大象传媒

Opening Announcement
The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu is the preacher for today鈥檚 Epiphany Sunday Worship. Joining him in the chapel of Bishopthorpe Palace is his wife Margaret Sentamu and the Revd Hannah Madin. The service begins with the Epiphany hymn: O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Choir:听 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness (Tune: Was Lebet, Was Schwebet,)

The Archbishop:
Greetings and a very warm welcome to Bishopthorpe Chapel for our Epiphany Service.

Margaret Sentamu:
Not everyone opens presents on Christmas Day. Today 鈥� Epiphany or 鈥榯he day of kings鈥� is when you open your Christmas presents in some countries, and a day for special cakes and celebrations in others.听 The theme of presents, which resonates with me as today happens to be my birthday, is also very much at the centre of what we remember at Epiphany. Three wise men, or magi, bearing gifts for a new baby, but not necessarily the kind of gifts any ordinary person would wish their child to receive. Perhaps they were gifts which left Mary and Joseph uncertain and asking lots of questions, something we can identify with in our own times. Archbishop Sentamu will now begin our service of morning prayer.

The Archbishop:
Preparation
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you
All听and also with you.

听This is the day that the Lord has made.
All听Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The Revd Hannah Madin:
The grace of God has dawned upon the world
through our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who sacrificed himself for us to purify a people as his own.
Let us confess our sins.

All听Lord God,
听we have sinned against you;
听we have done evil in your sight.
听We are sorry and repent.
听Have mercy on us according to your love.
听Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin.
听Renew a right spirit within us
听and restore us to the joy of your salvation;
听through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Archbishop:
听May the Father of all mercies
听cleanse you from your sins,
听and restore you in his image
听to the praise and glory of his name,
听through Jesus Christ our Lord.
础濒濒听础尘别苍.

The Revd Hannah Madin:
Blessed is the Lord,
All听for he has heard the voice of our prayer;

听therefore shall our hearts dance for joy
All听and in our song will we praise our God.

The night has passed, and the day lies open before us;
let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

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.
础濒濒听础尘别苍.

The Revd Hannah Madin:
This morning鈥檚 Psalm, Psalm 139, speaks of the intimacy of relationship between each and every person and their maker.

The Choir will sing Psalm 139.
The Congregation will join in the following refrain:
听
1听O Lord, you have searched me out and known me;
you know my sitting down and my rising up;听 you discern my thoughts from afar.
听
2听You mark out my journeys and my resting place
and are acquainted with all my ways. 听

All 听听Search me out, O God, and know my heart.听
听 听 听
3听For there is not a word on my tongue,
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
听
4听You encompass me behind and before
and lay your hand upon me.

5听Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
so high that I cannot attain it.听

All 听听Search me out, O God, and know my heart.听
听 听 听
6听Where can I go then from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
听
7听If I climb up to heaven, you are there;
if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

8听If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

9听Even there your hand shall lead me,
your right hand hold me fast.

All 听Search me out, O God, and know my heart.听

10听If I say, 鈥楽urely the darkness will cover me
and the light around me turn to night,鈥�

11听Even darkness is no darkness with you; the night is as clear as the day;
darkness and light to you are both alike.

All 听Search me out, O God, and know my heart.听

Scripture Reading

Margaret Sentamu:
A Reading from Isaiah Chapter 60

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
听听 and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
听听 and thick darkness the peoples;
but the LORD will arise upon you,
听听 and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
听听 and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
听听 they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
听听 and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses鈥� arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
听听 your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
听听 the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
听听 the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
听听 all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
听听 and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.
All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you,
听听 the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
they shall be acceptable on my altar,
听听 and I will glorify my glorious house.
Who are these that fly like a cloud,
听听 and like doves to their windows?
For the coastlands shall wait for me,
听听 the ships of Tarshish first,
to bring your children from far away,
听听 their silver and gold with them,
for the name of the LORD your God,
听听 and for the Holy One of Israel,
听听 because he has glorified you.

