WELCOME
PRELUDE A Mighty Fortress Is Our God – Luther
*CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Illumined with God’s light, we gather here to celebrate God’s gifts of grace and
forgiveness.
People: God’s light reveals the path of life and inspires us to follow in the way of our Lord.
Leader: May the light of the Lord enable us to see God’s presence in all creation.
People: Enlightened by our Lord, let us come together to deepen our faith and enrich
our fellowship.
Leader: May we listen to God’s transforming truth that fashions us into a community of love,
justice, and equality.
People: Let us worship the One who is our vision and the Lord of our heart.
*HYMN OF PRAISE Be Thou My Vision #339
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art –
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
Great God of heaven, my treasure Thou art.
Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
PRAYERS OF CONFESSION (Unison)
Holy God, although You have revealed Your glory in Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have often turned from Your light.
Because of our sin and self-centeredness, we have not reflected Your grace.
Because of our resentment and intolerance, we have not conveyed Your love.
Because we have been content with injustice and indifference, we have not displayed
Your compassion.
Have mercy upon us, Lord, and renew us with courage and commitment.
Help us to live according to Your word,
so that we would reveal Your glory in all that we say and do,
for we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Silent)
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS (adapted from Psalm 103:11-12)
Leader: As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is God’s steadfast love toward
those who fear the Lord;
People: As far as the east is from the west, so far does God remove our transgressions
from us.
Leader: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel.
People: Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
MINUTE FOR MISSION Holy Cow Survey
SCRIPTURE 2 Corinthians 3:12-18
12 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13 not like Moses, who put
a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was
being set aside. 14 But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the
reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside.
15 Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds;
16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a
mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another;
for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
SCRIPTURE Luke 9:28-36
28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James,
and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his
face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses
and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure,
which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 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. 33 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. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came
and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from
the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36 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.
MEDITATION Sight and Sound
ANTHEM Down To The River To Pray – Hayes
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH from The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;
He descended into hell,
the third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
. . . Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive
us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
INVITATION TO GIVE
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
*HYMN Open My Eyes That I May See #324
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my mouth, and let me bear,
Gladly the warm truth everywhere;
Open my heart and let me prepare
Love with Thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my heart, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
*BENEDICTION
Leader: May God’s love embrace us.
People: May God’s wisdom enlighten us.
Leader: May God’s light illumine our way.
People: May God’s peace calm us.
Leader: May God’s wonder inspire us.
People: May God’s grace refresh us.
Leader: May God’s mercy renew us.
People: May the blessings of God fill us with awe. Amen.
POSTLUDE Lily of the Valley – Hayes
You are invited to be seated as we listen to the Postlude which sends us forth into the world.
