Epiphany-7 (Yr A) Feb 19, 2023

Note: the service is being livestreamed and recorded, and will be available on our Facebook page. If you prefer a gluten-free host please notify an usher prior to the service.

PRELUDE:

Fantasia in F Johann Ludwig Krebs

Please stand as you are able.

PROCESSIONAL HYMN

“Alleluia, Sing to Jesus” [vs. 1-4] The Hymnal 1982, #460

1 Alleluia! sing to Jesus!

his the scepter, his the throne;

Alleluia! his the triumph,

his the victory alone;

Hark! the songs of peaceful Zion

thunder like a mighty flood;

Jesus out of every nation

hath redeemed us by his blood.

2 Alleluia! not as orphans

are we left in sorrow now;

Alleluia! he is near us,

faith believes, nor questions how:

though the cloud from sight received him,

when the forty days were o’er,

shall our hearts forget his promise,

“I am with you evermore”?

3 Alleluia! bread of Heaven,

Thou on earth our food, our stay!

Alleluia! here the sinful

flee to thee from day to day:

Intercessor, friend of sinners,

earth’s Redeemer, plead for me,

where the songs of all the sinless

sweep across the crystal sea.

4 Alleluia! King eternal,

thee the Lord of lords we own:

Alleluia! born of Mary,

earth thy footstool, heaven thy throne:

thou within the veil hast entered,

robed in flesh, our great High Priest:

thou on earth both Priest and Victim

in the eucharistic feast.

The Liturgy of the Word

Celebrant Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.

Celebrant Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy Name through Christ our Lord. Amen.

GLORIA The Hymnal 1982, #S280

All

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,

You alone are the most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

COLLECT OF THE DAY:

Celebrant The Lord be with you.

All And also with you.

Celebrant Let us pray.

All O God, who before the passion of your only begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Please be seated.

A Reading from the Book of Exodus (24:12-18)

The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.”

Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Please stand as you are able.

PSALM 2

1 Why are the nations in an uproar? *
Why do the peoples mutter empty threats?

2 Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt,
and the princes plot together, *
against the Lord and against his Anointed?

3 “Let us break their yoke,” they say; *
“let us cast off their bonds from us.”

4 He whose throne is in heaven is laughing; *
the Lord has them in derision.

5 Then he speaks to them in his wrath, *
and his rage fills them with terror.

6 “I myself have set my king *
upon my holy hill of Zion.”

7 Let me announce the decree of the Lord: *
he said to me, “You are my Son;
this day have I begotten you.

8 Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance *
and the ends of the earth for your possession.

9 You shall crush them with an iron rod *
and shatter them like a piece of pottery.”

10 And now, you kings, be wise; *
be warned, you rulers of the earth.

11 Submit to the Lord with fear, *
and with trembling bow before him;

12 Lest he be angry and you perish; *
for his wrath is quickly kindled.

13 Happy are they all *
who take refuge in him!

Please be seated.

A Reading From the Second Letter of Peter (1:16-21)

We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.

So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

The Word of the Lord.

People Thanks be to God.

Please stand as you are able.

GRADUAL HYMN

“Christ Upon the Mountain Peak” The Hymnal 1982, #129

1 Christ upon the mountain peak

stands alone in glory blazing;

let us, if we dare to speak,

with the saints and angels praise him.

Alleluia!

2 Trembling at his feet we saw

Moses and Elijah speaking.

All the prophets and the Law

shout through them their joyful greeting.

Alleluia!

3 Swift the cloud of glory came.

God proclaiming in its thunder

Jesus as his Son by name!

Nations cry aloud in wonder!

Alleluia!

4 This is God’s belovèd Son!

Law and prophets fade before him;

first and last and only One,

let creation now adore him!

Alleluia!

THE GOSPEL

Celebrant The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. (17:1-9)

People Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Celebrant Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Celebrant The Gospel of the Lord.

People Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Please be seated.

THE SERMON The Rev. Cricket Park

Please stand as you are able as we recite THE NICENE CREED

All:

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Please stand or kneel.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.

