Epiphany Celebration
The EpiscoPals, our church Men's Group, held our annual Epiphany Celebration today. I have always loved this celebration and I always look forward to it each year.
It was held in place of the Sermon at our 10:15 am service and involved a large banner with 6 panels that were affixed to the banner on at a time. Each panel is a representation of a part of the Epiphany story.
Here is the text of the presentation:
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Mark T: Welcome to the EpiscoPals Epiphany Celebration. This is an annual event in which we continue the celebration of the birth of Christ through the full 12 Days of Christmas.
January 6th is the historic day of the Christian church calendar designated as the Epiphany. Epiphany Sunday is the sixth Sunday of the church year.
It is the Epiphany event that we celebrate today. Many are not clear about the meaning of this feast day. We are told by the historians of our faith that Epiphany commemorates the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem. The Magi, known also as "The Three Kings" or "The Three Wise Men," represents the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. This means that, at last, there was born into the world a king and savior for all people – regardless of race, color or creed. Christ was born to free all from sin. This was the discovery of the Magi. And after seeing the Christ child they departed again for their own country, symbolizing that the truth of Christ was for all countries the world over. To assist us with this symbolism today we have asked the members of the EpiscoPals to participate in retelling the story of the Wise Men as we complete the decoration of our Epiphany Banner.
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 1)
#1 Greg C: In the days when Herod was king, in the land of Judea, Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem. Wise Men, who studied the stars, saw something in the skies that caused them to come from the East to Jerusalem. When they arrived they asked, "Where is the baby born to be the king of the Jews? We have seen his star in the east and we have come to worship him."
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 2)
#2 Karl B: When King Herod heard about this he was very troubled, and so was everyone in Jerusalem who had heard of the coming of these Wise Men from the East. Herod called together all of his chief priests and teachers of the Law and asked them where the Messiah will be born. "In the town of Bethlehem of Judea," they answered, "It was written thus by the prophet: 'Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, you are no means the least among the rulers of Judea; for from you will come a leader who will guide my people Israel.'" Hearing this, Herod summoned the Wise Men from the East to meet with him secretly. He learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then Herod sent the visitors to Bethlehem with these instructions: "Search carefully for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may come and worship him also.”
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 3)
#3 Tom B: After hearing Herod's request, the three Wise Men departed from the King's chambers and continued on their way. Immediately they saw the star, the same one they had seen in the East, and it went before them until it came and stopped over the place where the child lay. How happy they were, what great joy was theirs as they looked up at the star.
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner position 4)
#4 Andy W: The three Wise Men, the Magi, went into the stable and saw the child in the arms of his mother, Mary. They knelt down and worshiped him, for he was the holy child of prophecy, now a living soul.
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 5)
# 5 Gil P: After worshiping the child, the Wise Men from the East opened their bags and presented him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 6)
#6 Ken S: When the time came for the Magi to leave, God spoke to them in a dream warning them not to go back to Herod, but to return to their country by another road. This they did bringing the promised light of the Christ Star to all countries.
January 6th is the historic day of the Christian church calendar designated as the Epiphany. Epiphany Sunday is the sixth Sunday of the church year.
It is the Epiphany event that we celebrate today. Many are not clear about the meaning of this feast day. We are told by the historians of our faith that Epiphany commemorates the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem. The Magi, known also as "The Three Kings" or "The Three Wise Men," represents the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. This means that, at last, there was born into the world a king and savior for all people – regardless of race, color or creed. Christ was born to free all from sin. This was the discovery of the Magi. And after seeing the Christ child they departed again for their own country, symbolizing that the truth of Christ was for all countries the world over. To assist us with this symbolism today we have asked the members of the EpiscoPals to participate in retelling the story of the Wise Men as we complete the decoration of our Epiphany Banner.
