Scott's Blog
Check back here each month for the Worship and Music Ministry update from our Music Director, Scott Kamman
Notes from the Music Director
Dear friends in Christ,
Here we are, already winding down the season of Epiphany. As of February 17, we will officially be in the season of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday. In the meantime, I thought it might be interesting to actually look at the word “epiphany” for some insight. A college friend, in jest, once said he thought the word epiphany sounded like a cute, little cookie to serve with tea. Actually, the dictionary definition for epiphany is “to show" or "to make known" or even "to reveal." However, we better understand the word as suddenly “getting” something. We jokingly call “a-ha!” moments an “epiphany.” When students realize that they really do need to make sure their homework is done every day or they lose privileges... that’s an “epiphany!”
In the book “Let Us Break Bread Together,” Fred Daniel Gealy writes, “The word Epiphany is a great Christian word. The grace of God has appeared in the testimony of every page in the New Testament. My eyes have seen that God has not just shown Himself in the past; nor is His coming simply some far-off divine event. The one who manifested Himself to [all] is here. The coming One has come. The Light shines. And in the presence of this revelation we see ourselves as we are in our true relation to the world, to one another, and to God…”
Simeon expressed his “epiphany” in the temple when he took the baby Jesus in his arms and spoke eloquent words that we sing in the Nunc Dimittis: “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace; according to Thy word, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou has prepared before the face of all people: A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.” What an “a-ha!” for him!
Praise be to God for Epiphany! As writer Christopher Wordsworth put it:
Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord, present in Thy holy Word—
Grace to imitate Thee now and be pure, as pure art Thou;
That we might become like Thee at Thy great epiphany
And may praise Thee, ever blest, God in man made manifest. LSB 394, v. 5
Hope to see you in worship!
Yours in HIM,
Scott Kamman
Director of Music