Happy Epiphany friends! For a long time, I wasn’t exactly sure what Epiphany was because it seemed sometimes to be a specific day, other times a whole season, and sometimes was more of a concept. It turns out it really is all three!
The word means “a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something.” (from Merriam Webster Dictionary)
For Christians, it is when the church celebrates the Biblical events that revealed who Jesus truly is. It is a time for Christians to ponder questions like, who is Jesus? and Do we live as if he is truly God and King?
In the Church, Epiphany is a day, a feast day on January 6th. In the West, January 6th is the day that we remember the wise men coming to Jesus with gifts that recognize that Jesus is King and Priest and Sacrifice to all people. In the East, January 6th is called Theophany, and it is the day celebrating Jesus’ baptism when he went into the waters of death and came out of them to receive the blessing of God the Father who declared Jesus His beloved Son and revealed the Trinity. Scholars believe that Epiphany is one of the very oldest celebrations of the Church.
There are a number of traditions with the January 6th Epiphany Feast, like the exchange of gifts as the culmination of Christmastide, or the house blessing. (For prayer and instructions on chalking the mantel for Epiphany house blessing see the “Collects for Epiphany” section near the end of the post.)
Epiphany is is also a season in the Church calendar that start with the day of Epiphany on January 6th and goes until the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday (whenever it is that year). It is sometimes called an ordinary season.
The rest of this post is a set of family church liturgies for the Sundays in the season of Epiphany. I put together these liturgies for families with small children during the Pandemic when we could not go to church on Sundays. And we have found that even when we are now back in person, it seems nearly once a month we are home with some sickness we don’t want to spread, and we enjoy pulling these out. For a more detailed explanation of how we do home church with little kids, check out this post. For a printable version with the full text of these Epiphany Liturgies with the Gospel readings, click here.
Throughout are photographs of an icy Lake Michigan in the early morning from a family walk, which seemed to me to capture the cold and light and water of the Epiphany season.
Epiphany Home Church Liturgy
Processional Song:
Lift high the cross
the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world
adore his sacred name.
Opening Verse
O Lord, open my lips,* And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Song
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Psalm
Psalm 134 Ecce nunc
1 Behold now, praise the Lord,
all you servants of the Lord,
2 You that stand by night in the house of the Lord, *
even in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary *
and sing praises unto the Lord.
4 The Lord who made heaven and earth *
give you blessing out of Zion.
Song
O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love:
our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days
pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
O tell of his might and sing of his grace
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm
Gospel Readings
(These readings were selected for children to create a narrative around the early ministry of Jesus. If you’d prefer to use the Revised Common Lectionary Readings they can be found here.)
The Day of Epiphany: (January 6th) Magi Visit: Matthew 2
1st Sunday of Epiphany: Baptism of Jesus : Mark 1:1-10
2nd Sunday of Epiphany: Calling of the Disciples : Simon Peter : Luke 5:1-11
3rd Sunday of Epiphany: Calling of the Disciples : Andrew, Simon Peter, James, John, Philip and Nathaniel : John 1:29-50
4th Sunday of Epiphany: Calling of the Disciples: Matthew and the list of 12 : Matthew 9:9 & 10:1
5th Sunday of Epiphany: Wedding at Cana : John 2:1-11
6th Sunday of Epiphany: Jesus Calms the Storm : Luke 8:22-25
7th Sunday of Epiphany: Jesus Walks on Water : Matthew 14:22-34
Last Sunday of Epiphany: The Transfiguration : Luke 9:19-35
Reflections & Retelling the Story
Here you can re-tell the story with peg people, or just in your own words, and then ask a few open-ended questions about what it might have been like to be there or what something might mean in your life.
Song
This is my Father’s world,
And to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world:
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas–
His hand the wonders wrought
Prayer: The Apostle’s Creed (Standing & With hand motions)
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayer of Confession: (Kneeling)
Dear Jesus,
I love you.
I’m sorry for my bad choices, please change my heart so I only want good things.
Thank you for being with me and thank you for. . .
Please help. . .
Amen.
Prayers of the People
[Note: Children often enjoy using their fingers for this prayers of the people. 5-Finger Prayer: Begin with Thumb (those closest to you: family), then pointer (those that point you in the right direction: teachers and pastors), then middle (tallest finger for those who lead us), ring (weakest finger: poor and needy), (pinkie: smallest finger): for ourselves and our needs. Then end with a time for laying hands and praying for each person: A time for a short prayer for each person present concluding with Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.]
Dear God,
Thank you for our family. Please bless them and care for them. Help us to love each other as you loved us.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Thank you for our teachers and pastors who teach us to follow you. Please bless them and help them teach as you taught.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Thank you for our bishops, governor, and president. Please bless them and help them lead as you led.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Please be with all the poor, needy and hurting people. Please bless them, help them, heal them, and let us be a part of caring for them body and soul.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Thank you that you are always with us and take care of us. Please bless us and help us come to you with all our needs and trust you because you love us.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
[If you can, take time to pray a short prayer for each person present and for his or her particular cares and upcoming needs. Children often love to take the hand they just prayed the finger prayer with and lay it on the person being prayed for.]
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
COLLECTS of the SEASON OF EPIPHANY
Collects from the Anglican 2019 Book of Common Prayer
Epiphany January 6th The Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles
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.
Optional Epiphany House Blessing
[While chalking on the Door Lintel 20 + C + M + B + 3 while saying:
The three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God’s Son who became human two thousand and twenty years ago. May Christ bless our home and remain with us throughout the new year. Amen. (Christus mansionem benedictat, “May Christ bless the house.”)]
Then offer the following prayer: Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen
THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
The Baptism of Our Lord
Eternal Father, at the baptism of Jesus you revealed him to be your Son, and your Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove: Grant that we, who are born again by water and the Spirit, may be faithful as your adopted children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
O God, you know that we are set in the midst of many grave dangers, and because of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: Grant that your strength and protection may support us in all dangers and carry us through every temptation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
O Lord, our heavenly Father, keep your household the Church continually in your true religion, that we who trust in the hope of your heavenly grace may always be defended by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
Almighty God, look mercifully upon your people, that by your great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
THE SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers, and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without you, grant us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
THE LAST SUNDAY OF EPIPHANY
Transfiguration
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Song: Doxology
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Closing Blessing
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord Thanks Be to God! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Recessional Song
Lift high the cross
the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world
adore his sacred name.
Happy Epiphany! Are there any traditions your family has for Epiphany?