MORRIS-ROSENFELD ECUMENICAL SHARED MINISTRY
ORDER OF SERVICE FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2025
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
Due to copyright limitations, we are unable to print the words to many of the songs. However, our musicians have chosen music to fit the scriptures. We invite you to look up the words in your worship book and ponder them. If you do not have a worship book, ponder the words of one of your favourite hymns and listen for God’s voice. Those who have the internet may find the songs on YouTube.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
It is not the objective proof of God’s existence that we want but the experience of God’s presence. That is the miracle we are really after, and that is also, I think, the miracle that we really get.
– Frederick Buechner
Before we worship, we reflect…
Epiphanies don’t just happen in church—a sudden insight can lead to a “Eureka!” in scientific experiments, an “Aha!” in a detective’s casework, a “Checkmate!” in a fierce chess game, and even a self-satisfied “Yes!” in Sudoku, crosswords, or finding a set of lost keys. So, too, epiphanies about the true nature of Christ come in a variety of words, actions, and places in our gospel readings during the Sundays after Epiphany.
First wise men from the east, then a dove from heaven and the voice of God, and now water into wine—all pointing to the glory and wonder of God-made-flesh. Just as we have been created and blessed with varieties of gifts, services, and activities, so too has God created and blessed us with varieties of epiphanies throughout human history. In our world that so often relies on an us-versus-them mentality, can we see the rich tapestry of differences as part of God’s glory? Will we be able to look past our traditions, our comfort zone, and our familiarities to see the glorious diversity of God’s revelation? Are we open to an epiphany in any form so that we can in fact “do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5)?
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & PRAYER
We acknowledge we gather and worship on Treaty 1 Territory, the original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Anishininew, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Red River Métis Nation.
Source of all life, you have created all lands and all peoples. You have given abundantly, yet we have not been so generous to our sisters and brothers who share this earth. We have been harsh to the earth itself, and suffer the consequences of our choices, our need for more. Great Spirit, fill our hearts with the contentment of being alive, having enough, while celebrating friends and family. Teach us to be kind to the earth, and all the lives it supports. Teach us to be a people of generosity and peace. Amen.
Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, our creator, our protector, our wellspring of life. Amen.
Trusting that God receives our words and the meditations of our hearts, let us confess our sin.
Merciful God, you speak blessing and compassion into the world. Forgive us for the ways we act with judgment, cruelty, or indifference. We ignore the needs of our neighbors; we resist your call to oppose injustice; we give in to scarcity and fear; we assume the worst about one another. Cleanse us from our faults and release us from their grasp. Show us your lovingkindness. Restore our hearts and repair your world, that we may live in Christ’s ways. Amen.
God proclaims these words of assurance:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine.” In ☩ Christ, you are forgiven. In the Spirit, you are made free. Refreshed by the waters of mercy, live anew as beloved children of God. Amen.
GATHERING SONG: Voices United 87 I Am The Light Of The World
CENTERING PRAYER
Lord God, source of every blessing, you showed forth your glory and led many to faith by the works of your Son, who brought gladness and salvation to his people. Transform us by the Spirit of his love, that we may find our life together in him, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
CANADIAN LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF
Dua’s Story DUA AL-QATOU, a mother of two, had been struggling to overcome the obstacles that many women in the West Bank face—financial hardships due to the ongoing political situation and difficulty finding employment. In order to support her family, Dua was trying to set up a handicrafts business, taking online courses to improve her skills.
She came across an advertisement for CLWR’s GRIT program, which offers scholarships to women for vocational training in various specializations, including graphic design. Dua realized this was a great opportunity, as design skills were crucial for her work. She enrolled in the graphic design and printing course.
Dua shows off one of the many wood carving products made by her business. (Photo: CLWR/Heather Platt) She was one of the first women to participate in this new course developed by the GRIT program. Through GRIT, she received a scholarship and transportation support to help cover the costs of her training. Leaving home for the first time to attend training was challenging—Dua had to balance childcare with her studies. But she persevered, completing the year-long diploma course with distinction. Her coursework included three months of on-the-job training, which helped significantly in growing her skills.
After Dua graduated, she launched her own business. Now she sells beautiful wood carvings and other handcrafted products. Her dream is to be able to employ other women, so she can provide them with an opportunity to blaze a new trail for themselves and their families, just as she did. So, she spends her free time acting as an ambassador for GRIT— sharing her experiences with other women to encourage them to pursue technical and vocational training.
“I always tell people that they should work on themselves,” Dua says. “They need to believe in their abilities. Everything is possible with hard work and dedication.”
A NEW CREED
We are not alone; we live in God’s world.
We believe in God: who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus, the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit.
We trust in God. We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence, to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us.
We are not alone. Thanks be to God.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Saving God, source of our calling, your Word is full of power and glory. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us so that we may receive your grace and live as your beloved children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
READINGS AND PSALM
First Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
The exiles have returned and rebuilt Jerusalem. Now Ezra, the priest, reads the law of Moses to them in the public square. When they hear it, they weep for their sins and for the long years in exile, but Ezra reminds them that “the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
1 All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Psalm 19
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims its maker’s handiwork.
2 One day tells its tale to another, and one night imparts knowledge to another.
3 Although they have no words or language, and their voices are not heard,
4 their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends of the world, where God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber; it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again; nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
7 The teaching of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure and gives wisdom to the simple.
8 The statutes of the Lord are just and rejoice the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear and gives light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean and endures forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.
11 By them also is your servant enlightened, and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can detect one’s own offenses? Cleanse me from my secret faults.
13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
The apostle and pastor Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to describe how intimately connected we are in the church. For this struggling congregation in Corinth, Paul delivers a vital message of unity that is a mark of the church today.
