• Church Envelope Numbers:  Many of you have noticed that our church envelope numbers have changed. Over the past couple of years, we have reduced the number of envelopes as many numbers were not being used. This enabled us to save funds sorely needed elsewhere. If you had a number between 401 and 700, your number is now changed. Please ensure you use your new 2022 church envelopes and write your name on the envelopes so your givings can be correctly applied to your tax receipt. Thank you.
• Christmas Hamper Project:  Thanks to all who donated to the Christmas Hamper Project this year.  Hampers were delivered on Saturday, December 18 to 24 Families (67 people).  Your kindness enabled these 24 families to have a Christmas meal. This is the true meaning of Christmas!  Hamper Team – Karen, Kathy, & Nickie
• On-line Services:  Due to the evolving situation with the Omicron virus and as per direction from the Diocese, we have cancelled in-person worship. Instead, we will resume on-line worship each Sunday at 11 a.m. Please join us on-line on our Facebook page at Parish of the Ascension. The service will be recorded and you will be able to view it at a later time on our Facebook page, as well as our YouTube channel.
• Offerings:  If you have offerings for the church, you may drop them off at the drop box on the front steps (to the right). This mailbox will be monitored regularly. We sincerely thank you!
• Office Closure:  The general office will remain closed to the public until further notice. In the event of a pastoral emergency, please contact Rev. Lynn Courage at 682-8500. If your call is not of an urgent nature, you may leave a message on the office phone, 368-5693, and someone will return your call as soon as possible.
• Pre-Authorized Givings:  If you would like to set up pre-authorized givings, please contact the church office at 368-5693 for direction.
• Church Envelopes and Donations:  Just a reminder to include your name, envelope number and amount of the giving on the envelope when you submit your donation.  This will ensure you receive credit on your yearly tax receipts. Thank you.
• E-Transfer: What a great way to contribute to the parish for your weekly offering or special project! If you would like to use an alternate method of payment, please use the following email address: [email protected] and the password is church.
• Services During the Week:
  • January 9, 2022, Baptism of the Lord: 11:00am - Morning Prayer

Our Lord, Jesus Christ, word become flesh, commanded us to pray for one another.  Let us therefore pray for God’s people everywhere, according to their own specific needs, saying:  Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Eternal God, bless your holy church. We pray for Samuel, our Bishop, the Parishes of All Saints, CBS and All Saints, Corner Brook as well as the employees of Anglican Life, that it may boldly proclaim the good tidings of salvation to all the end of the earth.  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless your servants in this congregation, that are nourished by your word and holy sacraments, we may minister in faithfulness to you and in love to one another.  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Guide the leaders of the world that they may put aside their own ambitions and strive for peace and justice among the nations. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Be with those who travel during this holiday season, that their reunions and celebrations may be occasions for joy, and that they return safely to their homes and loved ones. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Gracious God, grant health and wholeness to the sick, especially those on the Ascension Prayer Cycle, and give patience and understanding to those who minister to them.  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

As you comforted your people by sending your most precious Son, the word of life, comfort those whose lives have been shattered by the loss of a loved one, that their sorrow may be turned into joy. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

In thanksgiving, we remember before you, O Lord those saints who bore witness to the light.  Grant that we may persevere in the faith to which we have been called and at the end behold your glory.  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

All these things we ask in the name of him who came as the light in the darkness of our world, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Ascension Prayer Cycle:  Aden, Alexa, Amelia, Amy, Angela, Ann, Annie, Aubrey, Audrey, Bertha, Brenda, Brian, Brittany, Brandon, Callum, Carl, Cathy, Christina, Cindy, Claire, Clarence, Connie, David, Debra, Delilah, Dennis, Derrick, Don, Donna, Doreen, Dot, Douglas, Dulcie, Ed, Baby Edward, Edie, Edgar, Elaine, Emily, Erin, Evelyn, Finnley, Frederick, Fred, Frank, Flo, Garrett, Gary, George, Gerald, Glenda, Gordon, Harry, Ike, Ina, Ingrid, Ira, Jack, Janet, Jason, Jennifer, Jenny, John, Josephine, Joan, Junior, Kent, Kevin, Kim, Laura, Leo, Leonie, Lori, Luke, Madeline, Marie, Marsha, Mark, Marion, Marylou, Maurice, Maxine, Maxwell, Melvin, Michael, Michelle, Mike, Mona, Nancy, Oskar, Pam, Peter, Rachel, Randell, Rochelle, Rodney, Roland, Ruby, Ruth, Rita, Sadie, Sam, Sean, Shirley, Stephen, Susan, Tina, Todd, Tom, Valerie and Warwick.

WE THREE KINGS OF ORIENT ARE

We three kings of Orient are; 
bearing gifts we traverse afar, 
field and fountain, moor and mountain, 
following yonder star. Refrain:

O star of wonder, star of night, 
star with royal beauty bright;
westward leading, still proceeding, 
guide us to thy perfect light. Refrain

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain, 
Gold I bring to crown him again, 
King forever, ceasing never, 
over us all to reign. Refrain

Frankincense to offer have I; 
Incense owns a Deity nigh; 
prayer and praising, voices raising, 
worshiping God most high. Refrain

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume 
Breathes a life of gathering gloom; 
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, 
sealed in the stone-cold tomb. Refrain

Glorious now behold him arise; 
King, and God, and sacrifice: 
Alleluia, Alleluia, 
Earth to the heavens replies. Refrain

Eternal God,
who by a star
led wise men to the worship of your Son.
Guide by your light the nations of the earth,
that the whole world may know your glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. AMEN  

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. ISAIAH 60:1-6

Reader: The Word of the Lord 
People: Thanks be to God

All nations shall serve him.

Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the king's son; That he may rule your people righteously and the poor with justice; That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, and the little hills bring righteousness. R

He shall defend the needy among the people; he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor. He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another. R

 He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, like showers that water the earth.  In his time shall the righteous flourish; there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more. R

The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts. All kings shall bow down before him, and all the nations do him service. For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, and the oppressed who has no helper. R

He shall have pity on the lowly and poor; he shall preserve the lives of the needy. He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, and dear shall their blood be in his sight. R

PSALM 72:1-7, 10-14

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles - for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

EPHESIANS 3:1-12

Reader: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God

Reader: The Lord be with you
People: And also with you

People:  Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel. '" Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.  MATTHEW 2:1-12

Reader: The Gospel of Christ
People:  Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

Gracious God,
accept the offering of your Church,
the hearts of your people
joined in praise and thanksgiving,
in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. AMEN

God of all the nations of the earth,
guide us with your light.
Help us to recognize Christ as he comes to us
in this eucharist and in our neighbours.
May we welcome him with love,
for he is Lord now and for ever. AMEN

• Morning Prayer