This is the word of the Lord.
All听Thanks be to God.

The Revd Hannah Madin:
Our anthem this morning also emphasises the intimacy of relationship between God and his people. It鈥檚 a setting of a verse of Psalm 145 by Charles Wood 鈥� Occuli Omnium - The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord: and thou givest them their meat in due season.
Music

Choir: Occuli Omnium - Charles Wood

鈥�
Scripture Reading
Thomas Harrison:
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John:
All听 Glory to you, O Lord.

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, 鈥楾hey have no wine.鈥� And Jesus said to her, 鈥榃oman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.鈥� His mother said to the servants, 鈥楧o whatever he tells you.鈥� Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, 鈥楩ill the jars with water.鈥� And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, 鈥楴ow draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.鈥� So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, 鈥楨veryone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.鈥� Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. 听听听听听听听听听听(John 2:1-11)

This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All听听 Praise to you, O Christ.

Choir: Brightest and Best (Tune: Epiphany)

The Archbishop: Sermon
Theme:听听The New Exhilaration: The Best is Yet To Be

PRAYER:

May I speak in the Name of the Son, In the Power of the Holy Spirit,
To the Glory of God the Father. Amen

鈥淥n the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee鈥� When the wine gave out 鈥︹��

In these words, the Apostle John focuses the meaning of the story which he now tells. The story of how there began on earth a New Age, a new world Order of Love. For the great object of God's Word becoming human in Jesus at Christmas was to reunite, in ties compared to the bonds of marriage, the human nature with the divine.

It's a marriage on the third day. As we reach the climax of the story which St John tells, we discover that the third day is the day of life through death. This New Age of Love is going to emerge out of death at Easter. Symbolized by the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus 鈥� Gold for the Servant King; Frankincense for the Priestly Mediator; and Myrrh for the Crucified God.

"A marriage on the third day" is a symbol of the marriage of flesh and Spirit, the marriage of ego-centricity and Love, the marriage of earth and heaven.

The wine gave out - ran out. On the physical level, wineskins are empty in Cana of Galilee. On the level of Spirit, the old order isn't bringing joy and inspiration any more.

"There were six stone water jars there" for purification according to the old religious rites.

Against this background of the old order, Jesus is now going to do a new thing. He gives two orders, and the servants carry them out as Mary told them to do.

First, "Fill the stone water jars with water." He doesn't say, "Smash up those old water pots, they are of no more use. I will draw wine down from heaven."

"Fill them with water". Water. The very stuff out of which we come, and of which we are made. In the beginning, according to the Old Testament creation story, there was only water - and a mighty wind from God sweeping over the surface of the water.

We know that life began in the ocean depths, and we know that each of us comes alive in the waters of the womb. But it isn't only that we come out of water; to some considerable extent we are water. And that's why you and I have a duty to protect the very womb of life itself - the lakes, seas, rivers and oceans of our world.

In St John's gospel water is one of the great symbols that will point us to the marriage of flesh and Spirit. As he tells of springs and wells, of pools and lakes and rivers, of water pots and buckets and basins, and ultimately of water flowing out of the side of the crucified Jesus, we come to understand that he is using water as the symbol of the raw material of our human nature.

"Fill the water pots with water!", says Jesus. He wants more human nature, not less.

"And they filled them until up to the brim". In one sense the words mean exactly that. But St John uses the word "fill" to open our eyes to the mystery of transformation towards which the action of the servants is pointing. Jesus is commanding that human nature is to be filled to the full, until no more can be poured in: until the whole of our fleshly personality, every last bit of it, is offered to the order of the Spirit, and exposed to its transforming power.

Then Jesus gives his second order: "Draw out now, and carry to the master of ceremonies." When he tastes it he is delighted.

If our Lord had preached a sermon after he turned the water into wine, what might have been said? I guess he would have told the people that the world's joy always runs out and can't be regained, but the joy he gives is ever new and ever satisfying (wine is a symbol of joy - Judges 9:13, Psalm 104:15).

