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EPIPHANY

What is Epiphany? What about those Magi? 

Epiphany is celebrated 12 days after Christmas on the Sunday closest to that date. 


The “Twelve Days of Christmas” refers to the days from December 25th through January 6th. On Epiphany, we remembered the wise men who followed a star to find the baby Jesus. Try out some of the traditions associated with “Three Kings Day.


The Epiphany Season calls us to respond to Christ in faith through the showings of his divinity as recorded in the gospels of this liturgical season.

  • The Coming of the Magi ᛭ The Baptism of our Lord ᛭ The Wedding at Cana
  • The Calling of the Disciples ᛭ Miracles and Teachings of Jesus ᛭ The Transfiguration


Celebrating Epiphany at Home

Star Words

Like the Magi followed the star to find Jesus, we offer you  a STAR WORD BOOKLET (it is dated 2022 but it applies for 2024) to guide you as you follow Jesus this year. Wooden stars with a word on them were handed out at the services on January 9, 2024. If you would like to receive a star either through email or mail, please contact Sue Van Oss. Or you can use a random Star Word Generator a church created.


STAR WORDS are picked randomly, guided by the Holy Spirit. We encourage you to accept the word given with an open heart to learn how the Spirit might be calling you to live into the word.


More on STAR WORDS:

Ideas for how to pray with your words:

1. The Magi followed a star, which led them to Jesus. Our creative prayer practice, such as meditating on a STAR WORD, can also lead us closer to Jesus.

2. We trust that God speaks to us in many ways as we seek God’s presence. A STAR WORD can help us to look for God in our midst, change our perspective, and focus our attention amid all the distractions of daily life.

3. In our prayer we strive to balance our speaking with our listening. A STAR WORD gives us an opportunity to listen deeply and here God in a new way.

4. In being given a STAR WORD chosen randomly, we are receiving a gift over which we have no control. With this gift we are invited to receive God’s grace and let go of our striving to do, to act, or take over.


Ideas for praying with your STAR WORD: • Look up the definition of the word, even if you know it well. Learn about its etymology. What culture does it come from? How has its meaning changed over time? • What does this word bring to mind as you contemplate? Does it recall any memories? How might God be speaking to you through the feelings and the stories this word evokes? • Find this word or a synonym in the bible – what does the scripture tell you? Does this word remind you over other passages? • Write a prayer using your word and pray it regularly.


Here’s a prayer example from Michelle Thomas Bush for praying with your STAR WORD:

“God, we acknowledge that we are not always ready to receive your best gifts for us. You have given us an epiphany word in order that our searching will bring us to you. It is often our habit to turn aside, stumble over, or even reject experiences and encounters that we later understand to have been precious gifts. Help us to be open to the gift that you offer us now through our star words. We acknowledge that we do not fully understand what this word might mean for our faith, but we receive it from you with gratitude and pray that your Spirit will enable us to live into our word with intention and faithfulness. Amen.


House Blessing for the New Year

The chalking of the doors is a centuries-old practice throughout the world, though it appears to be somewhat less well-known in the United States. It is, however, an easy tradition to adopt, and a great practice whereby we dedicate our year to God from its very outset, asking God’s blessing on our homes and on all who live, work, or visit them there. 


“Chalking the door” is a way to celebrate and physically mark the occasion of the Epiphany and God’s blessing of our lives and home. With time the chalk will fade. As it does we let the meaning of the written symbols sink into the depths of our hearts and be manifest in our words and actions.


Take chalk (of any color) and mark on the  lintel of your front door 20 + C + M + B + 24 saying:

The three Wise Men, C Caspar, M Melchior, and B Balthasar followed the star of God’s Son who became human
20 two thousand & 24 twenty-four years ago.
++ May Christ bless my/our home
++ and remain with me/us throughout the new year. Amen.

C M B above the door, also stands for Christus Mansionem Benedicat, Latin for “May Christ Bless this House.”

Optional Prayers: May all who come to my/our home this year rejoice to find Christ living among me/us; and may I/we seek and serve, in everyone I/we meet, that same Jesus who is your incarnate Word, now and forever. Amen. 

OR

Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live and enter here with the gift of your love; and grant that I/we may manifest your love [to each  other and} to all whose lives I/we touch. May I/we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen me/us; and preserve me/us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and for ever. Amen.

 

Bake a Three Kings Cake

Three Kings Cake Recipe
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