Transfiguration Sunday B – February 11
February 11, 2024
The Transfiguration of Christ
“The Rising”
Call to Worship
From the rising of the sun to its setting
God speaks to us and summons us.
God gathers us in covenant,
God’s glory shines forth.
Let us worship God!
*This Call to Worship could be structured antiphonally (back and forth between a leader and congregation. It could be shared between two sides of a worship space, such as the side of a pulpit and the side of a lectern, if the pews and chancel are divided. Or it could be voiced as a round, with three groups alternating the three lines of each stanza, and one beginning before the other has not quite finished, to create an echo of praise. The voices could be further divided by generation: the voices of elders, the voices of in-betweeners, the voices of young people.
Invocation
Mighty God, you call to us. You call to the heavens and to the earth in covenant. And so we call to you: be present as we worship. Gather us, that we may hear your voice and respond to your ways of righteousness. We pray in the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer for Transformation and New Life
One/Presider: God invites us to come to worship as our whole selves. God offers us a new beginning day by day and week by week. Trusting in God, we pray for transformation and new life:
All: Mighty God, you call to us and summon us to live in covenant and walk in righteousness, yet we forsake your covenant and walk in ways of injustice, ignorance, or disdain. Your beauty shines forth in creation, yet we abuse and tarnish what you have created. May we be willing to do the hard thing: may we see what is happening. May we see what we do. Renew us. Let us receive a double portion of your renewing spirit. Amen.
Words of Grace
One: God’s glory shines forth, and God judges with grace and with mercy. God gives us renewed life and our spirits rise.
All: Alleluia! Amen!
*In her book The Worshipping Body: The Art of Leading Worship, Rev. Kimberly Bracken Long, PhD (Presbyterian Church USA), encourages us to preside or preach not just from a pulpit or the center of the aisle or center of the chapel, but near the baptismal font and behind the eucharistic table. This allows us to use more of the worship space and it visually ties the pulpit to the font to the table—visibly joining word and sacrament. If you led this or other prayers from the communion table last week, consider doing so again, or lead from near the baptismal font, which should be open and full of water, evoking the imagery of the Jordan as Elijah and Elisha cross at Jericho.
Invitation to Generosity
One: God’s gifts to creation and to us are abundant and ever-new. Entrusted with creation’s care and with care for one another, we share our gifts out of our own abundance.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication
Let us pray: Mighty God, you live, and you do not leave us. With these gifts, we do not leave each other, but use them in mutual support. Bless those who receive and benefit from these gifts. May they know your presence with them. With these gifts, our prayers rise up to you. Amen.
*This prayer can be offered by a pastor/presider; a congregational leader; a young person or elder, or in unison by the whole congregation.
Benediction
May you go renewed in spirit,
May you go, rising to new life,
May you go with God’s mantle of mercy
And blessing of peace upon you,
Now and forever.
Amen!
The Rising: Service Prayers for Transfiguration Sunday Year B was written by The Rev. Stephanie Perdew, PhD, Director, The Damascus Project, Shared Theological Education Ministry of the Wisconsin & Minnesota Conferences of the United Church of Christ.
