Musical offering for Epiphany

January 6, 2026

Out of the orient crystal skies
A blazing star did shine,
Showing the place where poorly lies
A blessed babe divine.

This shining star three kings did guide
Even from the farthest east,
To Bethlehem where it betide
This blessed babe did rest.

He was born of a maid of royal blood
Who Mary was called by name,
A sacred rose which once did bud
By grace of heavenly flame.

And for the joy of his great birth
A thousand angels sing:
“Glory and peace unto the earth
Where born is this heavenly king!”
Alleluia! Alleluia!
And for the joy of His great birth
A thousand angels sing.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
A thousand angels sing:
“Glory and peace unto the earth
Where born is this heavenly king!
Sing of the joy of his great birth,
Glory and peace unto the earth!”

Out of the orient crystal skies
A blazing star did shine,
Showing the place where poorly lies
A blessed babe divine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

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Sunday funnies

January 4, 2026

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Musical offering for Epiphany

January 6, 2025

O beautiful star of Bethlehem,
Shining afar through shadows dim,
Giving a light for those who long have gone,
And guiding the wise men on their way
Unto the place where Jesus lay;
Beautiful star of Bethlehem, shine on.
Beautiful star of Bethlehem,
Shine upon us until the glory dawns;
Give us thy light to light the way
Into the land of perfect day;
Beautiful star of Bethlehem, shine on.

O beautiful star, the hope of light,
Guiding the pilgrim through the night,
Over the mountain till the break of dawn,
And into the light of perfect day,
It will give out a lovely ray;
Beautiful star of Bethlehem, shine on.
Beautiful star of Bethlehem,
Shine upon us until the glory dawns;
Give us thy light to light the way
Into the land of perfect day;
Beautiful star of Bethlehem, shine on. 

O beautiful star, the hope of rest
For the redeemed, the good and blessed,
Yonder in glory when the crown is won;
For Jesus is now that star divine,
Brighter and brighter He will shine;
Beautiful star of Bethlehem, shine on.
Beautiful star of Bethlehem,
Shine upon us until the glory dawns;
Give us thy light to light the way
Into the land of perfect day;
Beautiful star of Bethlehem, shine on.

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Sunday funnies

January 5, 2025

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Sunday funnies

January 7, 2024

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Sunday musical offering

January 7, 2024

Bethlehem, of noblest cities
None can once with thee compare;
Thou alone, the Lord from heaven
Didst for us incarnate bear.

Fairer than the sun at morning
Was the star that told His birth;
To the lands their God announcing,
Seen in fleshly form on earth.

By its lambent beauty guided
See the eastern kings appear;
See them bend, their gifts to offer,
Gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh.

Solemn things of mystic meaning:
Incense doth the God disclose;
Gold a royal child proclaimeth;
Myrrh a future tomb foreshows.

Holy Jesu, in Thy brightness
To the gentile world displayed,
With the Father and the Spirit
Endless praise to Thee be paid.

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Musical offering for Epiphany

January 6, 2023

Out of the orient crystal skies
A blazing star did shine,
Showing the place where poorly lies
A blessed babe divine.

This shining star three kings did guide
Even from the farthest east,
To Bethlehem where it betide
This blessed babe did rest.

He was born of a maid of royal blood
Who Mary was called by name,
A sacred rose which once did bud
By grace of heavenly flame.

And for the joy of his great birth
A thousand angels sing:
“Glory and peace unto the earth
Where born is this heavenly king!”
Alleluia! Alleluia!
And for the joy of His great birth
A thousand angels sing.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
A thousand angels sing:
“Glory and peace unto the earth
Where born is this heavenly king!
Sing of the joy of his great birth,
Glory and peace unto the earth!”

Out of the orient crystal skies
A blazing star did shine,
Showing the place where poorly lies
A blessed babe divine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

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Mary holding out hope for 4th wise man bearing an air fryer

January 1, 2023

From The Babylon Bee.

BETHLEHEM — According to sources close to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the young Jewish mom was touched by the gifts brought to her by the wise men: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Still, she was a bit disappointed that none of them had brought an air fryer.

“Oh, cool. Such great gifts. Thanks, guys!” she said, trying to mask her disappointment that she didn’t get the slick kitchen appliance all her friends constantly brag about while hanging out by the well or at the Nazareth Mall. “So, there’s like, just three of you? No biggie, was just making sure there weren’t others on the way or anything. Cool, cool.”

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After the wise men had departed, Joseph reportedly caught Mary wistfully looking out the stable door toward the East, thinking she heard camel hooves. “Oh, guess it wasn’t another wise man. That’s fine. I’m really happy with the gifts I got and everything. Really, if I got more, it’d be too much. Like how would we lug home an air fryer anyway? I didn’t really need one. It’s kind of impractical.”

At publishing time, Joseph had caught an envious Mary watching a Facebook story of Elizabeth opening her new air fryer and showing off some low-carb fried pickle spear recipes.

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Musical offering for Epiphany

January 6, 2022

Hail the blest morn! See the great Mediator
Down from the regions of glory descend.
Shepherds, go worship the Babe in the manger;
Lo, for His guard the bright angels attend.
Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star in the east, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our Infant Redeemer is laid.

Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining;
Low lies His bed with the beasts of the stall.
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining;
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all.
Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star in the east, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our Infant Redeemer is laid.

Shall we not yield Him in costly devotion
Odors of Eden and offerings divine,
Gems of the mountain, and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, and gold from the mine?
Brightest and best of the stars of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star in the east, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our Infant Redeemer is laid.

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Musical offering for Epiphany

January 6, 2021

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