Prayer as We Gather
God of timeless wonder, we enter your sanctuary longing for respite from our hurry-up-and wait culture, jostled on all sides by the competing demands of "the next big thing." Slow us down, and give us a glimpse of the eternal stretch of your vision, as UBC moves forward seeking your face for our future. Ancient scriptural voices guide us ever onward, echoing your consistent counsel during holy mountain encounters from Moses to Jesus: "Wait. Listen. Don't be afraid." Help us obey your flawless bidding, as we gather on our own hilltop to hear your voice. Amen.* - inspired by Exodus 24
Call to Worship
The Lord rules, enthroned on winged heavenly creatures:
The nations shakes, the earth quakes!
The Lord is exalted over all the nations.
Strong, holy king who loves justice,
You established what is fair and righteous.
Magnify the Lord, our God! Bow low at God's footstool.
Moses and Aaron were among those who called upon God's name.
They cried out, and the Lord answered them from a pillar of cloud.
Lord God, you answered them, a God who forgives.
Magnify the Lord, bow low at God's holy mountain! - from Psalm 99, CEB
Morning Prayer
Thank goodness for Simon Peter's reminder, Lord: Bearing witness to Jesus never requires crafty myths, only a personal encounter with him on his terms. Across the ages, we have trusted reliable prophetic voices willing to speak truth to the powers that be, whether in the statehouse or the church house, stubborn truth flickering bravely "like a lamp shining in a dark place." Now, as the lively experiment of American democracy continues its fearsome descent into chaos, we take comfort that "no prophecy ever came by human will, but through men and women led by God's Holy Spirit." Shine, Spirit, shine through us as we resolutely follow our risen Lord, the Galilean carpenter who taught us to pray, saying …* - inspired by 2 Peter 1
Prayer of Confession
Lord, forgive our perpetual orthodox inability to "leave a tender moment alone" when it comes to your Spirit's mysterious, whimsical intrusion into our tame everydayness. Like Simon Peter's ill-timed blurting out to Jesus on the mount of transfiguration of his misguided good intentions to "make three shrines - one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah," we have a tendency to get in your way, substituting our plans for yours. In these months of pastoral transition, forgive our temptation to pull the entire congregation through the knothole of our limited individual perspective, lest we compromise your will for our church's future. Amen.* - inspired by Matthew 17 and the poetry of singer-songwriter Billy Joel
Assurance of Pardon
I have great news: God is patient with our childish willfulness, and has an expansive (if little acknowledged) sense of humor, so when we throw our little churchly tantrums God politely ignores us until we've regained our grown-up composure and are ready to hear what Peter, James and John heard in the blinding light of Jesus' transfiguration: "Hush. Listen. Get up. Don't be afraid." Thanks be to God that the Kingdom of God is not tethered to our fear-tinged shrinking of its boundaries.* - inspired by Matthew 17
Thought for a Transfiguration Sabbath
"Worship of wealth is probably the besetting sin in the church, followed closely by identification of the national interest with the will of God." - Charles Kiker, Texas farmer, preacher and professor