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Service Form for the Epiphany Season

by The Rev. Thomas L. Weitzel
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

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This order is pretty much back to the usual Sunday liturgy of your hymnal.  Well, the Roman Catholics do call this season "ordinary." However, note the continued ties with the previous season in the use of the Christmas song of the angels ("Glory to God"), along with Simeon's song of the Presentation ("Lord, Now You Let") after communion in either the canticle form or the lovely hymn form. The hint of coming Lent can be felt with the return of the "Lamb of God" during distribution after two seasons without it.

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GATHERING

Prelude & Announcements

Order for Confession & Forgiveness

Entrance Hymn

Apostolic Greeting.

Kyrie (Spoken)

Hymn of Praise:  "Glory to God"

Prayer of the Day

WORD

First Lesson

Second Lesson

Verse:  Alleluia

Gospel Lesson

Sermon

Hymn of the Day

Apostles Creed

Prayer of the Church

Peace

MEAL

Offering

Offertory Hymn: "What Shall I Render"

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Offertory Prayer

Great Thanksgiving: (spoken)

P. The Lord be with you.
C. And also with you.

P. Lift up your hearts.
C. We lift them to the Lord.

P. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C. It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Proper Preface for Epiphany
Sanctus

Eucharistic Prayer B (Book of Common Prayer 1979)

P. We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.

     On the night before he died, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

     After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

     Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
C. We remember his death, We proclaim his resurrection, We await his coming in glory;

P. And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.

     We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and brings us to that heavenly country where, with [______________ and] all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of our sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.

     By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever.
C. Amen

Our Father.

Distribution

Lamb of God.

Other hymns as desired

Post Communion Canticle "Lord, now you let..."  or hymn version

Post Communion Prayer:

A. Let us pray. Almighty God, as Christ was made manifest in the streams of the Jordan, so he is made manifest for us again in the bread and the wine, and for this we thank you. Use us to make him known to all people. We ask it in Jesus' name.
C. Amen

SENDING

Benediction (sung)

Dismissal

Closing Hymn  "Doxology"

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him, all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.