Mark 9: 2-9

Prayer for Understanding Holy One, all wisdom comes from you. Guide us now as we hear your scriptures read and interpreted. May your Holy Spirit help us understand your Word more fully and be transformed to live it out. Amen

The symbolism of Jesus going up a mountain and meeting God in a transforming way is not hard for us to catch

A mountain top experience is one of the best

It is what we felt when our first child was born

What we experienced when our child achieved an important goal

What we realized when skiing or hang gliding for the first time

On the day that Jesus was transfigured the disciples had a mountain top experience, both literally and figuratively

Only a few of the disciples were with Jesus on that day he was transfigured

And even though those men were with Jesus

Even though they had a front row seat as it were

They were still hoping for the wrong thing

We can take a lot of encouragement from the disciples

They really meant well

They wanted to do the right thing

But they so often missed the point that Jesus was trying to make

And Jesus kept teaching them and helping them

So we can have confidence that Jesus will do the same for us.

On the day of Jesus’ transfiguration

They thought the best way to commemorate what had happened was to protect the spot

To make a holy place

To have a spot to re-visit to remember that they had seen something holy

The way Jesus was hoping that they would commemorate the day was to hold it in their hearts and to take it to their world

The disciples had a vision on that day

Visions are those moments of clarity when you know something is true

Edward F Marquhart tells the following story about the moment of truth happening

The story starts with a rabbit named Mr. Hopewell

Now Mr. Hopewell was a rabbit, a white rabbit who lived in Minnesota

He lived where winter was very cold and very white

For most of the first several months of Mr. Hopewell’s life he was both cold and invisible as he blended into his background

His friends told him when spring came it would be much better

Mr. Hopewell was confused and thought spring was a person

He could hardly wait to meet Mr. Spring

He didn’t understand why his friends laughed when he said this

He knew he had something confused

So he kept any further questions to himself and waited for spring

As the weather got warmer and the grass began to grow, Mr. Hopewell went looking for spring

He asked a daffodil, a mushroom and a bear if they were spring

All gave the same answer

“I am not spring, but I would not be here if spring were not here”

When the little rabbit asked his question of a robin

The robin being a kinder soul said

“I am not spring, but I would not be here if it were not spring

Spring is not me, it is all-l-l- around and takes in all that you have seen.”

Let’s suppose that our story changes and Mr. Hopewell is a person

Mr. Hopewell was looking for the presence and glory of God.

Mr. Hopewell did not know who God really was or where to find God.

And so Mr. Hopewell went walking and looking one day

He walked through Old growth forest

He viewed the majesty of the water of Puget sound

He went to the maternity ward of a hospital where he witnessed the miracle of friends’ new babies

He went to a church

He looked at a bible

Each time he asked if these things were God,

He was told they were not the wonder and presence of God,

But that they could not be there without God

At the church, Mr. Hopewell spoke to the preacher and asked if he was God

The preacher said, “I have been called many things, but not that, I am not God, but I could not be here without God”

Mr. Hopewell, exhausted by his journey, finally approached an old man and asked,

“Sir, I have been looking for God.

I have been looking for the glory of God, for the glorious presence of God.

Do you know where I could find God?”

The old man said,

“Why you are living in the middle of God. God is aaaaallllll around you … if you have the eyes to see.” Hmmmmm.

The glory and presence of God is all around us

God is in us and we are in God

And so we are the church

Today, on Transfiguration Sunday how do we take that message to our world?

That God is all around us if we only have eyes to see

Our gospel story has Jesus reminding the disciples that God is not confined to a space or place./

These messages are essential for us in these days of pandemic and societal change

The vision we had for what the church was to be is in flux

We were raised in communities that had stable institutions that gave structure to our lives

We relied on businesses to provide employment, we looked to schools to back up the values taught at home and to prepare us for the adult world, and we counted on the church to be the place of worship and conscience

Increasingly this is not accepted in the same way

We find ourselves looking to be faithful to the older generation who are beginning to need help and who are relying upon the “middle aged” in the community

We are supporting our young adults with gifts of time, talent and treasury

And we are trying to be nurturers of the children in our midst

We are doing all of this while managing in a community whose structure is changing

In thankfulness those of us who are people of faith are able to turn to God for inspiration, transformation and motivation

We can be like those disciples who were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration

We look for the revelation that we are confident that God will give to us

The hymn writer Carl P. Daw Jr. puts it well in the first verse of his Transfiguration hymn

(Read in unison) We have come at Christ’s own bidding to this high and holy place

Where we wait with hope and longing for some token of God’s grace

Here we pray for new assurance that our faith is not in vain

Searching like those first disciples for a sign both clear and plain

While we are trying to process what it means to be the Church of Jesus Christ in North America, there are reminders of what happens when we live out the sign both clear and plain that is given by God to us

Two weeks ago I was part of a Zoom meeting for the Life and Mission Agency of the PCC

In that meeting we were told of the wonders that God is continuing to perform through the church

In Canada various congregations have been granted money from Canada Ministries to support new ministry endeavors even though we live in a time of pandemic

There have been new endeavors from high tech projects such as helping to enhance a church’s website at Two River’s Church in Guelph, to funding a spiritual care program to those in long term care facilities, to a virtual camp experience for Camp Geddie in NS, to a pastoral care outreach ministry to seniors in Kensington PEI.

