Transfiguration Sunday Feb 27

CALL TO WORSHIP -

Lord, you have called us to the mountaintop.

Help us to look forward to where you would have us go.

Help us to listen carefully to the words of your healing love.

Open our hearts and spirits to receive your glorious directions.

Place your trust in the Lord in all your ways.

Lord, we have come here to give our lives to you. AMEN.

GATHERING SONG “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise” #834

PRAYER OF CONFESSION – (Luke 9)

Lord, you call us to draw near, yet we fail to hear your voice.

We sleepwalk through life,

ignoring the needs of people all around us

and worrying about our own desires.

Forgive us:

when we shut out the call to climb into your presence;

when we make excuses to put off that journey.

Have mercy on us, O Lord,

as we silently open our hearts and confess our sins:

(Time of silence)

Hear our pleas, O God,

and lift us to newness of life. Amen.

Words of Assurance - (2 Corinthians 3, Psalm 99, Luke 9)

The mercy of God is never ending, whose heart abounds in steadfast love. Because of the love of Jesus Christ, nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Thanks be to God. Amen

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray. Holy God, mighty and immortal, you are beyond our knowing, yet we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. Transform us into the likeness of your Son, who renewed our humanity so that we may share in his divinity, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

THE FIRST LESSON: Exodus 34:29–35

Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. Afterward all the Israelites came near and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his

face; but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

PSALM 99

The LORD is king; let the people tremble. The LORD is enthroned upon the cherubim;

let the earth shake.

The LORD, great in Zion, is high above all peoples.

Let them confess God's name, which is great and awesome;

God is the Holy One.

O mighty king, lover of justice, you have established equity;

you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

Proclaim the greatness of the LORD and fall down before God's footstool;

God is the Holy One.

Moses and Aaron among your priests, and Samuel among those who call upon

your name, O LORD,

they called upon you, and you answered them,

you spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud;

they kept your testimonies and the decree that you gave them.

O LORD our God, you answered them indeed;

you were a God who forgave them, yet punished them for their evil deeds.

Proclaim the greatness of the LORD and worship upon God's holy hill;

for the LORD our God is the Holy One.

THE GOSPEL FOR THE DAY: Luke 9:28–43

The holy gospel according to Saint Luke. Glory to you, O Lord.

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" — not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen listen to him!" When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not." Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON “Listen To Him” Pastor Phil Wold

HYMN OF THE DAY “Hosanna, All Hail the Power"

THE APOSTLES CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church, the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

THE OFFERING AND OFFERING PRAYER

Let us pray. Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts: our selves, our time, and our possessions. Use us, and what we have gathered, in feeding the world with your love, through the one who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

THE SERVICE OF PRAYERS FOR HEALING

Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

Let us pray for all who suffer, all in pain or grief or any kind of affliction…

O, God, grant your healing through Jesus Christ, truly our hope is in you!

Let us pray for recovery from sickness, that God may grant healing and wholeness…

O, God, grant your healing through Jesus Christ, truly our hope is in you!

Let us pray for healing in our communities, between nations, among peoples, within families…

O, God, grant your healing through Jesus Christ, truly our hope is in you!

Let us pray for all those who depend upon our prayers…

O, God, grant your healing through Jesus Christ, truly our hope is in you!

Father in heaven, for Jesus’ sake, send your Holy Spirit upon your servants, drive away all sickness of body and spirit; make whole that which is broken; deliver us from the power of evil; and preserve us in true faith, to share in the power of Christ’s resurrection and to serve you with all the saints now and evermore. Amen

THE SIGN OF PEACE IS SHARED

The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you.

NOISY OFFERING

THE LORD'S PRAYER

BLESSING

SENDING SONG “This Little Light of Mine”

SENDING

Go in peace. Share the good news. Thanks be to God.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

POSTLUDE “Beautiful Savior" #838