Ordo for the Last Sunday after Epiphany (7 February 2016)

The LASt Sunday after Epiphany

7 February 2016

The Gathering of the Community

Prelude

Processional Hymn

‘Here in This Place New Light Is Streaming’  Common Praise #465

Introductory Responses for Epiphany

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.

May all the earth be filled with the glory of God.

Light has sprung up for the righteous,

and joyful gladness for those who are true-hearted. [i]

Hymn of Praise

Gloria in Excelsis [ii]

Collect

Let us pray.

God of transfiguration,

transform our hearts and minds,

so that we may hear your message

and fill the world with your glory;

through Jesus Christ, the chosen one.  Amen. [iii]

The Proclamation of the Word

First Reading

A Reading from Exodus (34.29-35).

            ²⁹ Moses came down from Mount Sinai.  As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.  ³⁰ When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him.  ³¹ But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them.  ³² Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.  ³³ When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; ³⁴ but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, ³⁵ the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.

Thanks be to God.

The Psalm

Psalm 99 with the refrain from Songs for the Holy One

Refrain (sung twice):  We praise and magnify your glorious name.

¹ The Lord reigns; *

            let the people tremble;

the Lord is enthroned upon the Cherubim; *

            let the earth shake.

² The Lord is great in Zion *

            and is high above all peoples.

³ Let them confess your name, which is great and awesome; *

            you are the Holy One.

Refrain:  We praise and magnify your glorious name.

⁴ “O mighty Sovereign, lover of justice, you have established equity; *

            you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”

⁵ Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God

and fall down before the footstool of God; *

            the Lord is the Holy One.

⁶ Moses and Aaron among your priests, *

            and Samuel among those who call upon your name,

they called upon the Lord, *

            and you answered them.

Refrain:  We praise and magnify your glorious name.

⁷ You spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *

            they kept your testimonies and the decree that you gave them.

⁸ “O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; *

            you were a God who forgave them,

            yet punished them for their evil deeds.”

⁹ Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God

and worship upon the holy hill of God; *

            for the Lord our God is the Holy One.

Refrain:  We praise and magnify your glorious name.

Second Reading

A Reading from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (3.12-4.2).

            ¹² Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, ¹³ not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside.  ¹⁴ But their minds were hardened.  Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside.  ¹⁵ Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; ¹⁶ but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.  ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  ¹⁸ And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

            ¹ Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart.  ² We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.

Thanks be to God.

The Gradual Hymn

‘Soaring Spirit, Set Us Free’  Common Praise #250

The Gospel

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke (9.28-36).

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            ²⁸ Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.  ²⁹ And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.  ³⁰ Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.  ³¹ They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  ³² Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.  ³³ Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— not knowing what he said.  ³⁴ While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.  ³⁵ Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”  ³⁶ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

The Gospel of Christ.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sermon

An Affirmation of Faith

Let us affirm our faith.

Christ is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation;

for in Christ all things in heaven and on earth were created,

things visible and invisible.

Christ himself is before all things,

and in Christ all things hold together.

Christ is the head of the body, the church;

he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

and through him God has reconciled us to God’s very self.

Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity, one God.

Blessed be God for ever. [iv]

The Prayers of the Community

Intercessions, Petitions and Thanksgivings

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of Christ be always with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Communion

The Offertory Hymn

‘Praise, My Soul’  Common Praise #381

Prayer over the Gifts

Let us pray.

Holy God,

receive all we offer you this day

and bring us to that radiant glory

which we see in the transfigured face

of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. [v]

Thanksgiving at the Table

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy,

that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you,

almighty and merciful God, through our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

By the leading of a star he was shown forth to all nations;

in the waters of the Jordan you proclaimed him your beloved Son,

and in the miracle of water turned to wine he revealed your glory. 

And so, with all the choirs of angels,

with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven,

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

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. [vi]

Holy One, the beginning and the end, the giver of life:

Blessed are you for the birth of creation.

Blessed are you in the darkness and in the light.

Blessed are you for your promise to your people.

Blessed are you for the prophets’ hopes and dreams.

Blessed are you for Mary’s openness to your will.

Blessed are you for your Son, Jesus, the Word made flesh.

In the night in which he was betrayed,

our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;

broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take and eat; this is my body given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,

and gave it for all to drink, saying:

This cup is the new covenant in my blood,

shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.

Do this for the remembrance of me.

[Therefore let] us proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

With this bread and cup we remember

your Word dwelling among us, full of grace and truth.

We remember our new birth in his death and resurrection.

We look with hope for his coming.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Holy God, we long for your Spirit.

Come among us.  Bless this meal.

May your Word take flesh in us.

Awaken your people.  Fill us with your light.

Bring the gift of peace on earth.

Come, Holy Spirit.

All praise and glory are yours, Holy One of Israel,

Word of God incarnate, Power of the Most High,

one God, now and for ever.  Amen.[vii]

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,

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 for ever.  Amen. [viii]

The Breaking of the Bread

We break the bread of life,

and that life is the light of the world

God here among us,

light in the midst of us,

bring us to light and life.

The gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

The Communion

The Hymn after Communion

‘We Have Come at Christ’s Own Bidding’  Common Praise #166

The Sending Forth of the Community

Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

Holy God,

we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

May we who are partakers of his table

reflect his life in word and deed,

so that all the world may know

his power to reveal his likeness in us.

We ask this in his name.  Amen.  [ix]

Glory to God,

whose power, working in us,

can do infinitely more

than we can ask or imagine.

Glory to God from generation to generation,

in the Church and in Christ Jesus,

for ever and ever.  Amen.

Closing Hymn

‘Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling’  Common Praise #655 (sung to #536)

Dismissal

The Deacon dismisses the Community with an appropriate Dismissal.

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[i] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 96 alt.

[ii] Lang Carol Mass.

[iii] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects and Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion for Year C:  Epiphany 7 through the Last Sunday after Epiphany,’ 6.

[iv] Colossians 1.15-20 edited for liturgical use by the Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett.

[v] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 418.

[vi] Lang ‘Carol Mass’.

[vii] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), p. 110.

[viii] Common Worship #744.

[ix] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 419 alt.