Above:  The Adoration of the Magi, by El Greco

Image in the Public Domain

Prayer Source = A Book of Worship for Free Churches (1948), the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

O thou, who art the Light of the world, the Desire of all nations, and the Shepherd of souls;

let thy light shine in the darkness, that all the ends of the earth may see thy salvation;

by the lifting up of thy cross, gather the peoples to thine obedience,

so that there may be one flock, one shepherd, one holy kingdom of righteousness and peace.

Stir our hearts that by our prayers, our gifts, and our labors,

we may have part in the spreading of thy gospel;

and hasten the time when all peoples shall worship thee;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

–Page 42

Above:  The Parable of the Sower

Image in the Public Domain

Words (1920) by Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal and Order of Service (1925), The Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  The Sower goeth forth to sow

His seed of grain so tender,

That it may rooted be, and grow,

And bring forth fruit in splendor.

By faith He sees His harvest field

Its fruitage in abundance yield.

2.  Thou art the Sower, dearest Lord,

The world Thy field so spacious,

The seed Thou sowest is the Word

Sown by Thy hand so gracious.

From heaven above, on earth below,

That it may blossom, thrive, and grow.

3.  Let us not merely hearers be,

But doers, blessed Saviour,

Who bring forth fruit abundantly;

Grant us Thy Spirit’s favor

To treasure in believing hearts

The precious truth Thy Word imparts.

Above:  Landscape with the Parable of the Sower, by Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Image in the Public Domain

Words (1919) by Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal and Order of Service (1925), The Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Heavenly Sower, Thou hast scattered

Precious seed upon Thy field,

That a harvest might be gathered,

Rich and fruitful in its yield.

Gracious Lord, Thou hast defended,

Nurtured, watered, guarded, tended,

This is so precious seed of Thine,

Springing up in soil divine.

2.  Lo, Thy field its fruits has yielded,

Where Thy kingdom’s seed was sown;

Gospel rain from drought has shielded,

Pentecostal winds have blown;

Where Thy Sun of Grace in splendor

Shed its warming rays to tender,

There Thy seed has taken root,

There it blossomed into fruit.

3.  Guard Thy gospel field, dear Master,

Tares abound upon the soil.

Save Thy harvest from disaster,

Let no foe Thy seed despoil.

When, upon Thy glad returning,

Tares and chaff are doomed to burning,

Then within Thy garner, Lord,

May the precious wheat be stored.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is post #1400 of GATHERED PRAYERS.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above:  Wedding at Cana, by Mattia Preti

Image in the Public Domain

Words (1919) by Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal and Order of Service (1925), The Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Thou hast made manifest

Thy glory, welcome Bridal Guest,

Thou art Messiah, we believe;

Our adoration, Lord, receive.

2.  Be Thou our constant Guest, we pray,

O Friend of sinners, come to stay.

Our every need do Thou supply,

Till we become Thy guests on high.

3.  O heavenly Bridegroom, haste, we pray,

That long expected wedding day

When trumpets sound to call us home:

“The bridal of the Lamb hath come.”

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, January 6, 2010

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Words (1921) by Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal and Order of Service (1925), The Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Desire of every nation,

Light of the Gentiles, Thou!

In fervent adoration

Before Thy throne we bow;

Our hearts and tongues adore Thee,

Blest Dayspring from the skies.

Like incense sweet before Thee,

Permit our songs to rise.

2.  Thou Herald of the morning,

They who in darkness dwell

Behold Thy brightness dawning

O’er realms of Israel.

With glorious beams unclouded,

Thy all-transcendent light

Dispels the gloom that shrouded

Earth’s dark and dismal night.

3.  Arise and shine in splendor,

Thou bright and morning Star!

The Gentiles come to render

Their gifts from realms afar.

Thy word by prophets spoken

In truth is now fulfilled,

And yearning hearts, once broken,

With sweetest hopes are filled.

4.  Arise and bring salvation

To all who dwell below,

Let earth in jubilation

Reflect Thy radiant glow.

O long expected Saviour,

Thou Hope of Israel,

Let Gentiles gain Thy favor,

And of Thy glory tell.

5.  Our Life and Resurrection,

Lord Jesus Christ, Thou art;

O shed Thy light’s reflection

To earth’s remotest part;

Let Gentile tongues confess Thee,

Rejoicing in Thy light,

The ransomed thousands bless Thee,

Thou hast dispelled the night.

Above:  The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Atlanta, Georgia, January 6, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5830440351265763601/5830446690559312690?banner=pwa&pid=5830446690559312690&oid=114749828757741527421)

Original Words by Magnus Brostrup Landstad (1802-1880)

English Translation Peter Olsen Stromme (1856-1921)

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/assembled-in-this-thy-house-danish-american-lutherans-1870-1962/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  There many shall come from the east and the west

And sit at the feast of salvation

With Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the blest,

Obeying the Lord’s invitation.

