Liturgical Notes: Season After Epiphany, MLK Jr., Black History Month | Church of the Incarnation

On Sunday, January 7, we began the Season after the Epiphany. This season (along with the Season after Pentecost) is one of the two seasons of "ordinary time," when green vestments are used, and our scriptures are read more or less in course rather than reflecting themes of specific feast days. Yet themes of the Epiphany--the public manifestation of Jesus to the world--still tend to show up in the prayers, scriptures, and hymns of this season. The first Sunday after the Epiphany always commemorates Jesus' baptism, the beginning of his public ministry, while the last Sunday in this season commemorates his transfiguration, when he was revealed in glory to his disciples before beginning his journey to Jerusalem and to the cross.

The Season after the Epiphany always includes some important moments in our civic calendar: Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday (celebrated this year on January 15) as well as Black History Month (the month of February). With these two occasions in mind, our service music for the season this year includes several pieces reflecting the contributions of Black musical culture. Our Song of Praise is "Lift Every Voice and Sing," known as the Black National Anthem, a prayer of thanksgiving and liberation written in 1900 by James Weldon Johnson. Our Offertory Hymn, "In Christ There Is No East or West," is set to music by the prominent Black composer Harry Burleigh. And Jun and our Parish Choir will be sharing a number of anthems during this season ranging from spirituals to songs by contemporary Black composers.

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