As we gather, we recognize that we live, work, pray, and play
in the traditional, unceded lands
of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves
to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.     

Call to Worship:

This is my beloved Son,
with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.

Matthew 17. 5

O Come. Let Us Worship. 

Gathering

Almighty God:
To you all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden.
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.

Collect for Today 

Almighty God,
on the holy mount you revealed to chosen witnesses
your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured:
mercifully deliver us from the darkness of this world,
and change us into his likeness from glory to glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:

Luke 9. 28 –36

May the words of my lips and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable to You, O Lord.  Amen.

"Witnesses"

Reading from Hebrews 12:1-

The phrase "a great cloud of witnesses" is mentioned in the Bible in the book of Hebrews.

It encourages believers to run the race of faith well. The cloud of witnesses refers to those who have gone before us in faith, and their example inspires us to persevere in our own faith journey. The verse encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

And so, my title today is “Witnesses.”
    
One of the prayers we could have used today had this petition before our Lord: “Transform us into the likeness of God.”
    
Have you ever thought what that might be like? Have you ever thought what it might be like to be transformed into the image of God?
    
And then, moving on in Genesis earlier, we read how Moses’ face shone reflecting the Gory of God as he returned from the mountain with the Ten Commandments. 
    
The phrase I often like to use is, “I wonder.”
    
Can we imagine the scene? Scripture tells us as Moses approached, as he came down from the mountain, the crowd was afraid. 
    
What was their fear?
    
Was it, “When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him?”

So was it his shining face?

OR was it this (Exodus 34. 31-32)

 "But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them.
Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai."

Well then, imagine for a moment. What these Ten Commandments meant to the world.

What was the effect of these commandments on the world at that time?

Imagine! Imagine the transformation that God was calling for the people to make—for the people of Israel to make in their lives. 
    
Well, Scripture shares with us a variety of images for God revealing himself to the world: 

Pillar of a cloud. 

Like the glory of God filling the space—the void of the world.

Or
A still small voice.

Or, consider these ten:

Through His Masterful Creation

Through the Written Word—through the Holy Scriptures;

Or the Prophets and what they gave to us;

Consider the Dreams and the Visions that we read in those Scriptures.

Or the Incarnation of Jesus

Consider the effect of the Holy Spirit

Or the Signs and Wonders that we read of—the signs and wonders that Scripture tells us that we will see in our lives—how lives are changed—how we receive promise and restoration.

But then, there is one more:

Through you and I,

as we too, have encountered the presence of God, not on a Palestinian mountain—not on a plain out in the middle of the desert—not by the Sea of Galilee—but right here, in our lives—here in our hearts.

We too, are children of God--particularly as Christians--in thanksgiving for our baptism.    
    
And so, when we come on Sunday, we listen to Jesus—not me—not the person doing the prayers.

But we come and listen to Jesus. 

And the good news is, we will listen till the end of time, as Scripture promises us: Jesus will be with us till the end of time. 
    
Jesus is the transforming manifestation of God!

We have two great examples of “witnesses” for us today. 

Two brothers, who were leading the Church in the world in the time of the Reformation period of the Church – John and Charles Wesley.
    
In ‘For All The Saints,’ a publication of the ACC we read (on pg 100:)

‘Brought up in a strict Anglican parsonage, the two brothers both became priests with a demanding sense of purpose. In the year 1738, they each experienced “conversion of the heart” and went forth to help others know the same assurance of God’s love. In one of their later writings, they described themselves in these words “as messengers of God to those who are Christians in name but heathens in heart, to call them back. . . to real, genuine Christianity.”

The Wesleys were among some of the first to call modern-day Christianity to Mission—to call the Christian Church from Maintenance to Mission.
    
Wherever they went, they attracted great “clouds” or crowds of witnesses. 
    
One of their tools was the use of music. Over the centuries, music has been one of the best missionary tools—one of the best methods of sustaining revival in the Church. 

But not only in the Church—but in the secular world as well.

To this day, we continue to be influenced by the Wesleyan movement. You will note the use of one of Charles’ great hymns, "Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies." 
    
What is so great about all the great cloud of witnesses from the past begins with Jesus on the mountain with Peter, John, and James. And at that moment that we read in the Gospel: (Luke 9. 32-35)

“Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep, but as they awoke they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.
Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah," not realizing what he was saying.
While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!"

The reaction of Peter, John, and James is a common reaction. There are moments when we want to keep Jesus just as we have always known him, just as we were first introduced to him. And that is the memory that we want to hold onto so tight that we are not prepared to let go of him.
    
Yet, God and Jesus are not about to let that happen!

Jesus does not want to be kept in a tent or in a box—or packed away and sealed with packing tape. Jesus wants to break the chains of death, and he also broke that idea of keeping him in a certain box.
    
And so today,  in our celebration of the Transfiguration of our Lord, we are called to break open that box of our faith and share it with the world.

Witnesses!

Thanks be to God, Amen. 

Let Us Pray

With the Spirit of Christ shining upon us, let us boldly pray for the church, the world, and all of creation.

Transfiguring God,
through the glory of your presence, you transform us.
Move the church from complacency to boldness
in sharing the good news with others. 
God of grace, hear our prayer.

We pray for your creation.
As seasons change, give patience and skill to all who tend to the world. Give peace to animals giving birth. Grant nourishing weather for the growing of crops. 
God of grace, hear our prayer.

We pray for all in leadership, especially for those who lead in local government and town councils:
Mayor Michelle Staples & members of Duncan City Council; Mayor Rob Douglas & members of North Cowichan Council. Give them wisdom to protect local resources so that all will flourish both now and in the years to come. 
God of grace, hear our prayer.

Bring your healing grace to those who feel distant from you. Speak comfort to those who need your words of mercy.
We pray for those close to our communities & in our hearts.
We continue to pray for: John, Sheila, & Geoff.
God of grace, hear our prayer.

God of our past, present, and future:
lead us into new beginnings, trusting in the promise of new life in Christ.
Accompany congregations needing to close, & give courage to congregations starting new ministries. 
God of grace, hear our prayer.

Renewing God,
the saints who have gone before us witnessed to the ways you transform your church and people.
We give thanks for their example & pray we carry it forward.
God of grace, hear our prayer.

We entrust our prayers to you, O God, in the sure and certain hope that your promise is revealed among the people.  Amen.

And your people faithfully pray:

Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
And lead us  not into temptation,
but deliver us fom evil.  
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power and the glory,
forever and ever.  Amen.

Holy God,
We too, along with those three who accompanied our Lord up to the mountain, have also seen the face of God. And may we celebrate that in the world so, the world may know the power of Christ. 

Amen.

The Blessing: 
The peace of God,
which passes all understanding,
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and
love of God, and of his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

And the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you, and remain with you, always. 
Amen.