Call To Worship Reading And Opening Responses For Epiphany

Here are Bible passages and Christian readings for personal, family and corporate worship during Epiphany.  The Call to Worship and Opening Responses (a Prayer of Adoration and a Prayer of Invocation) come courtesy The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, CRC Publications.  We’ve used this resource for years at Sojourn.  If you use the readings for corporate worship, have the congregation read the bold-faced portions aloud.

Call To Worship Reading For Epiphany

Give the king your justice, O God,

and your righteousness to a king’s son.

May he judge your people with righteousness,

and your poor with justice.

May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,

and the hills, in righteousness.

May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,

give deliverance to the needy,

and crush the oppressor.

May he live while the sun endures,

and as long as the  moon, throughout all generations.

— Psalm 72:1-5 NRSV

Prayer Of Adoration for Epiphany

God, you have made yourself known,

but in a most amazing way,

comiing in weakness, in a tiny baby;

you covered your glory and hid your greatness.

God of mystery and surprise, we praise you.

God, you have made yourself known,

but it a most amazing way,

in a dirty poor stable no one else wanted;

you hid your wealth and infinite riches.

God of mystery and surprise, we praise you.

God, you have made yourself known,

but in a most amazing way,

born to humble working people,

hidden in a simple life,

and yet announced in the stars of heaven and visited by kings.

God of mystery and surprise, we praise you. Amen.

Prayer of Invocation For Epiphany

Perfect Light of revelation,

as you shone in the life of Jesus,

whose Epiphany we celebrate,

so shine in us and through us,

that we may become beacons of truth and compassion,

enlightening all creation

with deeds of justice and mercy. Amen.

See my article “What Every Christian Needs To Know About Epiphany” for general information on this season of the church year.

Sample Sojourn Songs for Epiphany:

“King of the Universe” from With The Angels

“Amen, Amen” from Advent Songs