This service is part of a larger Grounded and Growing series that began with Advent and Christmas. You can learn more about the Advent and Christmas series here.
Epiphany Sunday marks the conclusion of the Christmas season but many Christmas themes carry over into the season of Epiphany. Traditionally, this is the Sunday when we remember the Magi, who followed the star that announced Christ’s birth. It is the day where we recall that Christ’s birth was not only for the Jews, but that Christ came to save all people. While many people around the baby Jesus went about their lives, these Magi knew that something important had happened, that a king had been born. The Spirit was at work in their hearts and minds, guiding them to Bethlehem where they worshiped their young savior. Oh, what good news is found on Epiphany when we declare that we too are grafted into Christ the root—the source of all life!
The service begins with the prophecy from Isaiah talking of the light in the darkness, of kings and nations coming to that light, bringing gifts of frankincense and gold. The gospel text from Matthew 2 is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, for indeed kings or magi from distant nations came and worshiped their Savior, Christ, who is the light of the world, and they brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Although foretold in the Old Testament, it is still a startling act of God’s generous love and mercy that non-Jews came and worshiped the Messiah and that the promise of salvation extends to them directly. These likely were people of a different race, language, and culture. They were the “other,” the “outsider,” the one “to be feared.” Yet, in Romans 11, Paul reminds us that as non-Jews we are blessed to be grafted into the shoot of the living tree, the root of Jesse. We are blessed to receive spiritual nourishment just as if we were a natural part of the shoot. In fact, scripture clearly teaches that all people are to be included in his kingdom and that there is a special place for those who are considered “less than”.
This Epiphany Sunday service celebrates the gift of the gospel that has gone out to all people. It celebrates the fact that we have been grafted into the shoot and calls us to acknowledge that those we often consider “the other” or “less than” are equally welcomed. In fact, we ought to go out of our way to make sure that the most vulnerable know that they belong through our care of them. After all, Christ came so that all may belong. The service concludes with a blessing for all nations found in Psalm 67 and the doxological refrain, “Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you”.
About the Image
Artwork to come
Service Outline
Prelude
Call to Worship and Candle lighting: Isaiah 60
[If the Advent wreath is still present in your worship space, have all its candles lit but not the central Christ candle.]
Hear this prophecy from Isaiah 60:
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth
and thick darkness the peoples,
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
[Light the Christ candle.]
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together; they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried in their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you;
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
—Isaiah 60:1–6, NRSVUE
Opening Song
“Isaiah 60: Arise, Shine, for Your Light Is Come” para. Eric Glass
Welcome and God’s Greeting
Receive this greeting from our Triune God:
My light has shown for all people,
which includes you.
For I came to save all people,
which includes you.
I am here with you now,
because I love you,
and I want you to be part of me.
Come, and find your strength in me.
—Joyce Borger © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.
Song of Praise
“What Star is This, With Beams so Bright” Coffin, tr. Chanler
Call to Confession
The light has come into the world,
and people loved darkness rather than light
because their deeds were evil.
For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light,
so that their deeds may not be exposed.
But those who do what is true come to the light,
so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.
—John 3:19–21
Let us come to the light so that our sins may be revealed and forgiven.
Prayer of Confession and Lament with Sung Refrain
Sung Refrain:
“Come, Light, Light of God” The Sisters of the Community of Grandchamp, tr. Polman
Jesus Christ, light of the world,
come dwell in us so that we may dwell in you.
Shine your light in the dark places of our lives,
so that we may see the evil of our ways,
the dark thoughts we harbor,
the secrets we keep,
and in seeing them, we might turn to you for help.
Forgive us, for the sin that resides within us,
and for the things we have done that we shouldn’t have.
Cleanse us. Purify us. Heal us.
Sung Refrain
Jesus Christ, light of the world,
come dwell in us so that we may dwell in you.
Shine your light in the dark places of our communities.
Holy light, there is so much fear.
And fear gives way easily to evil—
evil that does not see the humanity in others,
evil that protects one’s own privilege,
evil that not only ignores the needs of others
but exploits them and enacts policies and support practices
that hurt the vulnerable;
evil that is willing
to tear families apart,
to take food from the hungry,
to refuse healthcare for the sick,
to oppose funding to provide homes for the unhoused;
evil that is actively working against the kingdom of shalom
that you seek to build.
Forgive us for whatever parts we play
actively or through our inaction and silence.
Cleanse us. Purify us. Heal us.
Sung Refrain
Jesus Christ, light of the world,
come dwell in us so that we may dwell in you.
Amen.
—Joyce Borger © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.
Assurance of Pardon
Listen to this good news.
The true light, Jesus Christ, which enlightens everyone, has come into the world.
To all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gives power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen Christ’s glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
—John 1:9, 12–14 (NRSVUE) adapt.
In the name of Jesus Christ, the light of the world,
you are forgiven.
Now go live as Christ’s light in this dark world spreading his peace.
