Note: The following liturgy was written as part of a project in General Studies 300 at the University of Calgary, which turned out to be a good one for Epiphany and has been adapted here for more general use. Liturgical instructions are in italics. The portions spoken by the worship leader are in plain, those spoken by the group are in bold. Liturgical headings are underlined. Citations are in square brackets. This liturgy is © 2003 Cory Gross but available for public use with proper credit.

The service begins with a moment of silence for reflection and preparation.

Call to Worship:

The grace of our Saviour, Jesus the Christ
The love of God,
And the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
In grace She bids us to forsake ourselves and heed Her loving call,
And in humility we answer.
We have gathered to hear the Good News of God.

Prayer of Invocation:

When Paul preached in Athens, he spoke of the alter to the Unknown God. Lord, reveal yourself to us as you have to your children in the past. When you proclaimed yourself to Moses you said simply "I AM THAT I AM", but when you came as Christ you revealled yourself. You revealled yourself to John the Baptist in the waters, to Peter and James and John on the moutaintop, to hundreds of your followers when you rose to Heaven, and to Paul on the road to Damascus. It is only through your grace that we may come to know you, O Lord.

God in your grace reveal yourself to us.

Chant:

"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well." [Julian of Norwich]

Scripture Reading

Response to the Reading:

Do you wish to know your Lord's meaning in this thing?
Know it well, love was His meaning.
Who reveals it to you?
Love.
What did He reveal to you?
Love.
Why does He reveal it to you?
For love. [Julian of Norwich]

Sermon

Prayer of Repentance:

I know that you can do everything, Lord,
And that no thought can be withheld from you.
Who is the one that hides counsel without knowledge?
Therefore I say that I do not understand:
Things too wonderful for me that I did not know.
I knew only what others had told me,
But now I have seen you with my own eyes.
I am ashamed of all I have said
And repent in dust and ashes. [Job 42:2-3, 5-7]

The Good News of Forgiveness:

Our Lord was never angry and never will be. Because He is God, He is good, He is truth, He is love, He is peace; and His power, His wisdom, His charity and His unity do not allow Him to be angry. [Julian of Norwich]

Know this: all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. [Julian of Norwich]

Prayers:

Let us pray now for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

At this time, individuals can share their prayers, ending with the pettition:

Lord in your love,
All shall be well.

Sharing the Peace:

As we have felt the peace of God for ourselves and prayed for the peace of God for others, now let us share the peace of God with oneanother.

Everyone shares a gesture of peace with oneanother - a handshake, hug, etc., saying these or similar words: Peace be with you.

Communion Hymn

The Eucharist:

On the night in which He was betrayed,
Our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and passed it to His disciples saying:
"Take and eat; this is my body given for you.
Do this in rememberance of me."

Again after supper,
He took the cup, gave thanks and passed it for all to drink, saying:
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
Shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this in rememberance of me."

Here the Lord once again does the unexpected, meeting us in the things of the earth: bread and wine.
He did the unexpected when He became a human being.
He defied perceptions when He came not as a man of war,
But as a teacher of peace and a friend of the outcast.
He did the inconceivable when He chose death on a cross so that we may be reconciled to God.
And He did the impossible when He conqured death in His resurrection.

I should contemplate His glorious atonement,
For this atoning is more pleasing to the blessed Divinity
And more honourable for our salvation, without comparison,
Than ever Adam's sin was harmful. [Julian of Norwich]

Here we meet the God of paradox, of defied perception, and of unexpected love in the most unexpected way - bread, wine, song, and the community gathered in love. Nourished by Her grace, we join with the community here, on Earth, and in Heaven in the unending hymn of the faithful:
Holy, holy, holy are You,
God of power and might.
Heaven and Earth are full of your glory,
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one
Who comes in the name of the Lord,
Hosanna in the highest.

The Eucharist is shared. All people are welcome: only our rules keep others from God's grace.

Post-Communion Prayer:

Lord grant us the humility to see you as you truely are;
Not through the dark glass of our weak and finite minds
But through the glorious clarity of your love.
Speak to us from the whirlwind of Your reality
And call us back to You as You are.
Fill us, Lord, with your grace
And inspire us to serve you in love in the world.
Amen.

Benediction:

May the Lord bless and keep you,
May the Lord inspire you with love,
May the Lord grant you freeing humility,
May you live every day and walk every step with God.
Amen.