Welcome to this Service of Worship
First Sunday after Ephipany
Sunday 8 January 2023 at 10.45am
• PDF Order of Service Download HERE
GATHERS TO WORSHIP ALMIGHTY GOD
Organ Prelude
Welcome & Church News
The Peace
Preparatory Silence for Worship
Introit - Ibant Magi
Words: from 5th century Vesper hymn for Epiphany
Music: Francisco Guerrero (1528 to 1599)
Ibant magi, quam viderant,
Stellam sequentes praeviam:
Lumen requirunt lumine,
Deum fatentur munere.
[The eastern sages saw from far
And followed on his guiding star;
By light their way to Light they trod,
And by their gifts confessed their God]
Call to Worship
Leader: God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God
All: We seek you
Leader: Fulfilment of ancient prophecies; promised saviour
and Messiah; purpose of the Magi’s journey
All: We seek you
Leader: Mary’s son; Joseph’s son, God’s only son
All: We seek you and come to worship
Hymn We Three Kings
(t. Three Kings of Orient)
Prayer Approach, Praise, Confession and 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the
power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Hymn 323 The First Nowell
(t. The First Nowell)
Reading Isaiah 60:1 - 6
Read by Ewan Brown (OT p700)
Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen
upon you. 2 For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the
peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over
you. 3 Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to
you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be
carried on their nurses’ arms. 5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your
heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be
brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and
Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and
frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.
Anthem - The Coventry Carol
Words: from the Pageant of Shearmen and tailors (15th Century)
Music: arranged Martin Shaw (1875 to 1958)
Lully, lullay,
thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay.
O sisters too,
how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor youngling for whom we sing,
"Bye bye, lully, lullay"?
Herod the king, in his raging,
Charged he hath this day
His men of might in his own sight
All young children to slay.
That woe is me, poor child, for thee
And ever mourn and may
For thy parting neither say nor sing,
"Bye bye, lully, lullay.'
Lully, lullay, thou little tiny child,
Bye bye, lully, lullay
Reading Matthew 2:1 – 12
Read by Ewan Brown (NT p1)
The Visit of the Wise Men
2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, ‘Where is the child
who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising
and have come to pay him homage.’ 3 When King Herod heard this, he was
frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief
priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah
was to be born. 5 They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been
written by the prophet:
6 “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”’
7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the
exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem,
saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found
him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ 9 When
they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the
star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where
the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were
overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with
Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then,
opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense,
and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they left for their own country by another road
Reader: For the Word of God revealed through Scripture.
ALL: Thanks be to God
Hymn 325 Bethlehem, A Noble City
(t. Stuttgart)
Sermon ‘Still Seeking at the Gate of the Year’
Revd Dr Sandy Forsyth
Hymn What Child is This
(t. Greensleeves)
Prayer of Dedication and for Others
Hymn 320 Joy to the World
(t. Antioch)
Closing Responses
Leader: Lord, where is the light?
All: It is now here, on your path so that you won’t stumble.
Leader: It is now here, in your heart so that you will not fear.
All: It is now here, in your soul to bring you hope.
Leader: The Light is given to you and to all the world.
All: Trust in the Light. Watch and follow, it is now here.
Benediction and Threefold Amen
Organ Postlude
The Magi
Now as at all times I can see in the mind’s eye,
In their stiff, painted clothes, the pale unsatisfied ones
Appear and disappear in the blue depth of the sky
With all their ancient faces like rain-beaten stones,
And all their helms of silver hovering side by side,
And all their eyes still fixed, hoping to find once more,
Being by Calvary’s turbulence unsatisfied,
The uncontrollable mystery on the bestial floor.
WB Yeats (1914)
***
THIS MORNING’S CHOIR MUSIC The Spanish Renaissance composer
Francisco Guerrero, unlike his better known compatriot Victoria who spent
most of his musical life in Italy, worked largely in Seville and with a
colourful history. He paid a visit to the Holy Land and on his return journey
was attacked by pirates, captured and ransomed. In the introit the
sopranos sing a hymn like chant with polyphonic decoration by the three
lower parts
The anthem is a well-known carol. It is the only surviving item from the
15th Century Coventry Mystery Play edited by Robert Croo in 1532, though
the pageant had been known since 1392. The carol is sung by women of
Bethlehem immediately after the angel’s warning to Joseph to take his
family to Egypt. This arrangement by Martin Shaw was made famous by a
BBC performance at Christmas 1940 from the ruins of the recently bombed
Cathedral of Coventry.
***
NEWS AND INTIMATIONS
1. SPECIAL SERVICE NEXT SUNDAY On Sunday 15 January, we are
hosting a special joint service at 10.30am which will bring together Mayfield
Salisbury with the two local Korean congregations and the Chinese Church
which worships in our building. We will be celebrating the life and legacy of
John Ross, missionary in northern China in the late 19th Century, the first
person to translate the New Testament into Korean, and an elder at
Mayfield on his return from China until his death in 1915. Our main
speaker/preacher will be the author of a very recent biography of John
Ross, who co-incidentally is called Rev. Dr John Stuart Ross. All are welcome
to join what should be a very engaging service and a chance to share
fellowship with our sisters and brothers in Christ.
2. OPEN TO ALL Coffee and tea will be served in the McDonald Hall at
the close of the Sunday morning services. Everyone is very welcome.
3. YOUTH GROUP will return on Sunday 8 January with a game night in
the Youth Room for all ages (P6-S6) from 6.15pm - 8.00pm.
4. MIDWEEK PRAYERS You are most welcome to attend a time of
peace, prayer and reflection in the church sanctuary, this Tuesday at 10.00am.
5. WARM SPACES Mayfield Salisbury is joining a local initiative with
other church and faiths congregations. Combined, this should help to
provide warm and welcoming spaces for 5 days a week. Our warm hub is
every Friday from 1pm to 4pm in Church House, where everyone is most
welcome for tea, coffee, snacks and conversation.
6. THURSDAY CLUB Takes place on Thursdays at 2.00pm. This week, Neil
Fraser will give a talk title ‘Newington and the Southside from the archives
of Historic Environment Scotland.’ All are very welcome!
7. PASTORAL CARE If you would like to have a regular home visit or
telephone call from one of our pastoral care team, please contact me and I
will arrange that for you. If you would like to be held in prayer, or would
like us to pray for someone you know, please make your request to Kay. If
you would like to participate in our confidential prayer chain praying for
these requests, please get in touch; prayer chain emails are sent out once a
week. You can email Kay on 07587 043 191 or
8. GIVING – QR CODE Our Quick Response code is a handy way of
using your smart ‘phone or tablet’s QR app to link you to our Giving Page.
Once you have joined the Giving Page safeguards are still operative.
PLATES: Those who would have wished to use it may make use of the
offering plates situated in the vestibule and halls entrance, at the close of
the service. Regular and one-off donations are possible online at
www.give.net/20311853 (scan the QR code) or please contact our Freewill
Offerings Treasurer, Hugh Somerville on 0131 466 2446 or
www.mayfieldsalisbury.org
Scottish Charity Number SC000785
www.give.net/20311853
