Worship resources for Jan. 22, 2023

January 22, 2023 Third Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 27:1, 4-9 Years ago, when I first started in pastoral ministry, I found myself running spiritually dry. I felt so responsible for everyone else’s spiritual life that I neglected my own. During this time, I discovered the writing of Henri Nouwen, in particular his book The Genesee Diary: Report from a Trappist Monastery. Nouwen’s honesty in this book resonated with me. He was a devoted Catholic priest in his own spiritually dry season that he described as a “restless searching.” He’d been extremely busy witnessing to God’s love through his teaching, lecturing and writing book after book, but growing more restless, like he was speaking more about God than with God. Writing more about prayer than praying. He decided he needed to step back from his life, to check himself in for spiritual rehab. “The way to ‘God alone’ is seldom traveled alone” he wrote, as he committed himself to live as a Trappist monk for seven months in the Abbey of the Genesee in upstate New York. The Genesee Diary is the compilation of his daily notes from this spiritual quest. Psalm 27 reflects the prayer of a faithful individual who is in his own season of restless searching. The lectionary schedules this psalm to appear during the season of “Epiphany,” or the season of God’s “showing,” right after we celebrate Christmas. Pastors and other church leaders weary from all their Christmas responsibilities might find themselves feeling dry in this season and crying out to God like the psalmist, “Do not hide your face from me. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation” (v. 9). You can find the rest of the commentary on our website. Order of worship for Jan. 22, 2023. These liturgies are free to use. What is Epiphany? by Katy Shevel Called to action — Uniform Standard Lessons for Jan. 22, 2023, by Richard Boyce Blessings — Weekly Christian ed lesson for Jan. 22, 2023, by Joelle Brummit-Yale Want the worship resources for January 15, 2023? You can find it here. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... Let’s celebrate the Epiphany with an eye on the future In the West, the Epiphany is about the Magi. In the East, it is about the baptism of the Lord. But it is also about the second coming of Christ. — RNS Five devotions to consider this new year Amy Pagliarella suggests five devotions to consider as you set new practices in 2023. Epiphany: God speaks to us all The story of the three Magi (magicians) in Matthew 2 reminds Aaron Neff that God is always revealing God's self in unexpected ways. Resources for Lent 2023 Outlook Book Review editor Amy Pagliarella suggests four resources for Lent 2023. An image of the Prophet Muhammad ignites an academic storm An instructor at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, showed a 14th-century painting of Muhammad. A Muslim student objected. The instructor was let go. — RNS In praise of mischief Andrew Taylor-Troutman, a father of two young boys, wonders if there is something sacred in mischief, even as it is sometimes annoying. Hope is a shape-shifter Can hope be a thing with feathers? A determined woman who won't stay down? The application of special face lotion? Karie Charlton says it is all these things and more. The liminal space of today’s theological education Brian Blount on the gravity-free, unsettling, approach to preparing church leaders. Presbyterian Outlook is hiring a group of remote, paid interns for summer 2023. Learn more. Rev. Katherine B. Harrington joins St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church Sheldon Sorge retiring from ‘best call of my life’ in Pittsburgh After more than 20 years of service to the church, Rev. John M. Semmes has announced his retirement, effective February 2023. Make your own post for free! Click here.

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