Order of Worship

This is the day that the Lord has made

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Announcements and Life Together

Call to Worship

Come, let us go to the holy mountain

and worship Christ with the disciples!

We will see Christ transformed before us.

We will see our lives transformed before Christ.

Come, let us go to the holy mountain

and worship the Son of God.

Prayer of Praise

Call to Confession

Nothing can be hidden from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth,

whose wisdom is endless, whose mercy is great.

Prayer of Confession

God of transformation, you make new life where there was old, 

dazzling light where there were shadows,

peace where there was violence, and friends where there were enemies.

Forgive us, O God, when we stand in the way of your transformative love.

Forgive us when we do not live as people who have been changed by your grace.

Call us to the mountain once more, 

and send us out to be witnesses of your transformative grace.

Assurance of Grace

Trust in God and be renewed! So that we may rise up to fly like eagles,

run and not be weary, walk and not grow faint. In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!

Thanks be to God.

Children’s Message

Prayer of Illumination

Scripture Reading

2 Kings 2:1-12  (NRSV)

Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.” Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

This is the word of the Lord. 

Thanks be to God.

Second Scripture

Mark 9:2-9 (NRSV)

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, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 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.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. 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.

Sermon

'Chasing Mountains '

Rev. Kim Smith-Stanley

Prayers of the People

Lord’s Prayer

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 debts,

as we forgive our debtors;

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

Amen.

Offering and The Doxology

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Benediction

Let all God’s people say…

Alleluia, Amen.

Passing of the peace