Service Notes for Worship Leaders: 
This document is generically formatted for letter-sized paper. It is formatted with MS Word "styles" to enable easy adaptation to each parish's formatting standards.
Coming on the heels of the busy seasons of Advent and Christmas, the Festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord is often underplayed. This service requires limited preparation by pastor and musicians. It is not meant as an ideal form for celebrating a festival of the church year but as an alternative useful in some circumstances.
A special evening service requires some publicity. Explain the importance of this service as the start of the Epiphany season, the service which focuses on the star-gazing Magi. A full church is a good thing. However, a small attendance also works well for a contemplative service—a quiet gathering of those who are eager to take time for this spiritual nourishment. One may even lay Christmas ribbon over the entrances to most back pews so all gather in the front, a community of God’s children gathered around the Word.
A single prelude may precede the service. A piano may be used to accompany this service. Special music may adorn the hymns, especially Hymn 79 stanzas 4 and 5.
Ushers are instructed on how to dim the church before the people arrive, retaining enough light for the opening responses and hymn. Increase the light during the singing of stanzas four and five of “How Lovely Shines the Morning Star.”
If a choir is available, they will appreciate learning the music early in fall, prior to the rush of Advent and Christmas. If you plan to use this service in January 2003, some choral selections used for Christmas might also work for Epiphany.
Note the preparation needed for the Offering.
Unfamiliar hymn melodies require sufficient choral and instrumental support, or a plan may be developed to incrementally teach the new melody to the congregation throughout the year, in anticipation of next year’s Epiphany. Note especially the closing hymn which has no musical notation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CANDLELIGHT SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS FOR EPIPHANY

The church is dimly lit. 
Silence for meditation on Christ, the Light of the world.
INTRODUCTION
This evening's service focuses on God's plan of revealing Jesus Christ as the Light of the world. The word epiphany means “manifestation” or “visible display” and refers to the “revealing” of Jesus as Savior, not only of the Jews but of all the peoples of the world. Since the middle of the fourth century the Church has celebrated the coming of the Magi (the Wise Men) as the culmination of the Christmas season.
The coming of the Magi to pay homage to Jesus is no mere interesting tale with a moral, rather the story speaks to the very essence of the gospel. We are “heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise of Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:6). No wonder that Epiphany in the early Church was a major celebration, second only to Easter. Through this church year festival, The Epiphany of Our Lord, the manifestation of God’s salvation is made clear to all people.
This service involves processions. A procession is an act of worship. Tonight the processions represent the journey of the Magi to and from Bethlehem. With the Magi we adore the newborn King and offer gifts to the eternal our King and Savior. The assisting ministers and the presiding minister walk down the aisle with a large, white candle symbolizing Christ, the Light of the world, who brings light to us.

PROCESSIONAL
Stand
M:	Light and peace to you, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
C:	Thanks be to God.
M:	We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:5,6).
M:	Christ the true light has come into the world.
C:	Thanks be to God.
M:	All nations will stream to your light - all peoples to the brightness of your dawning.
C:	Thanks be to God.
M:	For you, O Christ, are the bright and morning star - the Holy One of Israel.
C:	Thanks be to God.
HYMN 79 “How Lovely Shines the Morning Star”
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M:	Lord God, by the leading of a star you once made known to the nations your one and only Son. Guide us, also, who know him now by faith, to come at last to the perfect joy of your heavenly glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C:	Amen. (spoken)
Extinquish candles and be seated
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
READING 
Luke 2:1-17
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. 
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
M:	Rejoice and be glad at this Christmas we pray.
C:	Sing praise to the Savior, sing endless praise.
M:	for unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given,
C:	and the government will be upon his shoulder,
M:	and his name will be called
C:	wonderful Counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
M:	Almighty and everliving God, you have given us a new revelation of your loving providence in the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary: Grant that as he shared our mortality, so may we share his eternity in the glory of your kingdom, where he lives and reigns for ever and ever.
C:	Amen.
HYMN 90 “The People that in Darkness Sat”
NARRATIVE OF LIGHT
READING 
Isaiah 60:1-6,9
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 
See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm.
Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.
Surely the islands look to me; in the lead are the ships of Tarshish, bringing your sons from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.
M:	Let us make the church resound with the rejoicing praise of the faithful. God created man in his own image. God created all things, heaven, earth, seas and all that is born. Therefore let our gathering bless the Lord with strings and organ, and render thanks to the same God who gives us pardon and joy. He whom Mary bore has appeared.
M:	Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word,
C:	for my eyes have seen your salvation
M:	which you have prepared before the face of all people;
C:	a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of your people Israel.
M:	O God, who caused that holy night to shine with the illumination of the true Light, as we have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may we also perfectly know his splendor in heaven.
C:	Amen.
HYMN 81 “Arise and Shine in Splendor”
THE JOURNEY OF THE MAGI
READING 
Matthew 2:1-12
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 
"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
	”’But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’”
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." 
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. 
M:	All nations shall be blessed in him and do him service.
C:	All kings shall bow down before him.
M:	The kings of Tarshish and the isles shall pay tribute:
C:	The kings of Arabia and Saba shall offer gifts.
M:	The people shall offer you freewill offerings with a holy worship,
C:	for Christ the true Light has come into the world.
M:	O God, who by the leading of a star did manifest your only begotten Son to the peoples of the earth, lead us, who know you by faith, to your presence, where we may behold your glory face to face; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C:	Amen.
HYMN 83 “Now with Gladness Men of Old”
THE ADORATION
READING 
John 1:1-10,14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 
He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 
The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that Light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light. The true Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 
He [the Light] was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. 
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
HYMN 85 “O God from God, O Light from Light”
OFFERING
The candles are relit for the remainder of the service.
PRESENTATION OF GIFTS
Please remain seated. 
All worship our Savior in silence as gifts are presented:
	The first assisting minister presents the gifts of the people, saying:
		“I bring the gifts of God’s people to the Word through whom all things were made.”
	The second assisting minister presents a light, saying:
		“I offer this light to symbolize the Christ, the true Light who has come into the world.”
	The third assisting minister presents a Bible and a hymnal, saying:
		“I offer the Scriptures and our hymnal to the Word who became flesh, that we might worship him in spirit and in truth.”
	Then the presiding minister presents a cross, prefiguring the sufferings of the Holy Child, saying:
		“Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH, page 124
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.
BLESSING
M:	May God, who led the Wise Men by the shining of a star to find the Christ, the Light from Light, 
		lead you to your Lord.
	May God, who sent the Holy Spirit to rest upon the Only-begotten at his baptism in the Jordan River, 
		pour out his Spirit on you who have life from the waters of Baptism.
	May God, by the power that turned water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana, 
		transform your lives and make glad your hearts.
	And the blessing of God almighty – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – be upon you and remain with you forever. 
C:	Amen.
PROCESSION – CLOSING HYMN (melody: Christian Worship hymn 91 or 291)
The faithful Magi saw from far, and followed on his guiding star;
And led by light, to Light they pressed, and by their gifts their God confessed.
All glory unto Jesus be, and praise for his epiphany,
Whom with the Father we adore, and Holy Spirit evermore.