Transfiguration Sunday + February 14, 2021

What is our mission?

“Welcoming all to grow in faith; living Christ’s message of serving and loving neighbors near and far.”

Welcome!

While we are practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 there is also a need to imagine what worship could look like more creatively. We will have worship on Sunday mornings at 10:00am EST on our Facebook Page.

Below you will find interactive bulletins for our Sunday morning services. Bulletins will include music, prayers, scripture readings, and an audio recording of the sermon. You may choose to worship on your own schedule using the resources provided or use them to follow along in the service on Facebook. If for some reason the Facebook stream stops working you can find the video on Holy Trinity’s YouTube channel.

Licensing

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is covered under the following licenses:

CCLI: 1510407
OneLicense: 732293-A
Augsburg Fortress: SAS006846

Transfiguration Sunday Bulletin + February 14, 2021Download

Licensing

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church is covered under the following licenses:

CCLI: 1510407
OneLicense: 732293-A
Augsburg Fortress: SAS006846

+ In Deuteronomy God promises to raise up a prophet like Moses, who will speak for God; in Psalm 111 God shows the people the power of God’s works. For the church these are ways of pointing to the unique authority people sensed in Jesus’ actions and words. We encounter that authority in God’s word, around which we gather, the word that prevails over any lesser spirit that would claim power over us, freeing us to follow Jesus. +

CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS

All may make the sign of the cross, the sign marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,
whose voice is upon the waters,
whose mercy is poured out upon all people,
whose goodness cascades over all creation.
Amen.

Let us confess our sin, trusting in the abundant grace of God.

+ Silence is kept for reflection. +

Holy God,
you search us and know us.
You are acquainted with all our ways.
We confess that our hearts are burdened by sin—
our own sins and the broken systems that bind us.
We turn inward, failing to follow
your outward way of love.
We distrust those who are not like us.
We exploit the earth and its resources
and fail to consider generations to come.
Forgive us, gracious God,
for all we have done and left undone.
Even before the words are on our tongues,
you know them;
receive them in your divine mercy.
Amen.

How vast is God’s grace!
Through the power and promise of ☩ Christ Jesus,
our sins are washed away
and we are claimed as God’s own beloved.
Indeed, we are forgiven.
In the wake of God’s forgiveness,
we are called to be the beloved community
living out Christ’s justice
and the Spirit’s reconciling peace.
Amen.

GATHERING HYMN: Arise, Your Light Has Come! (ELW #314 + Verses 1 & 4 )

1 Arise, your light has come!
The Spirit’s call obey;
show forth the glory of your God
which shines on you today.

4 Arise, your light has come!
The mountains burst in song!
Rise up like eagles on the wing,
God’s pow’r will make us strong.

Text: Ruth Duck, b. 1947
Text © 1992 GIA Publications, Inc., 7404 S. Mason Ave., Chicago, IL 60638. http://www.giamusic.com. 800.442.3358. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

GREETING

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.

HYMN OF PRAISE: Lord I Lift Your Name On High (ELW #857)

Lord, I lift your name on high.
Lord, I love to sing your praises.
I’m so glad you’re in my life,
I’m so glad you came to save us.

You came from heaven to earth, to show the way.
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;
from the cross to the grave,
from the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift your name on high.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Almighty God, the resplendent light of your truth shines from the mountaintop into our hearts. Transfigure us by your beloved Son, and illumine the world with your image, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

READINGS

2 Kings 2:1-12

+ Today’s reading centers on the transfer of power and authority from the prophet Elijah to Elisha. Their travels, which retrace the path of Joshua back to Moab (the place where Moses died) and the parting of the waters, demonstrate that Elisha and Elijah are legitimate successors of the great prophet Moses. +

The first reading comes from 2 Kings beginning at the 2^nd chapter.

The first reading is from Second Kings beginning at the second chapter

¹Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. ²Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. ³The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.”
⁴Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. ⁵The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.”
⁶Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. ⁷Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. ⁸Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.
⁹When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” ¹⁰He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” ¹¹As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. ¹²Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

Psalm 50:1-6

+ The Lord heals the brokenhearted. (Ps. 147:3) +

Together we will read responsively from Psalm 50.

¹The mighty one, God the Lord, has spoken;
calling the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
²Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty,
God shines forth in glory.
³Our God will come and will not keep silence; with a consuming flame
before, and round about a raging storm.
⁴God calls the heavens and the earth from above
to witness the judgment of the people.
⁵“Gather before me my loyal followers,
those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it with sacrifice.”
⁶The heavens declare the rightness of God’s cause,
for it is God who is judge.

