Hear is a call to worship based on two of the lectionary readings for this coming Sunday: Isaiah 60:1-6 and Matthew 2:1-12.

People of God, arise, shine, for your light has come!
The light of Christ has come into the world.
Immanuel.
God with us.
So arise, shine, for your light has come!
And we will follow the light–
when it shines brightly in the night sky
when it glows dimly on the horizon.
We will follow the light–
when it leads down familiar paths to expected destinations
when the road is unfamiliar and the star rests above a dubious-looking home.
We will lift up our eyes and look around.
And when we see the Christ child,
may our hearts be overwhelmed with joy.
When we are in the presence of Immanuel,
may our knees bend in worship.
When our journey brings us, finally, to the heart of God,
May our hands open in generous sharing;
May our mouths open in generous praise.

And here are some other pieces that might be useful for your worship planning this week:

• A prayer for the new year
• Sermon on Matthew 2:1-12
• T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Journey of the Magi“
• Poem by Kathleen Housley, “The Magi“