Epiphany Joys

[Weedon]

Was able to assist at the 8:20 Divine Service this morning for Epiphany. Such joy. We sang FOUR hymns! Entrance: Songs of Thankfulness; Of the Day: O Morning Star; Distribution: From God the Father, Virgin-born; Closing: The Only Son from Heaven. Procession in and out with incense, Cross and torches, Gospel book. Gospel procession. Joyous preaching of the Gospel by Pr. Ball. Energetic singing by the school children and the congregation. Even having any number still out on quarantine, I think we ended up having maybe 60 present. I was blessed as subdeacon to be thurifer on the entrance, to read Isaiah and Ephesians passages, and to hold the Gospel book for the procession, which the deacon, Pr. Gleason read for us. Such a joyous way to start the day!

[Jeremy Loesch]

Most excellent. 

Dumb question- why 8:20?  Likely a school reason. 

Jeremy

[Randy Bosch]

Was able to assist at the 8:20 Divine Service this morning for Epiphany. Such joy. We sang FOUR hymns! Entrance: Songs of Thankfulness; Of the Day: O Morning Star; Distribution: From God the Father, Virgin-born; Closing: The Only Son from Heaven. Procession in and out with incense, Cross and torches, Gospel book. Gospel procession. Joyous preaching of the Gospel by Pr. Ball. Energetic singing by the school children and the congregation. Even having any number still out on quarantine, I think we ended up having maybe 60 present. I was blessed as subdeacon to be thurifer on the entrance, to read Isaiah and Ephesians passages, and to hold the Gospel book for the procession, which the deacon, Pr. Gleason read for us. Such a joyous way to start the day!

Thank you for sharing this!  Epiphany seems to be a disappearing event in Christendom, including Lutheran churches.
An essay by a former Catholic Deacon, reposted from 2015, highlights its importance and follows church history about Epiphany - in his viewpoint.  Conclusion:  Bring Epiphany back! - it's not just a carol about three kings of orient...
  https://www.davidwarrenonline.com/2021/01/06/epiphany-2/

[J. Thomas Shelley]

In the Orthodox Church the Great Feast of the Theophany (Epiphany) is second only to Pascha.

The Feast is celebrated (most years) with Royal Hours in the morning of January 5, followed by a Vesperal Divine Liturgy in the evening and the Great Blessing of the Waters.

Today, the morning of the Feast was celebrated with Orthros followed by the Divine Liturgy and the Lesser Blessing of the Waters.

I was profoundly thankful that--having now passed the two week quarantine required by the Metropolis for those knowingly exposed to COVID plus having received a negative test--I was able to return to the chanter's stand for all of these services.   And, God willing, to return tomorrow for the extension of the Feast which is the Synaxarion of John the Forerunner.

The blessing of the water concludes with this hymn sung slowly in Byazantine Tone 6 (plagal second)

Let us the faithful extol the greatness of God's benevolent deeds concerning us.
For He became man in our transgression;
and now in the Jordan,
He who alone is clean and undefiled is cleansed in the cleansing that is meant for us;
and He sanctifies me and the waters,
and on the water He crushes the heads of the dragons.
Therefore, brethren,
let us draw water with gladness.
For to those who draw with faith,
the grace of the Spirit is invisibly given by Christ,
our God and the Savior of our souls.

[Weedon]

Jeremy,

Yes, school. I think students have to be there by 8:15. The Divine Service is first order of the day on Wednesdays and so they come over by their classes and assume their assigned seats.

Randy,

Amen! I still miss our old TLH phrasing in the Collect (from BCP) asking that after this life we may “have the fruition of Thy glorious Godhead.” I think the old Latin collect was along the lines of “gaze upon Thy beauty.”  LSB has “may enjoy in heaven the fullness of Your divine presence.”

Thomas,

You might find it of interest that our daily lectionary in LSB sends us to Luke 3, the Baptism of Jesus, today; and the Treasury of Daily Prayer supplies the writing from St. Gregory Nazianzus, which includes: “Jesus goes up out of the water...for with Himself He carries up the world...”

[J. Thomas Shelley]

Thomas,

You might find it of interest that our daily lectionary in LSB sends us to Luke 3, the Baptism of Jesus, today; and the Treasury of Daily Prayer supplies the writing from St. Gregory Nazianzus, which includes: “Jesus goes up out of the water...for with Himself He carries up the world...”

"Shall we gather at the River?"

[Weedon]

Some reflections on the Evening Divine Service and a picture: https://weedon.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-epiphany-day-mass-evening-divine.html

[J. Thomas Shelley]

Thomas,

You might find it of interest that our daily lectionary in LSB sends us to Luke 3, the Baptism of Jesus, today; and the Treasury of Daily Prayer supplies the writing from St. Gregory Nazianzus, which includes: “Jesus goes up out of the water...for with Himself He carries up the world...”

"Shall we gather at the River?"

My earlier comment was NOT intended to be flippant, but to propose a new layer of meaning to a 19th century "Gospel song"....a meaning which is reinforced by the Doxosticon at the Aposticha of this coming Saturday's Great Vespers anticipating the Sunday After Theophany:

Nature is illumined today.
The universe celebrates today, everyone in heaven as well as on earth.
Angels and humans are mingling;
for wherever the King is, His retinue goes there as well.
So let us all run to the Jordan River;
and we shall see John there, and witness how he baptizes the Master's head, which is spiritual and sinless.
And now, in the words of the Apostle, let us sing together and cry out:
 "The grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men,"
enlightening believers and granting them the great mercy.