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

+ The spotlight of Christian ministry is not on the people who carry out ministry but on the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as God made light shine at creation, God makes the light of Jesus Christ shine in our lives through Christian ministry. +

The second reading comes from 2 Corinthians beginning at the4^th chapter.

³Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God.

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

For the Children’s message this week we invite you to check out back episodes of Morning Watch by Pastor Matt and Pastor Jesse, who are good friends of mine and ELCA pastors in Greensboro, NC. Each week day they engage children and adults alike with scripture, music, and prayer. A link to their videos is linked in the interactive bulletin found at holytrinitybellerose.wordpress.com.

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONSPre-Reader Lesson + Transfiguration SundayDownloadReader Lesson + Transfiguration SundayDownload

Mark 2:2-9

+ Mark’s gospel presents the transfiguration as a preview of what would become apparent to Jesus’ followers after he rose from the dead. Confused disciples are given a vision of God’s glory manifest in the beloved Son. +

The Holy Gospel according to Mark beginning at the 9^th chapter. Glory to you, O Lord.

²Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, ³and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. ⁴And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. ⁵Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” ⁸Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
⁹As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN OF THE DAY Oh, Wondrous Image, Vision Fair (ELW #316 + Verses 1 & 5 )

1 Oh, wondrous image, vision fair
of glory that the church may share,
which Christ upon the mountain shows,
where brighter than the sun he glows!

5 O Father, with the’eternal Son,
and Holy Spirit, ever one,
we pray you, bring us by your grace
to see your glory face to face.

Text: Sarum, 15th cent.; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818-1866, alt.

THE NICENE CREED

Let us confess our faith saying the words of the Nicene Creed.

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 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, who with the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified, who 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

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Guided by Christ made known to the nations, let us offer our prayers for the church, the world, and all people in need.

+ A brief silence. +

For the gospel proclaimed in word and deed, for communities of faith far and near, and for all who show the face of Christ throughout the world, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.

For creation: sun, moon and stars; life forming in the dark earth and ocean deep; mountains, clouds and storms, and creatures seen and unseen, and for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our stewardship of God’s creation, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.

For those responsible for safety and protection: for emergency responders and security guards, attorneys and advocates, civil servants and leaders of governments, that they witness to mercy and justice throughout the world, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.

For all who suffer this day Florence Buckley, Karen McKenzie, Dylan Pearce, Roger Tanner, Chip Haas, Barney Gallagher, Mary Kilafofski, Artie Kellerman and Madeline Kellerman, Terri Evans and Johnny Weickert, let us pray that Christ our healer transform sickness into health, loneliness into companionship, bereavement into consolation, and suffering into peace, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.

For companions on life’s journey in this worshiping community, for loved ones who cannot be with us this day, and for guidance during struggles we face, that God’s glory is revealed around and among us, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.

For comfort and healing of those who cry out to you. Surround everyone in need of healing in body, mind, or spirit with your tender presence. Come to our aid as the Coronavirus spreads globally, heal those who are sick, support and protect their families from being infected, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.

For all who experience racism as part of their daily realities, those who feel fear for their own safety and that of those whom they love. We pray for all who are not treated with the respect they deserve, for we are all your children, created in your image. We pray for those who are scared and angry that they’re fighting a seemingly endless battle for safety. We pray for the families and friends of those who have been lost. We pray for wisdom and safety for public officials and law enforcement. We pray that no more harm come to our communities by anyone for any reason. We pray for peace, and we long for a future where the dignity of all God’s children is respected and upheld let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.

In thanksgiving for the faithful departed who now rest from their earthly pilgrimage, that their lives of service and prayer inspire us in our living, let us pray.
Have mercy, O God.

Merciful God, hear the prayers of your people, spoken or silent, for the sake of the one who dwells among us, your Son, Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.

SHARING OF CHRIST’S PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you always!
And also with you!
Let us share Christ’s peace with one another.

OFFERING MESSAGE & PRAYER

Please consider continuing to mail in your offering or giving online! We continue to have expenses that need to be covered during this time. We are most grateful for your generosity.

O God,
receive these gifts as you receive us:
like a mother receives her child, with arms open wide.
Nourish us anew in your tender care,
and empower us in faithful service
to tend to others with this same love,
through Jesus Christ, our saving grace.
Amen.

