Morning Prayer Epiphany Season Sunday 11 January 2009

Morning Prayer Epiphany Season Sunday, 11 January 2009 The Lord be with you All: And also with you Hymn King's Taunton 2009

Blessed are you, Sovereign God, king of the nations, to you be praise and glory for ever. From the rising of the sun to its setting your name is proclaimed in all the world. As the Sun of Righteousness dawns in our hearts anoint our lips with the seal of your Spirit that we may witness to your gospel and sing your praise in all the earth. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All Blessed be God for ever. King's Taunton 2009

This opening prayer may be said The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind. Silence is kept. Together As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. All Amen. King's Taunton 2009

The Benedictus Refrain: All This is the Christ, the Chosen of God, the one who will bring healing to the nations. 1 Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, • who has come to his people and set them free. 2 He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour, • born of the house of his servant David. 3 Through his holy prophets God promised of old • to save us from our enemies, from the hands of all that hate us, 4 To show mercy to our ancestors, • and to remember his holy covenant. 5 This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham: • to set us free from the hands of our enemies, 6 Free to worship him without fear, • holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. King's Taunton 2009

7 And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, 8 To give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of all their sins. 9 In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, 10 To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. All Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen. King's Taunton 2009

Samson in Gaza King's Taunton 2009

Gaza, Sunday 11 January ‘ 09 King's Taunton 2009

Second reading The Visit of the Magi After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him. " King's Taunton 2009

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ] was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea, " they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel. ‘ " King's Taunton 2009

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him. " King's Taunton 2009

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Here ends the reading. King's Taunton 2009

Prayers • After each prayer is said ‘Lord in your mercy’ and we all say together Hear our Prayer King's Taunton 2009

Believing the promises of God, let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us All 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, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. King's Taunton 2009

The Conclusion May Christ, who sends us to the nations, give us the power of his Spirit. All Amen. Let us bless the Lord. All Thanks be to God. HYMN King's Taunton 2009