In this miracle, our Lord brought fullness where there was emptiness, joy where there was disappointment, and something internal for that which was only for external use - water for ceremonial purification.

This sign, miracle, also presents a practical lesson in the service of God. The water turned into wine because the servants co-operated with Jesus and obeyed his commands. Whether we feed the hungry, tend the suffering, protect the abused, we are assisting Him in performing a miracle.

We've been created with a Spirit-shaped void and only God the Holy Spirit can fill that void.

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is simply allowing myself to be kissed by God the Holy Spirit, embraced by his love, filled with the very life of God. This is simply allowing the Creator of matter to exercise his Lordship over me as he did in the miracle at Cana in Galilee. There, the modest water saw the Creator of Matter and 鈥渂ecame the good wine鈥�. We too see our Creator and we are transformed.

A story is told of a caterpillar that was sitting on top of a tree enjoying eating the leaves. Suddenly a beautiful butterfly flew past. "Ha!", said the caterpillar to its friends, "You'll never catch me flying in one of those trendy things." What the caterpillar failed to realise was the truth that as long as it continued to eat those leaves, one day it would be gloriously transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

It's to a life "changed from glory to glory" that we are invited to 鈥� a foretaste of the power of the age to come.

And Jesus says, Come and drink and experience the new exhilaration, knowing full well that the best is yet to be. And learn to live with questions until you grow into the answers. The best is yet to be. AMEN.

听

The Revd Hannah Madin:
Our motet this morning is a setting of a prayer from Follow the Star, a set of daily reflections for the Christmas season, produced by the Church of England. 鈥楨piphany prayer鈥� was composed especially for the Archbishop of York and Margaret Sentamu by Richard Shephard.

Motet
Motet 鈥� a setting of a prayer from Follow the Star, by Richard Shephard

The Revd Hannah Madin:
Let us affirm our faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

The Creed
All听听 I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

The Revd Hannah Madin:
Prayers
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
who led the wise men to the manger鈥揷radle of your Son, Jesus, our Lord,
Draw the peoples of the earth to the fire of your love;
To serve you with a quiet mind and a burning spirit.
础濒濒听础尘别苍.

We thank you, Heavenly Father, for all the blessings you have bestowed on us: redeeming us and the world in Jesus Christ;
worshipping and witnessing to your love,
in freedom and without fear.

We pray for everyone in countries where there is no freedom of worship, liberty of conscience, and free speech;
and where they are persecuted for their faith.
础濒濒听础尘别苍.

In their loneliness, give them joy.
In their discouragement, give them hope.
In their dangers, be their guide and defender.

And so bring nearer the day when everyone will love you;
When knowing you will cover the earth as the waters cover the seas and oceans;
When all nations will be subject to the gentle and just Rule of Jesus Christ;
And Christ is all in all.
础濒濒听础尘别苍.
Collect
O God,
who by the leading of a star
manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth:
mercifully grant that we,
who know you now by faith,
may at last behold your glory face to face;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Archbishop:
Prayer for the Sovereign

Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness,
bless our Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth,
and all who are in authority under her;
that they may order all things
in wisdom and equity, righteousness and peace,
to the honour of your name,
and the good of your Church and people;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
础濒濒听础尘别苍.
The Lord鈥檚 Prayer
Archbishop
As our Saviour has commanded and taught us,
we are bold to say:

All听听 听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 them that 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.

The Revd Hannah Madin:
Thank you for joining our worship in the Archbishop of York鈥檚 Chapel at Bishopthorpe. In a moment the Archbishop will give the blessing. But first our final epiphany hymn is one of the most loved, 鈥淎s with gladness men of old, did the guiding star behold鈥�.

Choir: As with gladness men of old (Tune: Dix)

The Conclusion

The Blessing
The Archbishop:
Christ the Son of God perfect in you the image of his glory
and gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
All:听听 Amen

Organ Voluntary - Fughetta Super听"Allein Gott in der H枚h sei Ehr"听 JS Bach BWV 677