Blessings for the New Year
O God our Creator, who has ordained the movements of the spheres by which we number our days and seasons; we pray you to enable us to reflect wisely on the year past, and to prepare faithfully for the year to come. We offer our praise and thanksgiving for the immeasurable mercy and grace which you pour out on us. We ask only for the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit that we may share these gifts with those who hunger for them, that we may not only be your children, but also your servants. In the holy name of Jesus, amen.
The New Moms Baskets
Once again, you have demonstrated your incredible generosity! Our New Moms baskets are overflowing with the evidence. The baskets and their amazing array of baby gifts will soon be distributed to mothers and their babies through the Diaper Bank sponsored New Moms Program. Thank you so much for your participation in this, our Advent outreach project.
Flower Chart for 2015
Please contribute to the beauty of our worship by dedicating the altar flowers. The suggested donation is $35, and your dedication may be “in memorial for…” or “in thanksgiving for…” There is a calendar of Sundays on the bulletin board in the narthex where you can sign up. Your dedication will be listed in the Sunday service bulletin on the appropriate date. Thank you so much for adding to our worship in this way.
On the Calendar
Office closed – Friday, Jan. 2nd Men’s Breakfast – Sat., Jan. 3rd, 8:00 a.m. Open House at “The Rectory” – Sun., Jan. 4th, 4-6 p.m. Women’s Wednesday – Wed., Jan. 7th, 7:00 p.m. Vestry – Thurs., Jan. 15th, 7:00 p.m. Annual Parish Meeting – Sun., Jan. 25thLessons and Hymns for Sunday, January 4th
(Second Sunday after Christmas – Year B) by the Rev. William McLemoreTHE SCRIPTURE LESSONS:
The First Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-14. The prophet announces that God will reclaim the people: “He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.”
The Psalm: Psalm 84:1-8 (9-12). The psalmist rejoices in the dwelling of God and exclaims, “Happy are they who dwell in your house!”
The Epistle: Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-19a. Paul reminds the church at Ephesus that they were destined for adoption as children of God through Jesus Christ.
The Gospel: Two Gospel readings are provided for this Sunday: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 and Luke 2:41-52. Matthew relates the story of the flight of Mary and Joseph into Egypt for the child’s safety. Luke tells about the time Jesus got separated from his parents in Jerusalem and they found him conversing with the teachers in the temple.
THE HYMNS:
Processional Hymn: No. 102. “Once in Royal David’s City.” This hymn was written by Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895) and published in her “Hymns for Little Children.” It is based on the portion of the Apostles’ Creed which tells of Mary being conceived by the Holy Spirit and giving birth to Jesus. The third verse of this 6 verse hymn was added by Dr. James Waring McCrady (b. 1938) a professor at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee. The tune, “Irby,” was composed by Henry John Gauntlett (1805-1876) as the melody for this hymn.
The Sequence Hymn: No. 128. “We Three Kings.” The text and tune of this Epiphany carol were both composed by John Henry Hopkins, Jr., in 1857. It is one of the few hymns in our modern hymnal which have withstood alteration over the years.
Presentation Hymn: No. 107. “Good Christian Friends Rejoice.” This carol was written by John Mason Neale-hymn writer and music composer. It is based on an old popular Christmas song and the original words have been made more inclusive for this 1982 Hymnal. The tune is set to an old German carol of the 14th century.
Communion Hymn: No. 101. “Away in a Manger.” The origin of the Christmas carol has been traced back to the Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther, which has been disproved by exhaustive studies by the hymn historian, Dr. Richard S. Hill, who claims it is basically an American traditional carol stemming from “Not So Far Away in a Manger.” The tune, “Cradle Song,” is a melody composed by William James Kirkpatrick, a Pennsylvania school teacher (1838-1921).
Recessional Hymn: No. 117. “Brightest and Best.” This hymn was written by Reginald Heber, an Anglican priest who became Bishop of Calcutta, India in 1823. A prolific musician and author of hymns, the church has variously enjoyed a dozen of his hymns, the most popular being, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty (Hymn 362 in the 1982 Hymnal). “Brightest and Best” was criticized by some hymnal editors for seeming to promote worship of the stars.
January 4th Servants
Ushers: Terry Jaworski, Bob Backer Lector: Rick Carlstedt Intercessor: Judy Robel Eucharistic Ministers: Charlie Boak, Alan Robel Vestry Person of the Day: Bev Jannotta101 Reasons to be an Episcopalian
Reason 35
“Because it’s one religion where laughing at our own absurdities is a basic spiritual discipline and we’re invited to rejoice in how much we have still to learn of God instead of how much we know.”
William Countryman, Diocese of California
From the cartoons created by the Rev. William P. McLemore
1965 – 2014