Silence

For all people in their daily life and work;

For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.

For this community, the nation, and the world;

For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

For the just and proper use of your creation;

For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.

For those on our Parish Prayer List: Patricia, Jim, Mary-Anna, Linda, Wayne, Judy, Juanita, Rob, Mary, George, Vern, the Bertas, Phillips, and Darnells; and for all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;

For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.

For the peace and unity of the Church of God;

For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.

For Michael, our Presiding Bishop, and Wayne, our Bishop Provisional; and for all bishops and other ministers;

For all who serve God in his Church.

For the special needs and concerns of this congregation.

Silence The People may add their own petitions

Hear us, Lord;

For your mercy is great.

We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life.

Silence The People may add their own thanksgivings

We will exalt you, O God our King;

And praise your Name for ever and ever.

We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom.

Silence The People may add their own petitions

Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;

Who put their trust in you.

Celebrant Almighty God, to whom our needs are known before we ask: Help us to ask only what accords with your will; and those good things which we dare not, or in our blindness cannot ask, grant us for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE CONFESSION

Celebrant Let us confess our sins to God and our neighbors

All Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought,

word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves; we are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Celebrant Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

Please stand as you are able.

THE PASSING OF THE PEACE

Celebrant The peace of the Lord be always with you.

All And also with you.

The congregation offers the peace of God to one another.

Please be seated

ANNOUNCEMENTS and BIRTHDAY AND ANNIVERSARY PRAYERS

OFFERTORY

Jesus on the Mountain Peak John Eggert

Please stand.

PRAYER FOR THE OFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE

Celebrant Let us pray.

Most Holy God, the author of life and creator of all that is, receive and bless our offerings this day; that the currency of worldly value may become the currency of transformation through the worship and work of this community. Amen.

The Liturgy of the Table

We welcome our visitors today, and we invite all baptized Christians to join us in receiving Communion. If you are unable to come to the priest, please notify an usher. Those not partaking of Communion are invited to come forward, cross your arms over your chest, and receive a blessing.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER B

Celebrant The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant Lift up your hearts.

People We lift them to the Lord.

Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Celebrant It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, you have caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of your glory in the face of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

THE SANCTUS Wonder, Love, & Praise #858

All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Celebrant We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.

On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Therefore, according to his command, O Father,

Celebrant and People

We remember his death,

We proclaim his resurrection,

We await his coming in glory;

Celebrant And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.

We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time, put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with St. Mark and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation.

By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever.

All Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

All Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

FRACTION ANTHEM

“O Lamb of God” The Hymnal 1982, #S155

All Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

INVITATION TO COMMUNION:

Celebrant The Gifts of God for the People of God.

THE PRAYER OF RECEPTION FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING ONLINE

(to be said by those at home)

Blessed Jesus, with your faithful people at every altar of your church where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I offer my praise and thanksgiving. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I ask you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and the life to come. Amen.

Please stand.

COMMUNION HYMN

“Draw Nigh and Take the Body of the Lord” The Hymnal 1982, #328

1 Draw nigh and take the Body of the Lord,

and drink the holy Blood for you outpoured.

2 Saved by that Body and that holy Blood,

with souls refreshed, we render thanks to God.

3 Salvation’s giver, Christ, the only Son,

by his dear cross and blood the victory won.

4 Offered was he for greatest and for least,

himself the Victim, and himself the Priest.

5 Approach ye then with faithful hearts sincere,

and take the pledges of salvation here.

6 He that his saints in this world rules and shields

to all believers life eternal yields;

7 with heavenly bread he makes the hungry whole,

gives living waters to the thirsting soul.

8 Alpha-Omega, unto whom shall bow

all nations at the doom, is with us now.

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

Celebrant Let us pray.

All Almighty and everliving God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

THE BLESSING

RECESSIONAL HYMN

“Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor” The Hymnal 1982, #307

1 Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendor,

first-begotten from the dead.

Thou alone, our strong defender,

liftest up thy people’s head.