The Benefice of Long Ashton, Barrow Gurney and Flax Bourton

The Transfiguration of our Lord

All Saints’ Church, Long Ashton 9th August 2020

The Gathering

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and also with you

This is the day that the Lord has made We will rejoice and be glad in it

Words of welcome and introduction

Hymn

O worship the King, all glorious above; O gratefully sing his power and his love: our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, pavillioned in splendour, and girded with praise.

O tell of his might, O sing of his grace, whose robe is the light, whose canopy space; his chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.

O measureless might, ineffable love, while angels delight to hymn thee above, thy humbler creation, though feeble their lays, with true adoration shall sing to thy praise.

Robert Grant (1799 - 1838) Prayers of Penitence

When Christ appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. As he is pure, all who have grasped this hope make themselves pure. So let us confess our sins that mar his image in us.

Silence is kept

God be gracious to us and bless us, and make your face shine upon us: Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy

May your ways be known on the earth, your saving power among the nations: Christ, have mercy Christ, have mercy

You, Lord, have made known your salvation, and reveal your justice in the sight of the nations: Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy

May the Father of all mercies cleanse us from our sins, and restore us in his image to the praise and glory of his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Acclamation

By the appearance on earth of our Saviour Jesus Christ God has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light.

Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For though darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the nations, the Lord will rise upon you and his glory will be seen upon you.

By the appearance on earth of our Saviour Jesus Christ God has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light.

Scripture reading - Daniel 7.9-10, 13-14 9 As I watched,thrones were set in place,    and an Ancient One took his throne;his clothing was white as snow,    and the hair of his head like pure wool;his throne was fiery flames,    and its wheels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued    and flowed out from his presence.A thousand thousand served him,    and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.The court sat in judgement,   and the books were opened. 13As I watched in the night visions,I saw one like a human being   coming with the clouds of heaven.And he came to the Ancient One   and was presented before him. 14 To him was given dominion   and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages   should serve him.His dominion is an everlasting dominion   that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one   that shall never be destroyed.

Psalm 97 - said antiphonally

1  The Lord is king: let the earth rejoice;   let the multitude of the isles be glad.2  Clouds and darkness are round about him;    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.3  Fire goes before him    and burns up his enemies on every side.

4  His lightnings lit up the world;   the earth saw it and trembled. 5  The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,   at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.6  The heavens declared his righteousness,    and all the peoples have seen his glory.7  Confounded be all who worship carved images      and delight in mere idols.    Bow down before him, all you gods. 8  Zion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoiced,   because of your judgements, O Lord. 9  For you, Lord, are most high over all the earth;   you are exalted far above all gods. 10  The Lord loves those who hate evil;     he preserves the lives of his faithful      and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.11  Light has sprung up for the righteous   and joy for the true of heart.12  Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,    and give thanks to his holy name.

Hymn

Majesty, worship his majesty; unto Jesus be glory, honour and praise. Majesty, kingdom authority flow from his throne, unto his own: his anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on high, the name of Jesus; magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus the King

Majesty, worship his majesty, Jesus who died, now glorified King of all kings.

Jack W. Hayford (b.1934)

Gospel reading - Luke 9.28-36

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke Glory to you, O Lord

28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus* took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake,* they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings,* one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. 34While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen;* listen to him!’ 36When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

This is the Gospel of the Lord Thanks be to God

Responding to God’s glory - words and pictures

The Light we’ve Begun to Know - Andrew King

We think we know light’s movements – the way sun’s rays can play across the surface of the water, the way it falls from candle flame, or softly sifts through leaves to lift the petals on their stems, opening up each blossom like a blessing.

Source: unknown

We think we know light’s gradients – the way it can take the shade of rain

or break into the colours of the rainbow; the way it burns a hole in blue from the blazing summer sun;

or reddens clouds before it gives night’s gift of stars and moon.

We think we know light’s stories - like the glow that shone from Moses’ skin

as he brought the law in stone down from the mountain; or the brilliance of the fire of the chariot and riders

that swept to heaven the prophet named Elijah.

Greek Orthodox Icon of the Transfiguration (Metamorphosis)

Excerpt from The Transfiguration - Carl Bloch (1834-1890)

But today the light we thought we knew has taken on new radiance, has made

an unexpected move, is telling a new story; it dazzles the eyes but more our hearts,

for this is the light embodied: this is the light of the knowledge of God

that shines in the face of Jesus.

Nor is this the final story that the light in Christ will tell: the veil that is lifted so briefly

upon his unseen glory drops again; the tale to remain untold

until his rising from the dead – when the light we’ve begun to know makes its home in the church,

to reveal his glory in us,

and transfigured will be me and you.

Transfiguration window, Taize

Hymn - during which we make our personal prayers

Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here; come bow before him now, with reverence and fear. In him no sin is found, we stand on holy ground. Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here.

Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around; he burns with holy fire, with splendour he is crowned. How awesome is the sight, our radiant King of light! Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around.

Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place. He comes to cleanse and heal, to minister his grace. No work too hard for him, in faith receive from him; be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place.

David J. Evans (b. 1957) Copyright 1986 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music

Prayers

A prayer of Brother Roger of Taize:

Holy Spirit, you know our frailties, but you come to transfigure our hearts, so that our darknesses themselves can become inner light. Amen

The Collect of the Day:

Father in heaven, whose Son Jesus Christ was wonderfully transfigured before chosen witnesses upon the holy mountain, and spoke of the exodus he would accomplish at Jerusalem: give us strength so to hear his voice and bear our cross that in the world to come we may see him as he is; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer:

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. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen

The Dismissal

Scripture reading - 2 Peter 1: 16-19

16 We have told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. What we told you were not just smart stories that someone invented. But we saw the greatness of Jesus with our own eyes. 17 Jesus heard the voice of God, the Greatest Glory. That was when Jesus received honour

and glory from God the Father. The voice said, “This is my Son, and I love him. I am very pleased with him.” 18 We heard that voice. It came from heaven while we were with Jesus on the holy mountain. 19 This makes us more sure about the message the prophets gave. And it is good for you to follow closely what they said. Their message is like a light shining in a dark place. That light shines until the day begins and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Hymn

At the name of Jesus ev'ry knee shall bow, ev'ry tongue confess him King of glory now; 'tis the Father's pleasure we should call him Lord, who from the beginning was the mighty Word.

At his voice creation sprang at once to sight, all the angel faces, all the hosts of light, thrones and dominations, stars upon their way, all the heav'nly orders in their great array.

In your hearts enthrone him: there let him subdue all that is not holy, all that is not true; crown him as your captain in temptation's hour; let his will enfold you in its light and pow'r.

Truly, this Lord Jesus shall return again, with his Father's glory, with his angel train; for all wreaths of empire meet upon his brow, and our hearts confess him King of glory now.

Caroline Maria Noel (1827 - 1877)

Blessing

Christ Jesus, the splendour of the Father and the image of his being, draw you to himself that you may live in his light and share his glory;

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

Go in the peace of Christ Thanks be to God

Hymns reproduced under licence - CCLI 818514

Common Worship - Services and Prayers for the Church of England Copyright 2000 The Archbishops’ Council