If you are looking for guidance for a longer time of Sunday worship then you are welcome to use this outline as a starting place.

Opening prayer

“Ever-Living God, whose glory was revealed in the Word made flesh; may we, who have seen such splendour in the coming of your Son, be true witnesses to your self-giving love in the world; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”

Reading

Matthew 2:1-11

The Magi Visit the Messiah

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’[b]

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Final Prayer

“Radiant God, in Jesus Christ your light shines in our darkness, giving joy in our sorrow and revealing your presence in our loneliness. Fill our hearts with your light that in the darkness of this world our lives may shine with your eternal splendour, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”