Welcome to our Worship Celebration for The Reign of Christ ~ November 21, 2021.
Today we celebrated the sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Baptism as we welcomed Celia into the family of God.
ALL ARE WELCOME HERE!
Readings for Reign of Christ: 2 Samuel 23:1-7; Psalm 132:1-12; John 18:33-37
Summary of the Readings: The Feast of Christ the King was instituted by Pius XI in 1925 to celebrate the kingship of Christ as a way of combating the destructive forces of this age. Originally, it was celebrated on the last Sunday of October and was seen as prelude to the celebration of All Saints’ Day. This was fitting symbolism because the triumphant Christ was seen to have motivated saints and lived on in the church’s memory of their noble deeds. The feast is now celebrated on the last Sunday of the liturgical year as the climax toward which the celebration of the year moves and toward which Christian people orient their own lives. The First Testament story from 2 Samuel tells the “last words of David,” a psalm heralding God’s everlasting covenant. As a response, the verses from Psalm 132 recall God’s establishment with the Davidic dynasty. The portion we hear from Revelation praises God as king forever and Christ as “ruler of the kings of the earth.” The Gospel story tells of the memorable account between Pilate and Jesus, where the irony makes it clear who the real king is.
Questions for Reflection: Jesus is exalted over the whole of creation through his loving allegiance to God alone. His life, death, and resurrection reveal that true power is found through loving service, and it is this that makes him King. If his life and death give a radically new meaning to the word’s “king” and “kingship” and how justice is enacted in love, how does this change your understanding of power? How does it change the way you live?
If you wish to follow along with the order of service as you watch, you can do so by going to our website, www.epiphanysudbury.org, and scroll to the bottom of the page under Recent Announcements.
Please feel free to share the link to this worship service with anyone you feel may want to worship with us, or who may be seeking a spiritual home.
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