Passing of the Peace
Song of Praise and Preparation
“Jesus, The Light of the World” Wesley/Elderkin
Prayer for Illumination
Jesus Christ, light of the world,
send now your Spirit to work in and through
the reading and preaching of your word,
so that our eyes may be opened,
our hearts enlightened,
and our souls convicted to walk in your way.
Amen.
—Joyce Borger © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.
Scripture Reading
[Because the Old Testament passage (Isaiah 60:1–6) was read at the beginning of the service and Psalm 67 will be read at its conclusion there are only two readings. ]
Gospel: Matthew 2:1–12
Epistle: Romans 11:17–24
Sermon: Grafted into the Shoot—A Sign of Hope
[For sermon notes see the service introduction.]
Song or Hymn of Response:
“From the Eastern Mountains” Thring, sung to CRYSTAL 6.5.6.5.D
Creed and/or Testimonials
People of God, what do you declare today?
We believe
that God has entrusted the church
with the message of reconciliation
in and through Jesus Christ.
We believe
that the church is called to be the salt of the earth
and the light of the world.
We believe,
that the church is called blessed
because it is a peacemaker.
We believe,
that the church is witness
both by word and by deed
to the new heaven and the new earth
in which righteousness dwells.
—Belhar Confession, Article 3.1, © 1986, Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa, trans. Office of Theology and Worship, PCUSA, adapt.
Prayers of the People
Offering, Offertory Prayer
Lord’s Supper
“What Feast of Love” Dufner
Song or Hymn of Dedication
“Grafted in Christ, the Living Shoot”
Text: originally “Grafted in Christ, the Living Vine”, Samuel Francis Smith, P.D., alt. Joyce Borger CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Music: “Oh, For A Thousand Tongues to Sing”, (AZMON, 8.6.8.6): Carl G. Gläser, 1828; adapt. and arr. Lowell Mason, 1839, P.D.
1. Grafted in Christ, the living shoot*,
we come with one accord,
to give ourselves, with faith and joy,
to serve our God and Lord.
2. Rooted in Christ we’re joined as one;
one inward life we share
one is our heart; one heavenly hope
one faith we do declare.
3. In prayer, in effort, tears, and toils,
one Wisdom is our guide;
Taught by one Spirit from above
in you may we abide.
4. O Lord, when we with all the saints
our joyful spirits shine,
we’ll sing your praise with many tongues
yet as one we’ll glorify.
*alt. vine
Call to Service
As you leave today,
go filled with hope,
for you are a shoot grafted into Christ.
Where there was no life, now life is full of possibilities.
As you leave today,
go with a “yes” ready on your lips
and resounding in your heart.
We say, “yes” to being Christ’s presence,
“yes” to being a light in the darkness,
“yes” to bringing the gospel message of hope.
—Joyce Borger © 2025 ReformedWorship.org, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Used by permission.
Blessing/Benediction: Psalm 67:1–2
Receive these words of blessing from Psalm 67:
May God be gracious to [you] and bless [you]
and make his face to shine upon [you],
that [God’s] way may be known upon earth,
[God’s] saving power among all nations.
—Psalm 67:1–2, NRSVUE, adapt.
Doxological Praise: Psalm 67:3–7, NRSVUE
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us.
May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.
Sung Doxology
“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” Ken
Postlude
Additional Music Suggestions
- “Epiphany Carol” O’Brien (anthem available through GIA)
- “O Love that Will Not Let Me Go” Matheson
- “How Bright Appears the Morning Star” Mercer
- “We Three Kings of Orient Are” Hopkins
- “What Child is This, Who, Laid to Rest” Dix
- “Light of the World (Sing Hallelujah)” Cash, Bergthold
- “Hope Has a Name” Stanfill, Sooter, Curran
- “The Dawning Light” Ward
- “Gather Us In” Haugen
- “Be Thou My Vision” 8th C. Irish, vers. Hull, trans. Byrne
- “In the Fullness of Time” Papa, Bosswell or “In the Fullness of Time with Holy, Holy, Holy” Papa, Boswell arr. Cottrell/Brown
- “Abide” Harris
- “Jesus Shall Reign Where’Er the Sun” Watts
- “Jesus, Priceless Treasure” Franck, tr. Winkworth
Gentiles By Birth, Yet We Belong
Text: originally, “Gentiles by nature, we belong”, Isaac Watts, P.D., alt. Joyce Borger CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Tune: “Amazing Grace” (NEW BRITAIN, 8.6.8.6), William Walker, P.D.
- Gentiles by birth, yet we belong
to the life-giving wood
Grace takes us from the barren tree,
And grafts us in the good. - With the same blessings grace endows
the Gentile and the Jew;
if pure and holy be the root
such are the branches too. - So let us children of the Lord,
be followers of you.
Pour out your Spirit on us, Lord,
and give us life anew. - To all those grafted in your shoot,
shall your salvation come,
till all your children meet at last
in our eternal home.
