glory of your God,
Which shines on you today.

Arise, your light is come!
All you in sorrow born,
Bind up the broken-hearted ones
And comfort those who mourn.

Arise, your light is come!
The mountains burst in Song!
Rise up like eagles on the wing;
God’s power will make us strong.

Prayer of Approach and Confession

God, today we worship as we begin a new year. We don’t know what the new year may bring, so we begin the new year with uncertainty, with some worry, with some hope, with some anticipation, with faith that You are with us as we enter this year. God, we confess that this world contains much suffering and injustice. Grant us courage and love to be agents of resurrection, of healing, of peace. May we be companions of Christ, and may people encounter the Christ in us. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Word made flesh. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Wherever we go, wherever the coming year may take us, whatever the coming year may bring. Nothing can remove us from the grace and the love of God. The Word became flesh and dwell among us. As a resurrection people, we trust that the Word of God made flesh continues to dwell among us. This is God’s world. We belong to God’s creation. We trust that God will greet us and call us and guide us throughout this new year. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Sung Response – “Joy, Joy, Joy” (Voices United #47 verse 3)

Joy, joy, joy; glad tidings of great joy!
For through God’s holy incarnation Christ is born for our salvation.
Joy, joy, joy; glad tidings of great joy!

A Story for All

We Hear God’s Word

Scripture Reading: John 1:1-9

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being ⁴ in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it. ⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸ He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. ⁹ The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12

¹ In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, ² asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star in the east, and have come to pay him homage.” ³ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him, ⁴ and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet: ⁶ And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel. ⁷ Then Herod secretly called for the magi and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸ Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” ⁹ When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

May God speak to us through these readings of scripture.
Thanks be to God!

Please join in the singing of the hymn – “As with Gladness Men of Old” (Voices United #81)

As with gladness men of old did the guiding star behold,
As with joy they hailed its light, leading onward, beaming bright,
So, most gracious Lord, may we evermore your splendor see.

As with joyful steps they sped, to that lowly manger bed,
There to bend the knee before Christ, whom heaven and earth adore,
So may we with eager pace ever seek your throne of grace.

As they offered gifts most rare at the manger crude and bare,
So may we with holy joy, pure and free from sin’s alloy,
All our costliest treasures bring, Christ, to you, our heavenly King.

Holy Jesus, every day keep us in the narrow way,
And, when earthly things are past, bring our ransomed souls and last
Where they need no star to guide, where no clouds your glory hide.

In the heavenly country bright none shall need created light;
You its light, its joy, its crown, you its sun which goes not down;
There forever ay we sing hallelujah to our King.

Sermon

Anthem – “A Light is Gleaming” (Voices United #82)

A light is gleaming,
Spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light
Come share its gladness,
God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.

When light comes pouring into the darkest place,
It hurts our eyes to see the glow.
Sometimes a word of hope reminds us of our fears,
Our memories and tears…

A light is gleaming,
Spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light
Come share its gladness,
God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.

When night is round us and every shadow grows,
A star is there to light our way
It tells a story of Jesus who came near to say:
“God’s light will ever stay”…

A light is gleaming,
Spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light
Come share its gladness,
God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.

And Jesus showed us a brighter path to walk
He showed us things we hadn’t seen
Now we, like Jesus, can help creation shine,
And this will be a sign.

A light is gleaming,
Spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light
Come share its gladness,
God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.

So Let us live in the brightness God has giv’n,
And let us rise to see the dawn
We trust that God is here a sparkle and ablaze,
Warming all our days.

A light is gleaming,
Spreading its arms throughout the night,
Living in the light
Come share its gladness,
God’s radiant love is burning bright,
Living in the light.

We Respond to God’s Word

Invitation to Share

Offering Sung Response – “When Heaven’s Bright with Mystery” (Voices United #93 verse 4)

When heaven’s bright with mystery
And stars still lead an unknown way,
When love still lights a gentle path
Where courts of power can hold no sway,
There with the Magi, let us kneel,
Our gifts to share, God’s world to heal.

Offering Prayer

Prayers of the People

Invitation to the Passing of the Peace

The Prayer that Jesus Taught

One: Please join me in praying the prayer Jesus taught us to pray:
All: Our Creator who is like our Mother and our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil; for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.