The tradition of STARwords (or Star Gifts) is practiced in some congregations in the Epiphany season.  Each person in the congregation receives a star with a word on it – a word that perhaps will help guide each person in a special way during the year.  In church this Sunday during coffee hour, people shared the wisdom from their 2015 STARwords and picked new ones for 2016.

If you or anyone you know would like a STARword for the next year to guide your way and start a new conversation with the Divine, let me know in the comments and I will draw a word for you.

Write the word down and place it in a prominent place where you can see it during the year.  At the end of 2016, consider how this word has shown up in your life, guided you, or brought you insights along the way.

Then when Epiphany rolls around again next year, share your experience with your star gift with others – whether through an email, sharing during fellowship hour, posting via Facebook or a blog, or talking over tea with a friend.  In doing so, you may just help each other light the way.

If you would like to read how other people have reflected on their words, check out the blog posts here, here and here.

Below is a prayer used when passing out the Epiphany gifts, posted by Marci Auld Glass on her blog Glass Overflowing and written by her friend Michelle Thomas-Bush:

God, we acknowledge that we are not always ready to receive your best gifts for us. You have given us an epiphany word that we might be MORE.

It is often our habit to turn aside, stumble over, or even reject experiences and encounters that we later understand to be precious gifts.

Help us to be open to the gift that you offer us now through our star words.  We acknowledge that we do not fully understand what this word might mean for our faith, but we receive it from you with gratitude and pray that your Spirit will enable us to live into our word with intentionality and faithfulness. Amen.

Blessings on your journey,

Pastor Joy