SHINY

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Holy and mighty God, gather us among your faithful ones, the people of your covenant, to stand in the light of your glory and listen for the word of the Lord, Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Mighty and merciful one, you have come to us in glory; now we come

to you in prayer, saying,

Lord, by your Spirit, work through us.

We pray for your glorious creation.... Stamp out fires of destruction,

drive away clouds of pollution, and restore the beauty of this world.

Lord, by your Spirit, work through us.

We pray for the body of Christ.... Open our hearts in faith, enlighten

our minds with knowledge, and strengthen us to proclaim the gospel.

Lord, by your Spirit, work through us.

We pray for the people of all nations.... Show the nations your vision

of justice, offer the leaders your mantle of wisdom, and give the

people your blessing of peace.

Lord, by your Spirit, work through us.

We pray for those who are perishing.... Feed those who are starving,

comfort those who are suffering, and receive the dying into your

arms.

Lord, by your Spirit, work through us.

We pray for those whom we love.... Bless our families, friends, and

neighbors, help them in times of trouble, and be near when they are

afraid.

Lord, by your Spirit, work through us. Holy One, make us ready for the day when this world is transfigured,

transformed, made new— when all things will shine in the dazzling

light of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Speak to us, O Lord our God, and let the fire of your Spirit burn brightly in our hearts. Open our minds to receive the wisdom of the law, the hope of the prophets, and the life of the gospel: Jesus Christ, your living Word. Amen.

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Mark 9:2-9 ² Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, ³ and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. ⁵ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶ He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷ Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” ⁸ Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. ⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Questions for Reflection: Rev. Johan Dodge

At the transfiguration, God’s voice from the cloud bestows on Jesus

the mantle of divine authority: “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to

him!” Throughout his teaching, Jesus demonstrates a new

relationship with God that teaches each of us to see not our

brokenness or fallen nature but rather the presence of the divine

within each of us. Look in the mirror this week and see the presence

of the divine and then take that thought with you throughout your day

to see the divine in those around you. How does this change how

you see the world? How does it change how you engage with the

world?

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING -— Jeanette Williams

The God who speaks and summons the earth into being now speaks

to us, calling us to offer up our lives as a sacrifice of praise.

Gracious God, we give you thanks for the light of love around us and the fire of faith within us. As we go forth from this place let our lives reflect the One who is the image of your glory: Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen.

The very face of God shines upon you with beauty, blessing, and peace. Now go and tell the good news, the Lord of life and light is with us. Alleluia! Blessed Be the Tie that Binds Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen.