Dear Friends,
This Sunday we will celebrate Epiphany! But if you want a head start, celebrate on Jan. 6, the official 12th day of Christmas. This week’s Sunday School at Home lesson has lots of sweet ways to make Epiphany a grand finale in your Christmas season.
Our focus scripture for this Epiphany Sunday is Matthew 2:1-12, which tells the story of the Magi’s visit to the Christ Child perhaps as long as 2 years after Jesus was born. Like the rest of the Christmas story, this final piece seems to ignite our imaginations to the point where over the centuries storytellers and listeners have added colorful touches in the gaps between Matthew’s words. For example, we typically think of three magi or kings, but Matthew doesn’t give us the number of visitors. He only mentions three specific gifts. Similarly, these travelers are called kings, astronomers or astrologers, priests, wise men…and maybe there were even a few wise women? We don’t know much about these wise ones except that they paid close attention to the heavens and the stories the stars told and to dreams.
When you’ve remembered this story, what has ignited your imagination? What do you add between the lines when you tell it? And what “star” are you following in these first days of the new year?
Coming Up!
This Sunday: Epiphany Worship via ZOOM mtgs.
This Sunday’s worship will be different. We will all be together in ZOOM mtgs style to celebrate Epiphany together and to hear several star word stories! Look for the link in the Highlights. NOTE: This means there is no webinar. On YouTube we will be sharing a worship that is a gift from the leadership of our Pacific Northwest Conference.
…and Star Words. Then after worship, you are invited to come by the church to leave a star and pick up a star word! Use the star in the Sunday School at Home lesson or attached PDF to create a blessing for the whole church. Color or decorate it brightly and include a word or two of hope for Fauntleroy Church in 2021! On Sunday, you’ll find tape to attach your star to the sanctuary doors. Then you’ll find small envelops of stars hanging around the sanctuary doors. Take one for yourself and see what blessings might unfold for you this year!
As usual, consider the safety of yourself and others when coming by the church: Wear a mask. If someone is at the door, wait at a safe distance. Wash your hands and then touch things as little as possible. NOTE: If you can’t come by the church to pick up a star word, just reach out and we’ll get a word to you!
Movie Night on January 17 at 6:30! The Immigration Taskforce is sponsoring a ZOOM movie night next Sunday at 6:30 and showing “The Migrants.” A new year is bringing a new administration in Washington and hopefully a new approach to how the nation deals with immigration. We’ll watch this short important film together and then have some conversation about what might lie ahead. Plan to be there!
Blessed Epiphany!
Rev. Karyn Frazier
Fauntleroy Church, United Church of Christ
206-963-0531 (cell)
Sunday-School-at-Home-1-5-21.pdf
