ORDER FOR WORSHIP
PRELUDE Improvisation on "Be Thou My Vision" Sean Cotty
SALUTATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
* PASSING OF THE PEACE
* GLORIA PATRI (pew card)
* CALL TO WORSHIP Joe Macaluso
Today we are celebrating the holy light that illuminated Jesus and his transfiguration on the mountain.
Light of light: transfusing & transforming light.
Divine light flooding out the shadows.
Light of love, light of delight.
Light that turns doubters into followers.
It is the same God who at the beginning said:
“Let there be light,”
who has shone in our hearts with an understanding
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
The mightiest One of all, God the Eternal,
speaks and summons the whole earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
From God’s holy mountain, God’s light, the perfection of beauty, shines out.
* HYMN No. 532 Be Thou My Vision
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
The world teaches us many ways to love, but all are based on selfish desires and needs. God teaches us how to love: completely, uniquely, unconditionally.
Let us confess our difficulty in loving as God teaches us, as we pray together;
We are hesitant to confess, Holy God,
how hard it is to love as you wish.
It is easy to love you with all that we are,
except when you ask us to love our neighbor with all that we have.
We find it hard to love our neighbor,
when it is linked to the way we love ourselves.
And it is difficult to love anyone—even You—
more than we love ourselves.
Forgive us, Love Eternal.
As you took a risk in creating us,
help us to take risks to love others compassionately,
to love ourselves genuinely,
and to love you as completely as you love us
in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
(Prayers of Silent Confession)
Kyrie (sung): Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON/WISDOM FOR LIFE
In God's Kingdom, all are loved for who they are, not what they do;
In God's Kingdom, all are forgiven for what they do, and don't;
in God's Kingdom, all are welcomed and fed by God's grace and hope.
Forgiven, loved, sent forth—we are not far from God's Kingdom! Thanks be to God. Amen.
ANTHEM: Every Time I Feel The Spirit William L. Dawson
Soloist - Patrick Mahowald
Every time I feel the spirit,
moving in my heart, I will pray.
Upon the mountain my Lord spoke,
Out of His mouth came fire and smoke;
Looked all around me, it looked so fine,
Till I asked my Lord is all was mine.
Jordan river is chilly and cold,
It chills the body, but not the soul;
There ain't but one train upon this track,
It runs to heaven and right back.
Prayer of Illumination
Almighty God, give us ears to hear your story in these words of Scripture; give us eyes to see your story in the faces of those that surround us; and give us faith enough, that by your grace, we might serve you until the end of our days. Amen.
SCRIPTURE READINGS:
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 p. 939
Luke 9:28-36 p. 843
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SERMON Options For Great Boldness Rev. Donna Field
* CONFESSION OF FAITH:
From the Belhar Confession
We believe in the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who gathers, protects and cares for the Church by Word and spirit, as God has done since the beginning of the world and will do to the end.
We believe in one holy, universal Christian Church, the communion of saints called from the entire human family.
We believe that God has entrusted to the Church the message of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ; that the Church is called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world; that the Church is called blessed because it is a peacemaker; that the Church is witness both by word and by deed to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells.
We believe that the Church must witness against and strive against any form of injustice, so that justice may roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Jesus is Lord.
To the one and only God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be the honor and glory for ever and ever.
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
Offertory: Brother James's Air Gordon Jacob
The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want,
He makes me down to lie in pastures green,
He leaders me the quiet waters by.
My soul He doth restore again and me to walk
doth make within the paths of blessedness.
Even for His own name's sake.
Yea, though I pass through shadowed vale,
Yet will I fear no ill;
For Thou art with me,
and Thy rod and staff me comfort still.
My table Thou hast furnished
in the presence of my foes;
My head with oil Thou dost anoint,
And my cup overflows.
Goodness and mercy all my days
will surely follow me;
And my Father's heart always
my dwelling place shall be.
* The Doxology (pew card)
* Prayer of Dedication
SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
*Communion Hymn (pew card)
Remembering with Love and Hope
Invitation
Communion Prayer
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Sanctus (pew card)
Mystery of the Faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Words of Institution
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Response: Hear Our Prayer, O Heavenly Father
Hear our prayer, O Heavenly Father,
for the dear Redeemer's sake. Amen.
* HYMN No. 93 All Hail The Power of Jesus' Name
* BENEDICTION
Response: Savior, Again to Your Dear Name
Grant us your peace throughout our earthly life:
comfort in sorrow, courage in the strife;
then, when your voice shall make our conflict cease,
call us, O Lord, to your eternal peace.
POSTLUDE Toccata in b-minor Gigout
All are invited to join us in Gessner Hall for coffee hour.
Announcements
Guest Preacher
We welcome to the pulpit, Rev. Donna Field, currently the president of Nassau Suffolk Classis. Recently she served the Community Reformed Church at Manhasset as transitional minister and she began a doctoral program in September. Rev. Field is also a Registered Nurse. She works as a Medical Ethicist for Northwell Health and resides in Long Island, NY with her husband Tom and daughter Victoria.
Free Concert Series
Our concert series "Music in a Sacred Space" will be returning on Saturday, March 16th with a recital by pianist Abram Korsunsky. He will be performing works by Beethoven, Chopin, and Schumann. The recital will begin at 7:30 pm in the Church on the Hill Sanctuary followed by a reception in Gessner Hall. Admission is free, and there will be a free will offering for the concert series fund.
New Members Class
Interested in learning more about what it means to be a member of Church on the Hill and about our ministries and values? A New Members class will be held after church from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on March 17 and 24 followed by lunch. The class will answer the questions above and share more about Church on the Hill's history. If you are interested, please contact Rev. Crawford.
Youth & Children Ministries
Sunday School for youths aged 9-13 will meet at 9:45 a.m. in the sanctuary, before moving to room 2C. The class finishes around 10:40 a.m. Jeanne Sarran teaches this class.
Children & Worship children aged 3-8 will be dismissed from the worship service following the Junior Sermon and will meet in room 2D with Molly Mahowald. Children can be picked up after the worship service.
Looking Ahead – Mark your calendars!
· Tues. Mar. 5 7:30 PM Adult Bible Study
· Wed. Mar. 6 7:30 PM No Indoor Yoga Class
8:00 PM Ash Wednesday Service
· Thurs. Mar. 7 10:00 AM Bargain Boutique
5:45 PM Queens Children Comm. Choir
6:00 PM Prayer Group
7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal
· Sat. Mar 9 10:00 AM Bargain Boutique
· Sun. Mar. 10 9:45 AM Sunday School classes
11:10 AM Children and Worship
PRAYER REQUESTS
Remember the following individuals in your daily prayer:
Diane Blagburn, Michael Breazzano, David Cerqueira, Jessica Costagliola, Allegra DeMelo, Lucas Ditta, Joan Dwyer, Matt Field, Frocione family, Jose Gracinda, Hotchkiss Family, Jason Knese, Marge LiBert, Jane Lynch, Jorge and Tiffany Martinez, Carol Meadows, Jean Mendler, Larry Murray, Joan Pearson, Kook Ryo, Ivanette and Harold Shinsato, Kane Shinsato, Kathy Shinsato, Janet Stillwagon, Alison Venable and Mel Werbel