OPENING VOLUNTARY This Is the Spirit's Entry Now Philip M. Young
See the text and tune at ELW 448.
Land of Rest is one of the most easily recognized American hymntunes. It comes from the shape-note tradition.
The text emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit in baptism, so it's a suitable way to enter into the Thanksgiving for Baptism that follows.
GATHERING HYMN Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (Salzburg) ELW 310
This hymn stands beautifully as a bridge between Epiphany Sunday, today's feast, and even the Sundays to come in the Time after Epiphany. Stanza one tells of the wisemen we sang about last week. Stanza two celebrates Jesus' baptism that we commemorate today and Jesus' turning water into wine that we'll encounter next week.
Throughout the coming Time after Pentecost, may we continue to praise our Lord, "God in flesh made manifest."
HYMN OF THE DAY Christ, When for Us You Were Baptized (Lobt Gott, ihr Christen) ELW 304
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A 6th century mosaic depicting the baptism of Jesus
Arian Baptistery, Ravenna, Italy |
MUSICAL OFFERING O Living Breath of God John Helgen
See the text and tune at ELW 407.
Between the second and third stanzas, the composer has added a little refrain with the text O living God, breath in us as we pray . . .dwell in us every day. The refrain is sung over a gently flowing accompaniment, suggesting the Spirit of God hovering over the waters at creation, and, perhaps, hovering over the waters at our baptism.
COMMUNION HYMNS
Wade in the Water ELW 459
Light Shone in Darkness ELW 307
Mark Sedio wrote the tune for this hymn. Looking for a water/baptism connection? He wrote it to sound like a sea chanty. And. . .he is coming to St. Mark's!
SENDING HYMN Down Galilee's Slow Roadways ACS 916
A text by the late Sylvia Dunstan, a minister in the Church of Canada, is combined with a tune by Hal Hopson, a prolific composer of church music. This hymn relates the story of Jesus' baptism by John in the Jordan River, an event to which we came with the unassuming throngs of ordinary people (soldiers, scribes, and slaves) but which revealed him as the Son of God through a voice from heaven and the descent of the Holy Spirit like a dove. Because we are joined to Jesus through our baptism, God claims us also as beloved children. (From Sundays and Seasons)
CLOSING VOLUNTARY PRELUDE IN CLASSIC STYLE Gordon Young (1919-1998)
Young was a prolific composer of church music, especially in the 70s-80s. This is one of his most popular pieces. Although it has no specific liturgical or thematic tie to the day, it's definitely suitable for a festival day!
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!
Sources:
Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship
Sundays and Seasons
Wikipedia By I, Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28215651 (mosaic)
