-We Gather as God’s People- North following our own narrow visions, intuition, and way.

CAROL We Three Kings
CALL TO WORSHIP
Arise, shine! In Christ, God’s light has been revealed to us;
It reaches across time and space,
We have come to see; we have come to follow!
Arise shine! In Christ, God’s light has been revealed to all;
God’s glory has been unveiled in all the earth.
May we go and tell; may we go and share
God’s light with our needy world.
Come and see!
The light of God has come into our world.
The light proclaims God’s justice and love.
It has overcome the darkness and brought new life.
Come and follow!
Christ our king has redeemed our world.
He draws us into a loving family
from every tribe and family and culture.
Go and tell!
The Spirit has equipped us for service.
To love our neighbors as we do ourselves,
to bring God’s salvation to the ends of the earth.
CAROL Carol of the Epiphany FWS 2094
PASSING THE PEACE
YOUNG PEOPLE’S MESSAGE
Star with Royal Beauty Bright . . .
them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the
child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I
Lord, this year, we will follow the Star of Bethlehem. 
 may also go and pay him homage.”
The Star of Hope.
 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead
UMH 254 The Star of Peace.
 of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it
The Star of Joy.
 stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw
The Star of Love.
 that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
The Star that is You.
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,
-We Listen for God’s Word- frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream
not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by
another road.
FIRST LESSON Isaiah 60:1-5a
Arise, shine; for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
 -We Respond to God’s Word-
For darkness shall cover the earth,

and thick darkness the peoples;

but the Lord will arise upon you,
 REFLECTION Resolution, Revolution, Evolution
and his glory will appear over you.

WESLEY’S COVENANT SERVICE
Nations shall come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
HYMN Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence UMH 626
Lift up your eyes and look around;

they all gather together, they come to you;

COMMUNION
your sons shall come from far away,

and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.

Then you shall see and be radiant;

your heart shall thrill and rejoice -We Go Into God’s World-
GOSPEL LESSON Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem ANNOUNCEMENTS
of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking,
“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For BENEDICTION
we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him

j
homage.”
JAZZ DUET Go Tell It on the Mountain Kathryn
& Richard When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all
EPIPHANY PRAYER OF CONFESSION Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests
Lord, this year, we will follow the Star of Bethlehem. and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the
Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Essex Eats Out Schedule
Too long we've gone the wrong way,
 Jan 12 - Holy Family Jan 19 - St. James
followed the wrong stars! Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: Jan 26 - EUMC
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
We went South following stars of status, greed, and lust.

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; Birthdays & Anniversaries
Star of Wonder . . . for from you shall come a ruler Jan 7 - Sherry Marcoux & Paula Pickering
We went East following stars of racism, nationalism and war.
 who is to shepherd my people Israel. Jan 10 - Marlene Hodgdon Jan 11 - Charlotte Evans
Star of Light . . . Jan 12 - Sandra Sinkewicz & Moses Cleveland
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from
them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent
 Announcements Here are people, places, & concerns folk have recently lifted up.
Please keep them in your prayers at home.
Directories for 2018 are available in the narthex. Please call or email the church office to add to the prayer list.
Ongoing Prayers Lifted Up Last Sunday
New Usher Greeter/Schedule for Jan & Feb 2018 is in Narthex
Tim Jody- family of Marie Claire Pluckett
Food Shelf Needs: Spaghetti Sauce, Peanut Butter, Mac & Lenore who died of cancer
Cheese, Canned Fruit Michael Parker Gil- family of Donald
Keenan Nancy- father-in-law with pneumonia
Prayer Cards on the narthex table; let someone know we are
thinking and praying for them. Arlitha Donna- Nancy B grieving
Callie Kathy- for the cold, homeless, and
Cards & Calls: The following church members, who can no Grace Naylor hungry on these dark, cold days
longer get out, would appreciate a card or a call - Grace Naylor,
Anne Kennison, Gloria McKeen, Mary Willard, Norma Anne Kennison Elissa- Doug Andersen & young children
Strickland, Nancy Bartlett. Gloria McKeen Judy - daughter-in-law, Laura’s family,
Mary Willard grandma passed
Grace UMC Women will be hosting their annual event “Call to
Norma Strickland Dawn - Richard, healing for his shoulder
Prayer & Self Denial” on January 8th at 6 pm. There will be a
supper and a program to follow. Let Judy Hatin know today. Judy & Diezela Dawn - the congregation as we enter
Matthew C. 2018
Elissa & Leif Kathryn - travelers
Calendar
Greg Sally - Peggy, pneumonia
Mon, 8 Jan: Monday Companions: Read to the end of The Paula DeMichele Sally - Elissa, birth of baby Paige
Year of Small Things; at Eve’s home, 7:00 pm
Don Strickland Fred- homeless people
Tue, 9 Jan: Pastor is In- The Nest Coffee Shop 10am - noon
Church Office noon-2:00pm
Mansfield Place Bible Study 2:00pm
Admin. Board, 7:00 pm

Sun, 14 Jan: Sunday School: Making Sense of the Bible, 9 am

Tue, 16 Jan: Pastor is In- The Nest Coffee Shop 10am - noon
Church Office noon-2:00pm
Mansfield Place Bible Study 2:00pm

Trustees, 7:00 pm
Essex Center United Methodist Church
Thu, 18 Jan: Food Shelf Set Up, GSLC, 6:30 pm
essex_umc@comcast.net tel. 878-8304
Fri, 19 Jan: WoWW Widows’ Luncheon, the Grand Buffet, www.essexumc.com
Post Office Square Shopping Center, 11:30 am. Ministers: the entire congregation Lay Leader: Joshua Knox
Any questions, call Vickie (879-7515)

Sat, 20 Jan: Food Shelf Distribution, GSLC, 9 am

Equipping Pastor: Rev. V. Mitchell Hay
cell tel. 881-3268 (feel free to call) mitchellhay@comcast.net
Office Manager: Heidi Evans
Essex Center
Organ: Kathryn Parker Piano: June Packard
Mon, 22 Jan: Monday Companions: Begin The Book of Joy
at Eve’s home, 7:00 pm
Guitar: Richard Randazzo Song Leader: Dana LaClair
Projection: Sam Evans, Bob McLane United Methodist Church
Tue, 23 Jan: Pastor-Parish Relations, 7:00 pm Greeter - Midge & Ken Yates
Ushers - Roger & Kathy Dodge, Dawn Hill-Fleury 7 January 2018 Epiphany Sunday
Fri, 26 Jan: Essex Eats Out at EUMC 5:30 pm