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Call to Worship (based on Psalm 50)

L: The mighty one, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
P: Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.
L: Our God comes and does not keep silence, before him is a devouring fire, and a mighty tempest all around him.
P: He calls to the heavens above and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
L:"Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!"
All: The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge

 

Call to Worship

L: Let’s go up the mountain. To the place of voices and conversations,
to the place of listening.
P: To the place of meeting, to the place of mists,
L: Let’s go up to the place where the land meets the sky
where the earth touches the heavens,
P: to the place of meeting, to the place of mists,
All: Let’s go up the mountain to worship Christ the King

 

Invocation:

Heavenly Father, most glorious light, as we gather together early in the morning, we are reminded of the brightness of your love. Although we must confess that we sometimes are hidden by the darkness of our sins and transgressions, we are so thankful that you have brought us to this place, the right place, so that we might feel the precious warmth of your Holy spirit. We thank you Lord for your love, your guidance and your willingness to forgive our foolish ways. Help us Oh, Lord, as we journey through the wilderness, to always see the light, to always move toward the light. Help us Oh, Lord to someday become the light that others may see in us the joy that we receive from you and eventually be worthy for others to follow. In the sweet name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

 

A Transfiguration Day Prayer:

O God of mystery and wonder, God of dazzling splendor, God of the high mountain, God of Patriarch and Prophet, God of all days and all nights and all circumstance: Beyond every qualifier, every descriptive phrase, you stand alone, enshrouded in the cloud of my unknowing. Before you I stand terrified and speechless. I fall before you, humbled and bowed down. Speak to me, O God, out of my clouded vision. Point me to the Son, the Sun. Show me your pleasure Open my ears to his voice.

 

Prayer of Confession:

Mighty God, who judges us for breaking covenant with you and for choosing to worship gods we create, we confess that our choices cast a veil over your light of wisdom, justice, and mercy. We do not listen to your word spoken through Christ. Receive our private confessions which we bring to you in silence: (Silent Prayers). Lord, have mercy upon us! Amen.

Prayer for Illumination--from the Orthodox Tradition

I give thanks to You, Holy Trinity,
that because of Your great goodness and patience
You have not been angry with me, lazy and sinful though I am,
and have not destroyed me and my sins together,
but have shown Your usual loving kindness,
and though I inclined to despair, you have moved me to glorify Your might.

Now enlighten the eyes of my mind
and open my mouth so that I may study Your sayings,
understand Your commandments,
do Your will,
sing to You with thankful heart,
and praise Your all-holy name.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and ever end to the ages of ages. Amen.

Transfiguration Prayer--prepared by William Loader

O God,
We open our eyes and we see Jesus,
the months of ministry transfigured to a beam of light,
the light of the world,
your light.
May your light shine upon us.

We open our eyes and we see Moses and Elijah,
your word restoring us, showing us the way,
telling a story,
your story, his story, our story.
May your word speak to us.

We open our eyes and we see mist,
the cloud of your presence
which assures us of all we do not know
and that we do not need to fear that.
Teach us to trust.

We open our eyes and we see Peter’s constructions,
his best plans, our best plans,
our missing the point,
our missing the way.
Forgive our foolishness and sin

We open our eyes and we see Jesus,
not casting us off,
but leading us down, leading us out -
to ministry, to people.
Your love endures forever.

We open our ears and we hear your voice,
‘This is my beloved Son, listen to him!’
And we give you thanks. Amen

 

Closing Prayer:

God of glory and mercy, before his death in shame, your Son went to the mountain top and you revealed his life in glory.  Where prophets witnessed to him, you proclaimed him your Son, but he returned to die among us.

Help us face evil with courage, knowing that all things, even death, are subject to your transforming power.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.