Have mercy upon us, O Jesus!

2.  But they who have always resisted His grace

And on their own virtue depended,

Shall then be condemn’d and cast out from His face,

Eternally lost and unfriended.

Have mercy upon us, Lord Jesus.

3.  O may we all hear when our Shepherd doth call,

In accents persuasive and tender,

That while here is time we make haste one and all

And find Him, our mighty defender.

Have mercy upon us, Lord Jesus.

4.  God grant that I may of His infinite love,

Remain in His merciful keeping;

And sit with the King at His table above,

When here in the grave I am sleeping.

Have mercy upon us, Lord Jesus.

5.  All trials are then like a dream that is past,

Forgotten all trouble and sorrow;

All questions and doubts have been answer’d at last;

Then dawneth eternity’s morrow.

Have mercy upon us, O Jesus!

Above:  Christ Pantocrator

(Image in the Public Domain)

Original Danish Words by Nikolai Frederick Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872)

English Translation by the Reverend J. C. Aaberg (1877-1970)

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/assembled-in-this-thy-house-danish-american-lutherans-1870-1962/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Jesus, the name without compare,

Honor’d on earth and in heaven,

Wherein the Father’s love and care

Is to His children now given.

Savior of all that saved can be,

Fount of God’s grace and mercy free,

Is the Lord Jesus forever.

2.  Jesus, the name alone on earth

Is to redemption afforded,

And at His cross of precious worth

Are we salvation accorded;

Now in His name our pray’rs are heard;

Only in that, when hearts are stirr’d,

Doth now the Spirit us comfort.

3.  Jesus, the name above the sky

Wherein, when seasons are ended,

Nations shall come to God on high,

And ev’ry knee shall be bended,

While all the saved in sweet accord

Sing to the praise of Christ the Lord,

Savior belov’d by the Father.

Above:  Live Nativity Scene, St. Teresa’s Episcopal Church, Acworth, Georgia, December 22, 2013

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

(https://plus.google.com/photos/114749828757741527421/albums/5824581108495648417/5824871198368560498?banner=pwa&pid=5824871198368560498&oid=114749828757741527421)

Original Danish Words by Nikolai Frederick Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872)

English Translation by the Reverend J. C. Aaberg (1877-1970)

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), of the American Evangelical Lutheran Church and the United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/assembled-in-this-thy-house-danish-american-lutherans-1870-1962/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  A Babe is born in Bethlehem,

Bethlehem,

Rejoice, rejoice, Jerusalem,

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

2.  A lowly virgin gave Him birth,

Gave him birth,

Who rules the heavens and the earth,

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

3.  He in a simple manger lay,

Manger lay,

Whom angels praise with joy for aye.

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

4.  And wise men from the East did bring,

East did bring,

Gold, myrrh, and incense to the king.

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

5.  Now all our fears have pass’d away,

Pass’d away,

The Savior blest was born today.

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

6.  God’s blessed children we became,

We became,

And shall in heaven praise His name,

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

7.  Then like the angels we shall be,

We shall be,

God’s holy presence we shall see,

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

8.  The angels there with great delight,

Great delight,

Will teach the song they sang that night,

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

9.  With gladsome praises we adore,

We adore,

Our Lord and Savior evermore,

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

Above:  The River Jordan

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The United Methodist Hymnal:  Book of United Methodist Worship (1989)

Words (1973) by Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000), British Methodist minister

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  When Jesus came to Jordan to be baptized by John,

he did not come for pardon but as the sinless one.

He came to share repentance with all who mourn their sins,

to speak the vital sentence which good news begins.

2.  He came to share temptation, our utmost woe and loss,

for us and our salvation to die upon the cross.

So when the dove descended on him, the Son of Man,

the hidden years had ended, the age of grace began.

3.  Come, Holy Spirit, aid us to keep the vows we make;

this very day invade us, and every bondage break.

Come, give our lives direction, the gift we covet most:

to share the resurrection that leads to Pentecost.

An Icon of the Transfiguration

Image Source = Wikipedia

The Gospel Reading for the Last Sunday After Epiphany tells of the Transfiguration of Jesus.

Prayer Source = James G. Kirk, When We Gather:  A Book of Prayers for Worship, Year C (Philadelphia, PA:  Geneva Press, 1985)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

God of Moses and Elijah, of Christ, and the disciples, we too could build you booths, but you would not be pleased.  We could bring you burnt offerings, but you do not desire them.  You ask us to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with you.  We come now before you, placing our lives in your service.  Take us, women and men, young and old, to use us as you deem fit.

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/last-sunday-after-the-epiphany-year-b/

http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/last-sunday-after-the-epiphany-year-a/