If your congregation is hoping to use star words as part of their Epiphany celebration, but you are unsure about the logistics surrounding this practice, look no further!
The ritual of the star word is simple: on Epiphany, the day the church remembers the Magi who appeared in Bethlehem and were guided by a star, congregations distribute words—often printed on stars—to each of their members. This word is to be a guiding word for the upcoming year. To read more about the point of star words, see Rev. Kristen Levens’s article, “The Point of a Star Word.”
Once you’ve decided that you are going to weave this tradition into your congregation’s Epiphany worship, you need to think through how you will do it. Here are a few things to consider, along with some recommendations. I’ve used all of these methods myself, in my years leading star words for the people I serve.
Consideration #1—the words themselves. You will need to generate enough words for everyone in your congregation or gathering. You can create your own, or you can find lists of star words all over the internet! Type “star word list” into your browser of choice, and you’ll find many options.
Consideration #2—the format of the words. I have always printed the words on cardstock, so that they are a bit heftier and more durable. They have to last a whole year, after all! You might create your own design using Canva or another design platform, or you might choose to purchase pre-designed star word PDFs that you simply print. A Sanctified Art has several you can choose from if time is running short. If you have more time, or a larger budget, I’ve seen star words imprinted on clay stars, or engraved in little star-shaped stones.
Consideration #3—including the ritual in worship. Like the considerations above, there is flexibility here, too! You could keep it very simple, and place a basket of star words at the front of the church, inviting folks to take one as they return to their seats after Communion, or you could pass baskets of star words around like a reverse-offering, having each person pick one at random from the basket as it passes them by. Alternatively, you could weave the practice into the prayer time of your congregation. Invite people forward to pick out a star word prior to the Prayers of Intercession, or Prayers of the People. Then include a prayer petition asking God to be at work in and through their star words. If you wanted to spend even more time on the star words, you could invite folks to spend time in conversation with one another after receiving their words. Provide questions to get the conversation started, like “how would you define your star word?” “What is your initial reaction upon receiving it?” “Where will you put your star word so you can see it regularly?”
However you decide to generate the words, format the words, and include the words in worship, setting the stage is an important piece. Make sure to provide a little background information about star words and the tradition of using them on Epiphany. Use something like the following:
“One of the traditions of the Epiphany season is the star word. This is just a word, printed on a star. But this word is intended to guide you throughout the coming year, as the star guided the magi. It is intended to reveal new things to you about your life and yourself, just as Jesus is revealed to us in Epiphany.”
Don’t get too hung up on the perfect way to use and integrate star words into your Epiphany worship. As Levens said in her article, “maybe the point of a star word isn’t to get it right and perfect.” Enjoy celebrating this ritual and seeing how God will use it to speak to you and your congregations in this season!
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