Sunday 1 January, 2017

General:
Lectionary
2nd Sunday of Christmas (Year A)

Hymns marked with an asterisk (*) are suggested for more than one reading

Also see readings and suggestions listed for The Feast of the Epiphany (6 January).

Jeremiah 31: 7-14

Sing of a God in majestic divinity (StF 13)
Sing of the Lord’s goodness (StF 65)
The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want (StF 480)
The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want (StF 481) (Townend ver.)
You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace (StF 487)

Psalm 147: 12-20

Hymns echoing the psalmist’s theme

Glory be to God on high (StF 199)
I sing the almighty power of God (StF 107)

Ephesians 1: 3-14

Alleluia, allelluia! (StF 757) (select verses as appropriate)
All praise to our redeeming Lord, who joins us by his grace (StF 608)
As with gladness men of old (StF 224)
Come, thou fount of every blessing (StF 494)
Come, let us anew (StF 460)
Food to pilgrims given (StF 584)
God with us: Creator, Father (StF 8)
Lord, for the years your  love has kept and guided  (StF 470)
Lord Jesus Christ  (StF 594)
To God be the glory, great things he has done! (StF 94)

John 1: (1-9) 10-18

Before the world began, one Word was there (StF 101)
Birth brings a promise of new life awaking (StF 226)
Father, in whom we live (StF 5)
God has spoken - by his prophets (StF 157)
He became poor that we may be rich (StF 344)
Let earth and heaven combine (StF 208)
Stupendous height of heavenly love (StF 512)
The silent stars shine down on us (StF 231)

or

Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 24: 1-12

Everlasting God  (StF 46)
Happy are they who find the grace, the blessing of God's chosen race (StF 500)
Into a world of dark, waste and disordered space (StF 387)
O breath of life, come sweeping through us (StF 391)
Wind of God, dynamic Spirit (StF 400)

Canticle: Wisdom of Solomon 10: 15-21

Be thou my vision (StF 545)
Crashing waters at creation (StF 376)
Everyday God (StF 45)
Guide us, O thou great Jehovah (StF 465)

Ephesians 1: 3-14

As above

John 1: (1-9) 10-18

As above

Phillip Poyner reflects on the relationship between the readings for today.

Coupling the Gospel and Epistle with:

  1. Jeremiah 31 and Psalm 147 encourage rejoicing and praising God for God has blessed us, poured out grace upon us.

  2. Ecclesiasticus 24 and Wisdom 10 focus on the wisdom of God’s word in the world, through Christ, the servants of the Lord, and indwelling in the land of Jacob/Israel - all by the power of the Holy Spirit.


On this New Year’s Day we can look forward to that blessing continuing, and God’s word remaining among us in the days ahead. In many churches this will also be Covenant Sunday when we recommit ourselves to the God who blesses us and whose word inspires and sustains us; the Ephesians passage reminding us that we are redeemed, forgiven (v7), have an inheritance (v11) and are to live for his glory (v12).
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