Welcome
Welcome! God loves and accepts us just as we are. Engadine Uniting seeks to be a safe place for all people to gather regardless of age, ability, sexuality, or culture. We gather today accepting each other in our diversity to seek love and joy in the presence of God. Know that you are loved and that your presence here this morning both enriches each one of us and our worship time together. A special welcome to our friends on zoom and to anyone visiting us this morning.
Acknowledgement of country
As we gather this morning to worship on Dharawal land, let us acknowledge and remember the first nations peoples who also gathered, lived, cared for and worshipped on this land. They have their own spiritual connection to the land and places which are of profound significance. This morning in our service we seek to glimpse a little of this wonder and connection and share similar moments.
Light Candle
May the presence of Christ with us today lighten all dark places and shine with brilliance to give hope, – and may it’s unwavering flame dispel shadows of doubt and despair.
Call to worship
Come away onto a holy mountaintop.
Enter the mystery of a thin place.
Come into this moment open to possibility.
Enter God’s invitation into holy encounter.
Come now,
worship our God, made known in Jesus, beloved.
Hymn
1 Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true and only Light,
Sun of righteousness, arise,
triumph o’er the shades of night;
Day-spring from on high, be near;
Day-star, in my heart appear.
2 Dark and cheerless is the morn
unaccompanied by Thee;
joyless is the day’s return,
till your mercy’s beams I see,
till they inward light impart,
glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
3 Visit then this soul of mine,
pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
fill me, radiancy divine,
scatter all my unbelief;
more and more yourself display,
shining to the perfect day.
Confession
Holy One,
help us to understand and remember
that we find meaning most truly
when we are aligned with you;
when we spend time in your presence;
when we attend to your Spirit;
when we slow down, quiet down, and listen;
and together seek to discern
how the story we inherit has spoken before,
may speak now,
and invites us to embody this story
in our living—
this story that reveals your Holy Self to us.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
God is revealed in so many ways,
all we need do is look.
So be open, pay attention,
and receive the gift of Holy Presence
to draw you into awe and wonder
and fullness of life.
Bible readings
Prayer before readings
Mystery, enfold us now.
Wonder, inspire our awe.
Voice, speak your Wisdom.
Light, invite us into understanding.
Holy God, meet us here, we pray:
Exodus 24 12-18
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there; I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up onto the mountain of God. 14 To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come back to you. Look, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.”
15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 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. 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 Israelites. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
Here we have our first mountain top experience, and the glory of the Lord as in a cloud. Mostly we don’t want cloud on a mountain as the view and visibility is obscured, I am sure you have been there. The last thing I would be thinking was oh this is the glory of the Lord. Also it was like a fire from the perspective of those at base camp. Something was happening up there. Something important. And instead of adding a stone to a cairn at the top of the climb to say I was there, Moses gets to lug two heavy stones back down with him.
The next reading is a Psalm 2 , giving us another clue to the gospel reading of today, the transfiguration of Jesus. Zion mentioned here does not equate to modern understanding, but what is modern today is all the kings and rulers meeting and conspiring together. Those of you who have sung or listened to the Messiah can hear Handel’s shuddering urgent music and all the black notes accompanying the bass solo, and then the chorus parts quite chaotically following each other.
Psalm 2
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord has them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage
and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear;
with trembling
Hymn
1 How good, Lord, to be here!
Your glory fills the night;
Your face and garments, like the sun,
Shine with unborrowed light.
2 ‘Tis good, Lord, to be here,
Your beauty to behold,
Where Moses and Elijah stand,
Your messengers of old.
3 Fulfiller of the past!
Promise of things to be!
We hail your body glorified,
And our redemption see.
4 Before we taste of death,
We see your kingdom come;
We long to hold the vision bright,
And make this hill our home.
5 ‘Tis good, Lord, to be here!
Yet we may not remain;
But since you bid us leave the mount,
Come with us to the plain.
Bible Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-19
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. 17 For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved,[e] with whom I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
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
The stress here for me is that Peter was writing as an eyewitness. We ourselves heard this voice while we were with him on the holy mountain. Traditionally Mount Tabor, lower Galilee.
Matt 17 1-9
The Transfiguration
17 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I[a] will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved;[b] with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
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.”
Video talk: https://saltbushcommunity.uca.org.au/video/the-word/the-transfiguration-of-jesus-matthew-171-9/
Let us pray:
Holy God, mighty and immortal,
you are beyond our knowing,
yet we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ,
whose compassion illumines the world.
Transform us into the likeness of the love of Christ,
who renewed our humanity so that we may share in his divinity,
the same Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who live and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Announcements
Offertory
PRAYER: We witness God’s revelation and respond as we know how.
May our response be worthy, God,
even in our misunderstanding.
May our response be enough,
so that we may join with you
seeking enough for all. Amen.
Prayers of the People
O God, as your Son drew apart
to be in prayer with you,
we offer our prayers
for the transformation of the world and the church.
Prayers of the people, concluding with:
You revealed your glory and presence
in your beloved Son, Jesus the Christ.
In receiving our prayers,
reveal the glory and presence of your Spirit
alive in the world today,
free us from all doubts,
and empower us to act as a transfigured people. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
FROM NEW ZEALAND
O most Compassionate Life-giver,
may we honour and praise you;
May we work with you to establish your new order of justice peace and love;
Give us what we need for growth,
And help us, through forgiving others, to accept forgiveness.
Strengthen us in the time of testing, that we may resist all evil,
For all tenderness, strength and love are yours, now and forever.
Amen.
Bill Wallace, Aootearoa/New Zealand
Dismissal
O God of the covenant,
the cloud of your splendour and the fire of your love
revealed your Son on the mountain heights.
Transform our lives in his image,
write your law of love on our hearts,
and make us prophets of your glory,
that we may lead others into your presence. Amen.
Love and Mystery, Light of Life,
Thank you for your presence,
for meeting us on mountaintops,
and for going with us back into the everyday.
We adore you, Love and Mystery,
Light of Life.
Alleluia! Amen.
Holy God, go with us, every day. Amen.
Hymn
Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour
first-begotten from the dead,
You alone, our strong defender,
liftest up your people’s head.
Alleluia, alleluia,
Jesu, true and living bread.
Here our humblest homage pay we,
here in loving reverence bow;
here for faith’s discernment pray we,
lest we fail to know you now.
Alleluia, alleluia,
you art here, we ask not how.
Though the lowliest form doth veil thee
as of old in Bethlehem,
here as there thine angels hail thee,
branch and flower of Jesse’s stem.
Alleluia, alleluia,
we in worship join with them.
Paschal Lamb, thine offering, finished
once for all when you were slain,
in its fullness undiminished
shall for evermore remain,
Alleluia, alleluia,
cleansing souls from every stain.
Life-imparting heavenly manna,
stricken rock with streaming side,
heaven and earth with loud hosanna
worship thee, the Lamb who died,
Alleluia, alleluia,
risen, ascended, glorified!
COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
Be attentive to the moment;
be present, remain open,
nurture your alignment with God.
For then you will be ready
to receive the gift of God’s self,
revealed in mystery; then you may
well respond with your self—
in welcome, in worship, in wisdom.
May the Holy One meet you
on mountaintops and in thin places,
on ordinary days and in small moments;
may you meet God
in creation, in community,
in care given and received.
Amen.
And may the blessing of God the proud and attentive Father, Jesus the transfigured son and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore, Amen.
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