Opening Prayer

Please stand, if you are able and begin this worship with prayer.

"Immortal, invisible, God only wise,"
                  it is to you that we lift up our eyes.
         It is your light that helps us to find our way,
                  your presence which gives us the strength to walk the path you set before us,
                  your peace that calms our fears,
                  your hope which helps us face into today and tomorrow,
                  your love in Christ from whom nothing separate us.
"Shine, Jesus, shine..."
         ...in our worship,
         ...in our relationships,
         ...in our hearts and lives.
                     Amen.
   

Unison Confession

Forgive me my sins, O Lord.
Forgive me the sins of my youth 
                  and the sins of my age,
         the sins of my soul
                  and the sins of my body,
         my secret and my whispering sins,
         the sins I have done to please myself
                  and the sins I have done to please others.
Forgive those sins which I know
         and the sins which I do not know
Forgive them, Lord;
         forgive them in all your great goodness,
         through Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN

Hymnal #698
by Lancelot Andrewes, ca. 1600
The New Book of Christian Prayers,
© 1986 Tony Castle. Edited by Tony Castle.
Crossroad/Continuum Publishing Company.
     

Responsive Assurance

Leader:   This is the message we have heard from Jesus Christ
                           and proclaim to you,
                     that God is light and in God is no shadow at all.
People:  If we live in the light, as God is in the light,
                     then we share a common life with one another
                     and the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin.

Hymnal #707
1 John 1:5,7, adapted from NRSV and NEB
© 1992 The Hymnal Project
    

For Children
"The Real Jesus"
Mark 9:2-9

         In this children's message, taken from "Sitting on the Rainbow," by Ruth Gilmore, the storyteller begins with a scarf completely covering her head and shoulders, and asks "How many of you know who I am?" Even with her face covered, they still know who she is. Her voice and other clues give it away. Once the scarf is removed, however, the children can see more clearly who she is. The rest of the message builds upon this, as the storyteller links Transfiguration Sunday with Mark's account which underlies it. On that day, the disciples could see "the real Jesus." The message goes further than this, tying in to our need to let the real us shine through. However, you need to buy Gilmore's book if you want to read more.
       

Dedication

Dear God,
         We offer you our praise.
         We offer you our hearts.
         We offer you our money.
         We offer you our lives.
Thank you for everything you give to us. AMEN

amended from Hymnal #748
© 1992, The Hymnal Project
    

Benediction

Step forth into this week with unveiled faces, brothers and sisters.
Let your light shine, realizing that you are a reflection of the glory of God.