March 2, 2025 11 A.M.
Welcome!
Introduction
Witnesses to the glory of God in the face of Jesus reflect that glory in the world. It was true for Moses. It was doubtless true for Peter, James, and John. We pray that it will be true of all of us who see God’s glory in the word and in the supper and who are being “transformed into the same image” by God’s Spirit.
(please stand for our opening song)
We Sing: “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light” ELW 838
| I want to walk as a child of the light. I want to follow Jesus. God set the stars to give light to the world. The star of my life is Jesus(refrain) | I want to see the brightness of God. I want to look at Jesus. Clear Sun of Righteousness shine on my path, and show me the way to the Father. (refrain) |
| (refrain) In Him there is no darkness at all. The night and the day are both alike. The Lamb is the light of the city of God. Shine in my heart Lord Jesus. | |
Confession and Forgiveness
P: Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, our creator, our protector, our wellspring of life.
C: Amen.
P: Trusting that God receives our words and the meditations of our hearts, let us confess our sin.
Silence is kept for reflection.
P: Merciful God,
C: you speak blessing and compassion into the world. Forgive us for the ways we act with judgment, cruelty, or indifference. We ignore the needs of our neighbors; we resist your call to oppose injustice; we give in to scarcity and fear; we assume the worst about one another. Cleanse us from our faults and release us from their grasp. Show us your loving kindness. Restore our hearts and repair your world, that we may live in Christ’s ways. Amen.
P: God proclaims these words of assurance: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name. You are mine.” In ☩ Christ, you are forgiven. In the Spirit, you are made free. Refreshed by the waters of mercy, live anew as beloved children of God.
C: Amen.
Prayer of the Day
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.
Amen.
(Please be seated for the readings)
First Reading: Exodus 34:29-35
R: 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.
…This is the Word of the Lord
C: Thanks be to God
Psalmody: Psalm 99
1 The Lord is king; let the people tremble. The Lord is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth shake.
2 The Lord, great in Zion, is high above all peoples.
3 Let them confess God’s name, which is great and awesome; God is the Holy One.
4 O mighty king, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
5 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord and fall down before God’s footstool; God is the Holy One.
6 Moses and Aaron among your priests, and Samuel among those who call upon your name, O Lord, they called upon you, and you answered them,
7 you spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; they kept your testimonies and the decree that you 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 and worship upon God’s holy hill; for the Lord our God is the Holy One.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
R: 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.
…This is the Word of the Lord
C: Thanks be to God
Gospel: Luke 9:28-36 [37-43a]
C: <sung>
🎵 Sing: 🎶
This Little Light of Mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This Little Light of Mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This Little Light of Mine, I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
D: 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.
[37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43a And all were astounded at the greatness of God.]
…This is the Gospel of the Lord
C: Praise to you, oh Christ
Wee Worship
We Sing: “Beautiful Savior” ELW 838
| Beautiful Savior, King of creation, Son of God and Son of Man! Truly I’d love thee, truly I’d serve thee, Light of my soul, my joy, my crown. | Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands, Robed in flow’rs of blooming spring; Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, He makes our sorr’wing spirit sing. | Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight, Bright the sparkling stars on high; Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer Than all the angels in the sky. |
Sermon(Carrie Wolfe)
(please stand for the Apostles’ Creed)
Apostles’ Creed
C: 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 Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day, he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen
(please be seated)
Prayers of Intercession
With the Spirit of Christ shining upon us, let us boldly pray for the church, the world, and all of creation.
A brief silence.
Transfiguring God, through the glory of your presence, you transform us. Move the church from complacency to boldness in sharing the good news with others. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We pray for your creation. As seasons change, give patience and skill to all who tend to animals giving birth. Grant nourishing weather for the growing of crops. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We pray for all in leadership, especially for those who lead states, counties, and town councils. Give them wisdom to protect local resources so that all will flourish both now and in the years to come. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Bring your healing grace to those who feel distant from you. Speak comfort to those who need your words of mercy. We pray for those close to our communities and in our hearts (especially). God of grace,
hear our prayer.
God of our past, present, and future, lead us into new beginnings, trusting in the promise of new life in Christ. Accompany congregations needing to close, and give courage to congregations starting new ministries. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Renewing God, the saints who have gone before us witnessed to the ways you transform your church and people. We give thanks for their example and pray we carry it forward. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
We entrust our prayers to you, O God, in the sure and certain hope that your promise is revealed among the people.
Amen.
(stand)
The Sharing of the Peace:
P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: And also with you.
P: We Greet one another with the Peace of Christ
We Sing: “How Good, Lord, To Be Here” ELW 315
| How good, Lord, to be here! Your glory fills the night; Your face and garments like the sun, shine with unborrowed light. | How good, Lord, to be here, Your beauty to behold where Moses and Elijah stand, Your messengers of old. | Fulfiller of the past and hope of things to be! We hail your body glorified and our redemption see. |
Communion
P: God of grace, your love reaches to the heavens, and your abundance to the depths of the seas. Bless what we offer to your service: our gifts, our abilities, and our hearts. Let us overflow with gratitude and generosity, now and always.
C: Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
C: And also with you.
P: Rejoice before your Lord.
C: We lift them to the Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to 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. By the leading of a star he was shown forth to all nations; in the waters of the Jordan you proclaimed him your beloved Son; and in the miracle of water turned to wine he revealed your glory. 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:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of Power 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: 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.
P: 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.
P: 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: We pray for the gift of your Spirit: in our gathering; within this meal;
among your people; throughout the world. Blessing, praise, and thanks to you, holy God, through Christ Jesus, by your Spirit, in your church, without end.
C: Amen.
P: We pray as Jesus taught us:
C: 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 joy of the Lord is our strength. Come, eat this meal of gladness.
(sit)
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Prayer after Communion
Nourishing God, at this table you have refreshed us with holy gifts of food and drink. Strengthen us for service, and send us out to embody your good news of liberation and healing for the sake of the world. In the name of Christ we pray,
Amen.
Blessing
The Spirit of the triune God ☩ bless you with joy, anoint you with compassion, and send you in love.
Amen.
Announcements
| Birthdays March 3 – Nora Wolf 6 – Rodney Stebbins | Weekly Calendar Wednesday – 10 am – Stitching 10 am – Bible Study at Immanuel 6 pm – pre-service dinner 7 pm – Ash Wednesday Service Thursday – 9 am – Quilting |
We Sing: “Shine, Jesus, Shine” WOV 651
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 grace and mercy;
send forth your Word, Lord, and let there be light!
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.
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 grace and mercy;
send forth your Word, Lord, and let there be light!
Dismissal
P: Go in peace. Live in hope.
C: Thanks be to God.