An Ordo for Epiphany 4 (RCL Proper 4A, 29 January 2017)

The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

29 January 2017

The Gathering of the Community

Gathering Music

Announcements

Opening Hymn

‘Lift High the Cross’  Common Praise #602 vv. 1, 2, 3

Introductory Responses

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 in heart. [i]

The Collect for Purity

Almighty God,

to you all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from you no secrets are hidden.

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts

by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you,

and worthily magnify your holy name;

through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

The Hymn of Praise

‘Alleluia!  Glory to God’  Common Praise #457 vv. 1, 4, 6

The Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

God our deliverer,

you call us to walk humbly with you.

When we are foolish, be our wisdom;

when we are weak, be our strength;

so that, as we learn to do justice and to love mercy,

your rule may come to us as a blessing.  Amen. [ii]

The Proclamation of the Word

The First Reading

A reading from the prophet Micah (6.1-8).

            ^6.1 Hear what the Lord says:  Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.  ² Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.

            ³ “O my people, what have I done to you?  In what have I wearied you? Answer me!  ⁴ For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.  ⁵ O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.”

            ⁶ “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?  Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  ⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”  ⁸ He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Thanks be to God.

The Psalm

Psalm 15 with refrain from Songs for the Holy One.

Refrain (sung twice):  Holy One, may we always observe your teaching with integrity.

¹  Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *

            Who may abide upon your holy hill?

²  Those who lead a blameless life and do what is right, *

            who speak the truth from their heart.

³  There is no guile upon their tongue;

they do no evil to a friend; *

            they do not heap contempt upon a neighbour.

Refrain:  Holy One, may we always observe your teaching with integrity.

⁴  In their sight the wicked are rejected, *

            but they honour those who fear the Lord.

They have sworn to do no wrong *

            and do not take back their word.

⁵  They do not give their money in hope of gain,

nor do they take a bribe against the innocent. *

            Those who do these things shall never be overthrown.

Refrain:  Holy One, may we always observe your teaching with integrity.

The Second Reading

A reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians (1.18-31)

            ^1.18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  ¹⁹ For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

            ²⁰ Where is the one who is wise?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe.  ²² For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, ²³ but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  ²⁵ For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

            ²⁶ Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  ²⁷ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸ God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, ²⁹ so that no one might boast in the presence of God.  ³⁰ He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹ in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Thanks be to God.

Hymn before the Gospel

‘Laudate Dominum’  Common Praise #313 (sung twice in Latin)

The Gospel

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (5.1-12).

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            ^5.1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.  ² Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

            ³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

            ⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

            ⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

            ⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

            ⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

            ⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

            ⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

            ¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

            ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

The Gospel of Christ.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Hymn after the Gospel

‘Laudate Dominum’  Common Praise #313 (sung twice in Latin)

The Homily

The Affirmation of Faith

Let us affirm our faith.

We believe and trust in God,

the Author of creation,

source of all being and life,

the one for whom we exist.

We believe and trust in God,

the Word of redemption,

who took our human nature,

died for us and rose again.

We believe and trust in God,

the Spirit of wisdom,

who gives life to the people of God

and makes Christ known in the world.

We believe and trust in one God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

who was and is and is to come.  Amen. [iii]

The Prayers of the Community

Intercessions, Petitions and Thanksgivings

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Communion

Offertory Hymn

‘Blest Are They’  Evangelical Lutheran Worship #728

Prayer over the Gifts

Let us pray.

God and loving God,

we rejoice in the birth of Jesus,

who came among the poor

to bring the riches of your grace.

As you have blessed us with your gifts,

let them be a blessing for others.

With the trees of the field,

with all earth and heaven,

we shout for joy at the coming of your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. [iv]

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. [v]

The Thanksgiving continues with one of the following Thanksgivings.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal: 

you we praise and glorify, you we worship and adore. 

You formed the earth from chaos;

you encircled the globe with air;

you created fire for warmth and light;

you nourish the lands with water. 

You moulded us in your image,

and with mercy higher than the mountains,

with grace deeper than the seas,

you blessed the Israelites and cherished them as your own. 

That also we, estranged and dying, might be adopted to live in your Spirit,

you called to us through the life and death of Jesus.

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.

Together as the body of Christ,

we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 

Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

With this bread and cup we remember your Son,

the first-born of your new creation. 

We remember his life lived for others,

and his death and resurrection, which renews the face of the earth. 

We await his coming,

when, with the world made perfect through your wisdom,

all our sins and sorrows will be no more. 

Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus.

Holy God, holy and merciful, holy and compassionate,

send upon us and this meal your Holy Spirit,

whose breath revives us for life, whose fire rouses us to love. 

Enfold in your arms all who share this holy food. 

Nurture in us the fruits of the Spirit,

so that we may be a living tree,

sharing your bounty with all the world. 

Amen.  Come, Holy Spirit.

Holy and benevolent God,

receive our praise and petitions,

as Jesus received the cry of the needy,

and fill us with your blessing,

until, needy no longer and bound to you in love,

we feast forever in the triumph of the Lamb: 

through whom all glory and honour is yours,

O God, O Living One, with the Holy Spirit,

in your holy church, now and for ever.  Amen. [vi]

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. [vii]

The Breaking of the Bread

God of promise,

you prepare a banquet for us in your kingdom.

Happy are those who are called

to the supper of the Lamb.

The gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

The Communion

The Hymn after Communion

‘What Does the Lord Require’  Common Praise #171

The Sending Forth of the Community

Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

Source of all goodness,

in this eucharist we are nourished

by the bread of heaven and invigorated with new wine.

May these gift renew our lives,

so that we may show your glory to all the world,

in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.  Amen. [viii]

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

‘Lift High the Cross’  Common Praise #602 vv. 4, 5

Dismissal

The Deacon sends the Community forth with an appropriate Dismissal.

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[i] Introductory Response for Incarnation in The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 96 alt.

[ii] Trial Collect 1 for Epiphany 4A at http://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/GS2016-Trial-Use-Collects-2016-05-09.pdf.

[iii] Adapted from Common Worship  (2001) by the Rev’d Richard Geoffrey Leggett.

[iv] Seasonal Prayer over the Gifts for Christmas at http://www.anglican.ca/wp-content/uploads/GS2016-Trial-Use-Collects-2016-05-09.pdf.

[v] Common Praise #735.

[vi] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 67 alt.

[vii] Common Praise #744.

[viii] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 353 alt.