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31a But strive for the greater gifts.
Gospel: Luke 4:14-21
Near the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, he visits his hometown of Nazareth. In the words of Isaiah, he states and claims his identity, purpose, and mission.
14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
HYMN: With One Voice 648 Jesus Come, For We Invite You
SERMON
“e have received a sign, Edith — a mysterious sign. A miracle has happened on this farm. There is a large spider’s web in the doorway of the barn cellar, right over the pigpen, and when Lurvy went to feed the pig this morning, he noticed the web because it was foggy, and you know how a spider’s web looks very distinct in a fog. And right sprang in the middle of the web there were the words ‘Some Pig.’ The words were woven right into the web. They were actually part of the web, Edith. . . . There can be no mistake about it. A miracle has happened and a sign has occurred here on earth, right on our farm, and we have no ordinary pig.”
“Well,” said Mrs. Zuckerman, “it seems to me you’re a little off. It seems to me we have no ordinary spider.”
-from Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
And there you have it, people, the Gospel According to John summed up.
In the Gospel According to John, Jesus does not perform miracles. He performs “signs”. The whole point of a sign is not to look at the miracle, rather, look back and see the source! The miracle only points to the miracle worker. Mrs. Zuckerman is correct. They have an ordinary pig. They also have an extraordinary spider!
In the prologue to John’s gospel we find the sentence: “from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (1:16). Just what does this mean – exactly? What is Christ’s fullness? What is grace upon grace? In John’s gospel, the writer attempts to show the reader, through signs, exactly what this sentence means. Jesus’ fullness is like 120 gallons of the best wine! That 120 gallons of the best wine has just saved the bride and groom great social embarrassment.
To run out of wine before the week-long wedding celebrations are over would be considered a serious social faux pas! Grace upon grace looks like Jesus listening to his mother, stepping into the situation and saving the reputations of the bride and groom. Six stone jars filled to the brim. The brim, people. We are not talking stingy here. We are talking one more drop and the wine will flow down the side of the jar. That is what Jesus’ grace looks like.
Jesus’ fullness and grace looks like, feels like, mud made from Jesus’ spit and smeared on a blind man’s eyes – not sure if he eyes were open at the time. Gross, if you ask me. Effective? Life-changing? Absolutely.
One experiences Jesus’ fullness and grace. To be in his presence is to be drawn to his charismatic, light-filled core. Once there, one does not want to leave! We feel as though we are standing under a web with the words, “my beloved child” over our heads!
Faith Gong, while reflecting on the message of the book, Charlotte’s Web, writes the following with regard to the previous quote:
It’s a clever little exchange, but the more I thought about it (and I was folding laundry at the time, so I may have been overthinking just a tad), I realized that this is the only time in the entire book that Charlotte gets the recognition she deserves. Shortly after this scene, people begin coming from far and wide to see “ZUCKERMAN’S FAMOUS PIG,” and Wilbur goes on to win the blue ribbon at the county fair. Apart from Mrs. Zuckerman’s astute observation, not one person — not even Fern, the enlightened little girl who’s Wilbur’s first champion — directs attention away from the pig and toward the spider who continues to weave words of praise into her web. Charlotte has the affection and admiration of all the other barn animals, but nobody ever suggests that she should be in the limelight instead of Wilbur.
This is pretty remarkable, because the truth is: Wilbur really is just an ordinary pig! Charlotte knew that all she had to do was change the way that others looked at Wilbur: a few suggestive words in her web (“Some Pig,” “Terrific,” and “Radiant!”) completely transformed how people viewed this ordinary pig. And reality followed; once Zuckerman was convinced that Wilbur was special, he started treating him better and Wilbur became a prize-winning pig. In short, Wilbur became extraordinary simply because Charlotte said he was.
…After all, isn’t Jesus basically the ultimate Charlotte, weaving the word “GRACE” above each of us?
True that.
Someone was in need and Jesus responded to that need. Jesus didn’t need to make 120 gallons of the best wine. He chose to make an abundance of the best wine. That is who we have for a Saviour – one whose love, compassion, forgiveness and grace flows over and around us, buoying us up, giving faith and strength.
Now that is no ordinary Saviour. Amen.
HYMN OF THE MONTH: Voices United 93 When Heaven’s Bright With Mystery
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
With the Spirit of Christ shining upon us, let us boldly pray for the church, the world, and all of creation.
Giver of gifts, you form each member of the church to serve. Inspire us to boldly use gifts of welcome and healing, service and teaching, leading and preaching, for the sake of your work in the world. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Refuge of creatures, you place all the living under the shadow of your wings. Lead us in ways that tend to the needs of wild and domestic animals, creatures threatened by extinction, and the environment we share. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Voice of the oppressed, you call prophets throughout time. We remember the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a voice for racial and economic justice and for peace. Guide our nation in continuing to heed your prophetic call. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
God of steadfast love, as Jesus celebrated at Cana, nurture marriages and relationships in mutual care; in times of separation or divorce hold tenderly broken hearts and broken dreams. Be present to all who are sick, grieving or in any need. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Spirit of peace, celebrating this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, we pray for neighboring congregations and ministry sites. Nurture our shared commitment to embody Jesus’ love, justice, and healing. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Wellspring of life, in living and dying we trust in you. We give thanks for the saints. Guide us in our living until, at last, we rest in you. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We entrust our prayers to you, O God, in the sure and certain hope that your promise is revealed among the people.
Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 those who 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.
SENDING SONG: Voices United 646 We Are Marching
BENEDICTION
The Spirit of the triune God ☩ bless you with joy, anoint you with compassion, and send you in love. Amen.