Epiphany House Blessing- "Chalking the Doors" (Episcopal)

This service can be used to chalk the doors of your house at home and welcome in the ligbt of Christ for the still-new year. If the Celebrant is not a priest, the Blessing of the Chalk section can be omitted and you can move straight to the actual chalking of the door. At the final blessing, substitute “us” for “you,” and make the sign of cross over yourselves rather than outwardly.

Celebrant   Peace be to this house, and to all who dwell in it. AntiphonThe Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him. MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *     for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.From this day all generations will call me blessed: *     the Almighty has done great things for me,     and holy is his Name.He has mercy on those who fear him *     in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, *     he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *     and has lifted up the lowly.He has filled the hungry with good things, *     and the rich he has sent away empty.He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *     for he has remembered his promise of mercy,The promise he made to our fathers, *     to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *     as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Antiphon The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him. Celebrant     The Lord be with you. People          And also with you.Celebrant     Let us pray. Collect O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Blessing of the Chalk V: Our help is in the name of the Lord R: The maker of heaven and earth. V: The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in: R: From this time forth for evermore. V. The Lord be with you. R: And also with you. V: Let us pray. Celebrant Loving God, bless this chalk which you have created,  that it may be helpful to your people; and grant that through the invocation of your most Holy Name all who use it in faith to write upon the doors of their homes the names of your saints, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, may receive health of body and protection of soul for all who dwell in or visit their home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The lintel of the door is then chalked as follows:

20 + C + M + B + 25

Celebrant The three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God's Son who became human two thousand and eighteen years ago. May Christ bless our home and remain with us throughout the new year. Amen. The Celebrant then says this prayer Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live here with the gift of your love; and grant that they may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives they touch. May they grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen them; and preserve them in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and for ever. Amen. The Celebrant then says this blessing May God the Father, who by Baptism adopts us as his children, grant you grace. Amen. May God the Son, who sanctified a home at Nazareth, fill you with love. Amen. May God the Holy Spirit, who has made the Church one family, keep you in peace. Amen. And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you forever. Amen. The Peace may then be exchanged.

Music Notes from Denise, January 4, 2025

This Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of Epiphany when we read about the three “wise” visitors who come to visit the infant Jesus in Bethlehem. Our Processional hymn is We three kings of orient are, written by John Henry Hopkins in 1857. Our Bible doesn’t describe the visitors as kings, and they aren’t limited to three, but traditionally we represent the three gifts with three visitors. Our choir basses usually take on this portrayal by processing in crowns and singing the three inner stanzas. The opening stanza is about the journey of the Magi to Bethlehem. The middle three stanzas explain a meaning for each of the three gifts. Gold signified royalty, and frankincense, deity. Myrrh foretold that the Christ child was born to die. The last stanza summarizes the song, calling Jesus the “King and God and Sacrifice,” and ending in a peal of alleluias. (hymnary.org)

Our Sequence hymn will be In the bleak midwinter, written in 1872 as a poem by Christina Rossetti. In his book, Deck the Hall, Andrew Gant describes the poem: “It stands as a perfect example of her almost uncanny ability to distil complex thoughts and emotions into language of almost childlike directness, something she shared with, and no doubt partly learnt from, her older contemporary, a poet to whom she is often compared, Elizabeth Barrett Browning…It is a beautiful poem. It reads a thoughtful journey, from describing the weather, to watching the baby, to a vision of angels, and finally to the poet’s own inward thoughts…Ending each verse with a line of just three syllables is a touch of genius: ‘Long ago…With a kiss...Give my heart.’” (2023, Deck the Hall, the Stories of our Favourite Christmas Carols by Andrew Gant, Hodder & Stoughton Limited, publishers)

For the Offertory, we will have a guest soloist, Kiera Anderson-Pittman, singing the traditional spiritual, Jesus, Oh what a Wonderful Child, arranged by Mark Hayes. Kiera is a student at Parkway Central High School and has received Honorable Mention in this year’s Missouri All-State Choir, as well as playing many featured roles in Parkway Central’s theatrical performances. She also sings in our Concert Choir and our Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Standard Time. Jesus, Jesus, Oh, what a wonderful Child; Jesus, Jesus, so lowly, meek and mild: New life, new hope, new joy He brings. Won’t you listen to the angels sing, “Glory, glory, glory to the newborn King”. He was herald by the angels, born in a lowly manger. The virgin Mary was His mother, and Joseph was His earthly father. Oh, three wise men came from afar, they were guided by a shining star, to see King Jesus where he lay in a manger filled with hay. (from 10 Christmas Songs for Solo Voice by Mark Hayes, 1999 Alfred Music Pub. Co.)

Our Recessional Hymn will be another well-known spiritual, Go tell it on the mountain. In his book, Rise Up Shepherd!, Luke A. Powery uses this carol in an Advent reflection and devotional: “The creator of this spiritual does not suggest we keep quiet and keep this news to ourselves. The music is upbeat and bouncing with joy, and this call, this charge, should be good news to us. The ‘go, tell’ is an invitation to experience the joy of Jesus and spread this joy wherever we may find ourselves.” (2017 Rise Up Shepherd! Advent reflections on the spirituals by Luke A. Powery, Westminster John Knox Press)

May this experience of the coming of Jesus meet us in our daily lives in such a way that fills us with joy and gives us the energy to go and tell the good news to a world full of doubt and despair. Go tell it!!!

Please join us for Worship at 10:30 am this Sunday, January 5th

The Angel Directing the Sleeping Magi, Cathedral of St. Lazare, Autun, France, 1120 CE

Live by faith, grow in grace, and walk in love with St. Martin's this coming Sunday as we come together, in person as well as online, for worship, thanksgiving, and praise. Wherever you are on your journey of faith, allow us to walk alongside you.

Please click here to download the service bulletin:

1E Epiphany 5 Jan 2025 LS.pdf

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