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 1)
#1 Greg C: In the days when Herod was king, in the land of Judea, Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem. Wise Men, who studied the stars, saw something in the skies that caused them to come from the East to Jerusalem. When they arrived they asked, "Where is the baby born to be the king of the Jews? We have seen his star in the east and we have come to worship him."
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 2)
#2 Karl B: When King Herod heard about this he was very troubled, and so was everyone in Jerusalem who had heard of the coming of these Wise Men from the East. Herod called together all of his chief priests and teachers of the Law and asked them where the Messiah will be born. "In the town of Bethlehem of Judea," they answered, "It was written thus by the prophet: 'Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, you are no means the least among the rulers of Judea; for from you will come a leader who will guide my people Israel.'" Hearing this, Herod summoned the Wise Men from the East to meet with him secretly. He learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then Herod sent the visitors to Bethlehem with these instructions: "Search carefully for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may come and worship him also.”
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 3)
#3 Tom B: After hearing Herod's request, the three Wise Men departed from the King's chambers and continued on their way. Immediately they saw the star, the same one they had seen in the East, and it went before them until it came and stopped over the place where the child lay. How happy they were, what great joy was theirs as they looked up at the star.
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner position 4)
#4 Andy W: The three Wise Men, the Magi, went into the stable and saw the child in the arms of his mother, Mary. They knelt down and worshiped him, for he was the holy child of prophecy, now a living soul.
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 5)
# 5 Gil P: After worshiping the child, the Wise Men from the East opened their bags and presented him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
SYMBOL PLACEMENT: (Affixes symbol to banner in position 6)
#6 Ken S: When the time came for the Magi to leave, God spoke to them in a dream warning them not to go back to Herod, but to return to their country by another road. This they did bringing the promised light of the Christ Star to all countries.
Closing (Mark T): The Magi brought the promised light of the Christ Star to all countries. To all peoples.
This is the legacy of the Three Kings, a legacy not about the gifts they gave, but of the miracle they witnessed. They paved the way for people beyond Bethlehem and Judea to hear the Good News, the story our Savior. Their story continues today.
Both Canon Shallcross and Sue S. wrote on Maggie’s Cross, our church blog, about the premature end of Christmas, about seeing Christmas trees lying in the trash pile the day after Christmas and unsent Christmas cards. Many people end their celebrations when Christmas day ends. But the Christmas story doesn’t end there. It continues through the 12 days of Christmas, through the Epiphany, and for many of us, throughout the whole year.
I heard a story the other day from Spain. There, Father Christmas is called Papa Noel. But it is not Papa Noel who brings gifts each year. It is Los Reyes Magos, the Magi Kings. Children wait for January 6th and the arrival of the magical Kings who bring gifts for all, just as the original Kings brought gifts for the baby Jesus.
This is the legacy of the Three Kings, a legacy not about the gifts they gave, but of the miracle they witnessed. They paved the way for people beyond Bethlehem and Judea to hear the Good News, the story our Savior. Their story continues today.
Both Canon Shallcross and Sue S. wrote on Maggie’s Cross, our church blog, about the premature end of Christmas, about seeing Christmas trees lying in the trash pile the day after Christmas and unsent Christmas cards. Many people end their celebrations when Christmas day ends. But the Christmas story doesn’t end there. It continues through the 12 days of Christmas, through the Epiphany, and for many of us, throughout the whole year.
I heard a story the other day from Spain. There, Father Christmas is called Papa Noel. But it is not Papa Noel who brings gifts each year. It is Los Reyes Magos, the Magi Kings. Children wait for January 6th and the arrival of the magical Kings who bring gifts for all, just as the original Kings brought gifts for the baby Jesus.
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It was a beautiful celebration. Although in the interest of full disclosure, I was a participant, not a spectator. But we did get a great response from the spectators!
posted by Lunar Mark @ 5:05:00 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Mark,
How big of a church do you have that you can have a regular group meeting like this? This is really cool! My church is so small. I have trouble getting one other guy to meet with me on Saturdays.
Grace and peace,
Bill
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