There have been challenges put before us as to how to continue to both worship and nurture faith, and congregations are using strategies from those as high tech as live streaming to those as low tech as the traditional mail.

The method of sharing worship and witness may change but God has not changed

God has also seen people scramble to make sense in the midst of pandemic and changes in technology before

And the answer remains the same

“Be still and know that I am God”

Or as verse 2 of our hymn says:

(Read in unison) Light breaks in upon our darkness, splendour baths the flesh joined Word
Moses and Elijah marvel as the heavenly voice is heard
Eyes and ears behold with wonder how the law and prophets meet
Christ in garments drenched in brightness, stands transfigured and complete

At the opening worship for LMA the following verse was the text used

“I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places,

So that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel who call you by your name.”

We were reminded of the places that the people of God find God

It is not always on the mountaintop

God is also found in the deep and dark places

When we reach to God from the depths of pandemic living and from the darkness of worry about the future of the church, God gives to us the words of the prophet “those who wait for the Lord will renew their strength”

When we ask for security and growth God gives us those who need to hear the word of comfort and cheer, whether they be seniors living in differing levels of isolation, or young people who need safety and mentors, or those who need help to cope in the face of poverty

There was a time when the hope was that if we reached out to the needy around us, that they would come to worship with us

And often that happened

Today when we give we find that many people are not able to come to the worship offered at church

Maybe they are worshipping somewhere else

Maybe they mistrust organized religion

Or maybe their lives are too disorganized to be able to commit to meeting with a group of people at a set time each week

We don’t know the places people can find themselves

We do know that in our present world God invites us to give and to help in the same way that God gives and helps

If we see the light of the transfigured Jesus, we will be given the grace to give like Jesus does

Isaiah reminded us that there are treasures in darkness

Those of us in our time and place may be experiencing the darkness of uncertainty

There are those whose darkness is much deeper than ours

There are those who live in places where poverty and poor health care were problems before the pandemic

There are those who have an inadequate education

There are those who are marginalized because of their culture or race

And sometimes God has used those of us who are in North America to be the treasures of darkness for others around the world

One of the paradoxes of faith is that God answers prayers in ways that surprise and even perplex

We may ask for growth and be given chances to serve instead

We need to look to the glory of Jesus which is revealed in nature, in meditation, in reading scripture, in the love of others, in the still small voice of God, or as the prayer says  O Holy One, as the hand is made for holding and the eye for seeing,
    You have fashioned me for joy.
    Share with me, then, the vision which shall find that joy everywhere:
        in the wild violet’s beauty; in the lark’s melody;
        in the face of a steadfast person; in a child’s smile; in a parent’s love;
        in the purity of Jesus.  Amen.

One of the assurances we have from the Transfiguration is the eternal presence of God

Like the hymn says

Strengthened by this glimpse of glory, fearful lest our faith decline,
we like Peter find it tempting to remain and build a shine,
but true worship gives us courage to proclaim what we profess,
that our daily lives may prove us people of the God we bless.

Invitation to the Offering

St. Valentine’s Day reminds us of the transforming power love has in many lives. Gifts we offer to God from the heart also transform lives. Let your offering today express your love for God and God’s love for the world in Christ Jesus.

Prayer of Dedication

God of life and love, receive our gifts as tokens of our love. Bless them so they strengthen the ministries of love we undertake in Jesus’ name. May our lives shine with hope in these difficult days of wintertime, as we wait for healing and renewal through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession

Teach response - God in your mercy, hear our prayer

God of life, God of love:

You created us and set us in relationship with each other—

in families and neighbourhoods, communities and countries, cultures and nations.

We give you thanks for all the supportive relationships

which bring meaning and encouragement to our lives,

and have meant so much in times of isolation.

Help us contribute what we can to sustain the wellbeing of our community

for all who call it home.

God, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

God of our faith & our future,

there are so many pressures on homes and families today.

Draw near to those who are struggling in economic difficulty

and those burdened by the challenges to health and happiness this winter.

Work with parents and children, married partners, and next-door neighbours

who face conflict their relationships

to create solutions that express mutual respect and resolve tension.

Help our congregation support families, whatever their size or situation,

as well as people living on their own, to know your love.

God, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

God of mercy and forgiveness,

You call us to live together in peace and unity.

We pray for our neighbourhoods and our nation.

Where people are divided and bitterness turns into resentment,

show us how to work for reconciliation.

As the pandemic stretches on,

we pray for all those whose skill and dedication is needed

to support our common life.

Wherever we can, may we offer words of encouragement and appreciation

so others know much they matter to you and to us all.

God, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Today we give thanks for our church family

and for the years of worship and witness offered here.

So much has changed for us over these past few months

and we pray you will bless our leaders

who have to think carefully and creatively so congregational life continues.

We remember those of our number in need of your special attention today…

(Hold a silence)

Guide us all with your wisdom and insight

so we find ways to reach out to each other in support and friendship.

Open our eyes to opportunities to reach out beyond our own fellowship

as agents of your healing and hope

for we offer ourselves to you in Jesus’ name in the words he taught us to pray:

The Lord’s Prayer