Acts 8:14–17 VU 205 “Like the murmur of the dove’s song” VU 376 “Spirit of the living God” MV 142 “Oh a song must rise” Luke 3:15–17 VU 99 “Christ, when for us you were baptized” VU 100 “When Jesus comes to be baptized” MV 155 “Unbounded Spirit, breath of God” January 20 – Second Sunday after Epiphany Isaiah 62:1–5 No longer called Desolate but now named Delight. Psalm 36:5–10 (VU p. 762) God’s steadfast love extends to the heavens. 1 Corinthians 12:1–11 Different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit. John 2:1–11 The wedding in Cana. To Ponder God gives everything we need and more besides. How have you experienced that? Spark Imagine you are going to host a gala in your church. Decorate your worship space lavishly. With Children Prepare a plate of small rice cakes. Also prepare a rich treat, like jalebi, an Indian sweet made from chickpea flour and soaked in sugar syrup. Alternatively, if people in your community like fruitcake, that would be a great choice. Make sure there is enough for everyone to share. Invite people to eat some of the rice crackers. Initiate a discussion about the experience. Then invite them to eat some of the sweet food, followed by a discussion about that experience. What is the difference? Sometimes, we approach the world as if it were a rice cracker. It is good, but rather plain. What if we were to approach the world as a treat to be savoured? How would that change things for us? Briefly share the story of the wedding feast in Cana, where Jesus turned the ordinary into the extraordinary. That’s what God does in our lives. Sermon Starter A wedding feast! What an interesting way for the Gospel of John to describe the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry! It stands in contrast to John the Baptist, who called people to repentance and baptized them in the River Jordan. It should be no surprise, then, that when Mary approaches Jesus to tell him that the hosts have run out of wine, the water that has changed into the finest of wines is drawn from the large ablution jars. The containers used for ritual purity become a source of festivity and joy. Jesus helps us understand the world
Acts 8:14–17 VU 205 “Like the murmur of the dove’s song” VU 376 “Spirit of the living God” MV 142 “Oh a song must rise” Luke 3:15–17 VU 99 “Christ, when for us you were baptized” VU 100 “When Jesus comes to be baptized” MV 155 “Unbounded Spirit, breath of God” January 20 – Second Sunday after Epiphany Isaiah 62:1–5 No longer called Desolate but now named Delight. Psalm 36:5–10 (VU p. 762) God’s steadfast love extends to the heavens. 1 Corinthians 12:1–11 Different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit. John 2:1–11 The wedding in Cana. To Ponder God gives everything we need and more besides. How have you experienced that? Spark Imagine you are going to host a gala in your church. Decorate your worship space lavishly. With Children Prepare a plate of small rice cakes. Also prepare a rich treat, like jalebi, an Indian sweet made from chickpea flour and soaked in sugar syrup. Alternatively, if people in your community like fruitcake, that would be a great choice. Make sure there is enough for everyone to share. Invite people to eat some of the rice crackers. Initiate a discussion about the experience. Then invite them to eat some of the sweet food, followed by a discussion about that experience. What is the difference? Sometimes, we approach the world as if it were a rice cracker. It is good, but rather plain. What if we were to approach the world as a treat to be savoured? How would that change things for us? Briefly share the story of the wedding feast in Cana, where Jesus turned the ordinary into the extraordinary. That’s what God does in our lives. Sermon Starter A wedding feast! What an interesting way for the Gospel of John to describe the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry! It stands in contrast to John the Baptist, who called people to repentance and baptized them in the River Jordan. It should be no surprise, then, that when Mary approaches Jesus to tell him that the hosts have run out of wine, the water that has changed into the finest of wines is drawn from the large ablution jars. The containers used for ritual purity become a source of festivity and joy. Jesus helps us understand the world
gathering_2019ace_lectionary.docx