OFFERTORY HYMN: We Are an Offering (ELW #692)

We lift our voices, we lift our hands,
we lift our lives up to you: we are an offering.
Lord, use our voices, Lord, use our hands,
Lord, use our lives, they are yours: we are an offering.
All that we have, all that we are,
all that we hope to be, we give to you, we give to you.
We lift our voices, we lift our hands,
we lift our lives up to you: we are an offering, we are an offering.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray in our hearts as Jesus taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory,
forever and ever.
Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CONFIRMATION

March 7th at 11:30am via Zoom. See email from Pastor Analyse for the week’s Zoom Link, class materials, and reminders about sermon notes!

ASH WEDNESDAY

We hope you will join us for worship on Ash Wednesday. The service will be available to stream at Noon on our Facebook page and will be live-streamed on Facebook and Via Zoom at 8:00pm. The information to log into Zoom will be made available soon.
Ash Wednesday Worship Materials will be available for pickup in the blue bin outside the red office doors beginning today. In the bin are devotionals for families and adults, bulletins, ashes, and communion elements. If you would like for devotional materials to be mailed to you please call the office on Tuesday or Friday morning.

THRIVENT DOLLARS

Thrivent members are reminded to direct their Thrivent Choice Dollars before they expire. Please call Ruth at the church office on Tuesday or Friday morning if you need help.

COFFEE HOUR
11:00am via Zoom. Contact Carol Robinson for additional information. It’s an opportunity to stay in touch with fellow Members.

COUNCIL MEETING
March 9^th meeting via ZOOM @ 7:30 pm

WORSHIP BULLETINS

Worship bulletins are available on Tuesdays for the following Sunday and may be found outside the red doors at the entry door for the office.

CELL PHONE DONATIONS

Holy Trinity is in need of a few more spare smartphones for Worship live streaming. If you have a spare iPhone or Android phones that you would be willing to donate please contact the church office, Ruth, Pastor Analyse, or Carol R. to make arrangements to drop them off. We can wipe the memory from the phone for you and it will be used to record video and audio. Thank you to those who have already donated. We really appreciate it.

NEW PARAMENTS

We are in the process of buying some much needed paraments for the altar. We welcome any gifts to purchase them as they are quite expensive.

WOMEN’S GROUP

February 17 via ZOOM @ 7:00 pm a discussion of the book “The Takeaway Men”

With the cloud of the Holocaust still looming over them, twin sisters Bronka and Johanna Lubinski and their parents arrive in the US from a Displaced Persons Camp. In the years after World War II, they experience the difficulties of adjusting to American culture as well as the burgeoning fear of the Cold War. Years later, the discovery of a former Nazi hiding in their community brings the Holocaust out of the shadows. As the girls get older, they start to wonder about their parents’ pasts, and they begin to demand answers. But it soon becomes clear that those memories will be more difficult and painful to uncover than they could have anticipated. Poignant and haunting, The Takeaway Men explores the impact of immigration, identity, prejudice, secrets, and lies on parents and children in mid-twentieth-century America.

COVID VACCINE

As of January 11 we are in Phase 1B of COVID Vaccination, which includes all individuals age 65 or over in addition to certain professions. To see if you qualify, find the location for your vaccination, and to make an appointment visit nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or you can call 1-877-VAX-4NYC (1-877-829-4692) NOTE: When you make an appointment you must fill out the form at https://forms.ny.gov/s3/vaccine.

If you need to find a COVID test, locations are updated by zip code weekly at nyc.gov/covidtest or by calling 1-212-COVID19 (1-212-268-4319).

Holy Trinity is happy to help you with this process. Please contact Pastor Analyse at pastoranalyse@holytrinitybellerose.org or 516-400-2438.

Other announcements are located in the downloadable bulletin at the top of this webpage.

BLESSING

God the creator strengthen you;
Jesus the beloved fill you;
and the Holy Spirit the comforter ☩ keep you in peace.
Amen.

SENDING HYMN: Alleluia, Song of Gladness (ELW #318 + Verses 1 & 4 )

1 Alleluia, song of gladness,
voice of joy that cannot die;
alleluia is the anthem
ever dear to choirs on high;
in the house of God abiding
thus they sing eternally.

4 In our hymns we pray with longing:
Grant us, blessed Trinity,
at the last to keep glad Easter
with the faithful saints on high;
there to you forever singing
alleluia joyfully.

Text: Latin hymn, 11th cent.; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818-1866, alt.

DISMISSAL

What is our mission? Welcoming all to grow in faith; living Christ’s message of serving and loving neighbors near and far.

Go in Peace. Be the light of Christ. Thanks be to God!