Transfiguration of Our Lord Worship Bulletin | 2-19-23

St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

Transfiguration of Our Lord

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

02-12-2023     10:00AM Hybrid Worship

 

+   Gathering   +

OPENING SONG: “MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY”                                               Brown #297

THE CALL TO WORSHIP:

L   A WORD is heard…

C and a LIGHT is seen.

L   A GLOW is experienced…

C and a VISION occurs. 

L   The SON OF GOD is transfigured…

and the PEOPLE OF GOD are transformed. 

L   From the glistening GLORY of the mountaintop…

C we return to the shadowy VALLEYS of everyday life.

L   From being SAFE AND SECURE from all alarms…

C we are called to SERVANTHOOD AND SUFFERING in Jesus’ name.

L   Will we FOLLOW JESUS in his journey?

C Can we travel in the WAY OF THE CROSS?

L   Brothers and sisters, don’t ignore the VISION or refuse the MISSION.

This day and every day, let us listen to JESUS THE CHRIST.

C We want to meet the WORD-MADE-FLESH in our worship!

We seek to proclaim the LIGHT OF THE WORLD in our service!

We will love him as OUR SAVIOR AND LORD for this day and for a lifetime! 

THE PRAYER OF THE DAY  (together):

God of both the mountains and the valleys, grant us a vision, refresh our souls, transform our lives with the shining presence of Jesus. Then give us the courage and conviction to be led by Jesus on the way to the cross as we follow Him in service. Let the world see Jesus shining through our lives! So be it, Amen.

+   The Holy Word   +

FIRST READING:   EXODUS 24:12-18     [Moses on the mountain in the awesome presence of God’s glory.]

24:12 The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”

24:13 So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God.

24:14 To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.”

24:15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.

24:16 The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud.

24:17 Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.

24:18 Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

SECOND READING:   2 PETER 1:16-21    [We are witnesses to the majestic glory of God in Christ Jesus!]

1:16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.

1:17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

1:18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.

1:19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

1:20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

1:21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

BRIEF INVITATION AND APPEAL TO SERVE ON CHURCH COUNCIL:     Veronica Britto 

GOSPEL VERSE:   

“Always remember Jesus, Jesus.

Always remember Jesus, Jesus.

Always keep Him on your mind.”

THE GOSPEL:   MATTHEW 17:1-9    [Right now, Jesus glows! But soon he must suffer and die.]

17:1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.

17:2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.

17:3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

17:4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

17:5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”

17:6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear.

17:7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.”

17:8 And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

17:9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

THE SERMON: Pastor Gwen or Pastor Neil

SONG SELECTION: All Saints Choir

 

A CREEDAL STATEMENT FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH  (together):

We believe that God has been present with us in our past. In the challenges and triumphs of our individual and collective narratives, God has been there, God has seen us through, and God has done some mighty good things. God calls us to retell both the pleasant and the unpleasant, our whole story, lest we forget whose we are and where we have come from and how we got through.

We believe that God is present with us here and now as we seek to hold onto our identity as God’s children and our purpose as God’s anointed. We are called to be bearers of light, makers of justice and peace, and heralds of the good news to all the world. No matter this world’s trials, tribulations, and temptations, we will not give in, we will not give up, we will not worry about failure. We are somebody, created by God, saved by Jesus, and guided by the Spirit… with something to share, special gifts for service, compassion to offer, a story to live. We don’t believe God brought us this far just to leave us.

We believe that God will be with us as we go forward to shape our story in the days ahead. We will seek to stay in the path of faithful living and fervent loving that Jesus has demonstrated and commanded. We will hold onto the promise that, no matter what, everything is gonna be alright… that, one day, hatred and sin and suffering will cease… and that, now and forever, we are held in the loving arms of our God.   Amen.

THE PRAYERS…  We pray that the joy and light of JESUS CHRIST will touch all lives!

+   The Holy Meal   +

OFFERING OF TITHES (10% giving) AND GIFTS…  Transformed by the presence and power of Jesus, now is the time to step forward in faith to go and tell and show his light and his love in the valleys of sorrow, sin, and searching. 

SONG SELECTION: All Saints Choir

THE OFFERTORY SONG: “THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE”                    

  • This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…  (3X)

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

  • Ev’rywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine…  (3X)
  • Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine…  (3X)

OFFERING PRAYER by the Communion Assistant:

O Lord our God, You have anointed us to bring good news and to proclaim liberty, to bind up the brokenhearted and to liberate the oppressed. Help us to shine forth always and in all ways with the bright glory of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

THE PREFACE:

L   The Lord be with you.    C   AND ALSO WITH YOU!

L   Lift up your hearts! C   WE LIFT THEM UP IN LOVE FOR GOD!

L   Let us give thanks to the Lord our God! C   IT IS RIGHT TO GIVE GOD THANKS AND PRAISE!

THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.

THE LORD’S PRAYER  (spoken)

COMMUNION AND BLESSINGSAll believers in Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! We will have “continuous distribution” with wafers and either wine or grape juice. CHRIST COMES TO US IN BREAD AND WINE AND BLESSING, BRINGING US PEACE, UNITY, STRENGTH, AND HOPE! 

COMMUNION SONGS: Brown #118 Brown #281  

THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.

POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.   

+   Sending   +

BENEDICTION by the Pastor… God sends us TO SHINE with the Light of Jesus Christ in a shadowy world!

CLOSING SONG: “THE LORD IS MY LIGHT”                      Brown #61