The Transfiguration of Our Lord
Gathering
Prelude
“How Lovely Shines the Morning Star”
Michael Praetorius
Opening Hymn #651 (blue hymnal)
“Shine, Jesus, Shine”
Refrain
Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory;
blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow, flood the nations with love and mercy;
send forth your Word, Lord, and let there be light!
1 Lord, the light of your love is shining,
in the midst of the darkness, shining;
Jesus, light of the world, shine upon us,
set us free by the truth you now bring us.
Shine on me, shine on me: Refrain
2 As we gaze on your kingly brightness,
so our faces display your likeness,
ever changing from glory to glory,
mirrored here, may our lives tell your story.
Shine on me, shine on me: Refrain
Confession and Forgiveness
P: Blessed be the Holy One of Israel, the Word made flesh, the Power of the Most High, ☩ one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
P: Gathered in the name of Jesus, let us confess our sin against God and our neighbor.
Silence for reflection and self-examination.
P: Gracious God,
C: in Christ Jesus you come among us as light shining in darkness. We confess our failure to welcome this light. Forgive us and renew our hope, so that we may live in the light of your grace, and welcome the truth of Christ the Lord. Amen.
P: I bring you good news of great joy for all people: To you is born a Savior, Christ the Lord. Your sins are forgiven in ☩ Jesus’ name.
C: Amen.
Prayer of the Day
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: 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.
C: Amen.
The Word
Blessing of the Lector
P: Let us pray. Gracious God, your word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Send your Holy Spirit upon Sherry as she proclaims the word, so that all who receive it will no longer dwell in the shadows, but will have the light of life.
C: Amen.
First Reading: Genesis 45:3-11, 15
29 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. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; 34 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, 35 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.
The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Psalmody: Hymn #11 (maroon hymnal)
“Bow Down before the Holy Mountain of God” (Psalm 99)
Refrain (Leader):
Bow down before the holy mountain of God, the holy mountain of God.
Refrain (All):
Bow down before the holy mountain of God, the holy mountain of God.
1 The Lord is king; let the | people tremble.*
He is enthroned upon the cherubim;
let | the earth shake.
2 The Lord is | great in Zion;*
he is high | above all peoples.
3 Let them confess his name,
which is | great and awesome;*
he is the | Holy One.
Refrain
4 “O mighty King, lover of justice,
you have | established equity;*
you have executed justice
and righteous- | ness in Jacob.”
5 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God
and fall down be- | fore his footstool;*
he is the | Holy One.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests,
and Samuel among those
who call up- | on his name,*
they called upon the Lord,
and he | answered them.
Refrain
7 He spoke to them out of the pil- | lar of cloud:*
they kept his testimonies
and the decree | that he gave them.
8 O Lord our God,
you answered | them indeed;*
you were a God who forgave them,
yet punished them for their | evil deeds.
9 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God
and worship him upon his | holy hill;*
for the Lord our God is the | Holy One.
Refrain
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:12—4:2
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.
4:1 Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
The word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
LBW Setting 1
(green hymnal, p. 62)
Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia. Alleluia.
The Holy Gospel: Luke 9:28-36
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 9th chapter.
C: Glory to you, O Lord.
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.
P: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.
Children’s Sermon
Sermon
Silence for reflection and meditation
Hymn of the Day #80 (green hymnal)
“Oh, Wondrous Type! Oh, Vision Fair”
1 Oh, wondrous type! Oh, vision fair
of glory that the church may share,
which Christ upon the mountain shows,
where brighter than the sun he glows!
2 With Moses and Elijah nigh
the incarnate Lord holds converse high;
and from the cloud, the Holy One
bears record to the only Son.
3 With shining face and bright array,
Christ deigns to manifest today
what glory shall be theirs above
who joy in God with perfect love.
4 And faithful hearts are raised on high
by this great vision’s mystery;
for which in joyful strains we raise
the voice of prayer, the hymn of praise.
5 O Father, with the eternal Son
and Holy Spirit ever one,
we pray you, bring us by your grace
to see your glory face to face.
Blessing of Nursery Shelving
P: Friends in Christ: Today as we give thanks to God who transforms the whole human race and all of creation for good purposes, we seek God’s blessing upon this new shelving for the nursery. These shelves are the Eagle Scout Project of Donny Cathcart, and we ask God’s blessing upon him and all who helped to complete this service project.
A reading from the Gospel According to Matthew: “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”
Through these improvements to the nursery, we seek to provide hospitality and nurturing to the youngest of God’s children in this congregation and our community.
The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe. You made the whole earth for your glory; all creation praises you. We lift our voices to join the songs of heaven and earth, of things seen and unseen. You stretched out the heavens like a tent; you divided the day from the night; you appointed times and seasons for work and rest, for tearing down and building up. You blessed your people through all generations and guided them in life and death: Abraham and Sarah; Moses and Miriam; Isaiah and all the prophets; Mary, mother of our Lord; Peter, James, John, and all the apostles; Donny and all the saints and witnesses in your church of ages past, in whom your Spirit spoke and moved.
We give you thanks, O God, for those who labored in love and diligence in this project for the building up of your kingdom and we dedicate this shelving to your glory and praise. We ask that you use them to draw children closer to you that they might know, love, and obey your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again 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 Prayers of Intercession
A: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
After each petition:
A: Lord, in your mercy,
C: Hear our prayer.
After the last petition:
A: Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
The Peace
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
2022 Statement of Intent Card Update
Offertory
“Let the Vineyards be Fruitful” (LBW Setting 1)
(green hymnal, p. 66)
Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
and fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
that we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with your presence, and give us
a foretaste of the feast to come.
Offering Prayer
A: Merciful God, receive the gifts we bring, our selves, our time, and our possessions. Through this meal unite us as your body, shining with the light of your justice and mercy; for the sake of him who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen.
The Meal
The Great Thanksgiving
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
P: It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ; who, sharing our life, lived among us to reveal your glory and love, that our darkness should give way to your own brilliant light.
And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Sanctus
LBW Setting 1
(green hymnal, p. 69)
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might:
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
P: You are indeed holy, almighty and merciful God. You are most holy, and great is the majesty of your glory.
You so loved the world that you gave your only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.
We give you thanks for his coming into the world to fulfill for us your holy will and to accomplish all things for our salvation.
In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
C: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
P: Remembering, therefore, his salutary command, his life-giving passion and death, his glorious resurrection and ascension, and the promise of his coming again, we give thanks to you, O Lord God Almighty, not as we ought but as we are able; we ask you mercifully to accept our praise and thanksgiving and with your Word and Holy Spirit to bless us, your servants, and these your own gifts of bread and wine, so that we and all who share in the body and blood of Christ may be filled with heavenly blessing and grace, and, receiving the forgiveness of sin, may be formed to live as your holy people and be given our inheritance with all your saints.
To you, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory in your holy church, now and forever.
C: Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
P: Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray:
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 trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Invitation to Communion
P: The True Light has come into the World. Eat and drink and be filled with light and life.
The Body of Christ, broken for you.
The Blood of Christ, shed for you.
All eat bread and drink wine or juice at their seat.
Communion Hymn #710 (blue hymnal)
“One Bread, One Body”
Refrain
One bread, one body, one Lord of all;
one cup of blessing which we bless,
and we, though many throughout the earth,
we are one body in this one Lord.
1 Gentile or Jew, servant or free,
woman or man, no more. Refrain
2 Many the gifts, many the works,
one in the Lord of all. Refrain
3 Grain for the fields, scattered and grown,
gathered to one for all. Refrain
Table Blessing
P: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
C: Amen.
Prayer after Communion
A: O Morning Star, fair and bright, you have refreshed us again with heavenly food. You are our dearest treasure. Go with us now—today, tomorrow, every day—that we tell the story of your never-ending love and sing your praise both now and forever.
C: Amen.
Sending
Announcements for God’s Mission in the World
Blessing
P: God the creator strengthen you; Jesus the beloved fill you; and the Holy Spirit the comforter ☩ keep you in peace.
C: Amen.
Closing Hymn #654 (blue hymnal)
“Alleluia, Song of Gladness” v. 1, 3-4
1 Alleluia, song of gladness, voice of joy that cannot die;
alleluia is the anthem ever dear to choirs on high;
in the house of God abiding thus they sing eternally.
3 Alleluia cannot always be our song while here below;
alleluia our transgressions make us for a while forgo;
for the solemn time is coming when our tears for sin shall flow.
4 In our hymns we pray with longing: Grant us, blessed Trinity,
at the last to keep glad Easter with the faithful saints on high;
there to you forever singing alleluia joyfully.
Dismissal
A: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Postlude
“Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying”
Johann Gottfried Walther
Worship Leaders
The Rev. Emily Beckering, Pastor
Kris Keith, Music Director
Kate Wollenburg, Organist
John Cathcart, Assisting Minister
Sherry Bronner, Reader
Upcoming Events
Sunday, February 27: Transfiguration of Our Lord
9 am Sunday School / Adult Forum
10:30 am Worship Service
5:30 pm Gather Cincy Young Adults Bible Study
Monday, February 28
7 pm Council Meeting
Wednesday, March 2: Ash Wednesday
5:30 pm Bell Choir rehearsal
7 pm Ash Wednesday Worship Service
Thursday, March 3
10:30 am Bible study (Sunday’s readings)
Friday, March 4
7 pm Faith & Film Fridays: The Chosen
March 6: First Sunday in Lent
9 am Sunday School / Adult Forum
10:30 am Worship Service
After Worship: Evangelism Committee
2 pm Crochet Workshop
Monday, March 7
5:30 pm Confirmation Class
7 pm Christian Ed meeting (VBS planning)
Wednesday, March 9
6 pm Bell Choir rehearsal
Thursday, March 10
10:30 am Bible study (Sunday’s readings)
6 pm BSA Troop Meeting
Friday, March 11
7 pm Scouts Lock-in begins
Saturday, March 12
12 pm-2 pm Baby shower!
A Note of Thanks from the Family of Lee Erbeck
On behalf of the Erbeck, Pirrmann and Ford families, we would like to thank Pastor Emily and our St. Paul family for the outpouring of concern, care and love that has been extended to our family these past few months, during Lee’s illness and passing and Jane’s recent hospitalization.
Your heartfelt expressions of well wishes and sympathy through prayers, emails, texts, Facebook posts, phone calls, cards, letters, visits, food deliveries, preparation, clean-up and food for the funeral, flowers and memorial contributions, have all been welcomely received and appreciated by us all.
The love of Christ, extended through each one of you has been tangibly felt and we are forever grateful for your kindness and generosity. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Copyright Notices
Shine, Jesus, Shine: Text and music by Graham Kendrick © 1987 Make Way Music (admin. by Music Services in the Western Hemisphere). All Rights Reserved. ASCAP
Bow Down before the Holy Mountain of God: Refrain © 1999 Augsburg Fortress; tone © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
Oh, Wondrous Type! Oh, Vision Fair: Arr. © 1969 Concordia Publishing House.
One Bread, One Body: Text and music © 1978 John B. Foley, SJ and OCP Publications, 5536 NE Hassalo, Portland, OR 97213. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Hymns/anthems: Music reprinted and streamed by permission under ONE LICENSE #A-726103 and CCLI Licenses #21045423 and #21045416. All rights reserved.
Liturgical texts and service music: From SundaysandSeasons.com. Copyright © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS010308.