March 2, 2025
Transformation
BRUNCH!
Words of greeting and GATHERING
Chris Zepp
WELCOMING STATEMENT
RISE believes that God has open arms, and so should we. Our Creator wants us to love, accept and affirm every human being, including persons of every age, race, ethnic background, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, family or socioeconomic status, educational background, religion or creed, and physical or mental ability. We celebrate our diversity and recognize the sacred worth and dignity of all. Everyone is invited and encouraged to join us as we seek to follow Jesus with mutual respect, understanding, and love.
*Read more about “Why Pronouns Matter” HERE.
Opening Songs
Songs Will Happen! (Even Without Brent)
Allison Garcia, Sheridan Horne, Noelle Voltz-Mongold, and Chris Zepp
“Hamba nathi”
~South African*
Hamba nathi mkululu wetu (“Hahmba na-tee (m)koo-loo-loo weh-too”)
Hamba nathi mkululu wetu
Hamba nathi mkululu wetu
Hamba nathi mkululu wetu
mkululu, mkululu, mkululu wetu
mkululu, mkululu, mkululu wetu
mkululu, mkululu, mkululu wetu
mkululu, mkululu, mkululu wetu
Come walk with us the journey is long (4x)
The journey, the journey, the journey is long (4x)
Set us all free, give us your love (4x)
Give us, give us, give us your love (4x)
Set us all free, give us your joy…
Set us all free, give us your peace…
____________________
*This powerful South African Freedom song lends itself as a song of welcome, inclusion, or a powerful sending song. The closest translation is “Go with us, our savior” but many poetic translations can be found including, “Come walk with us, the journey is long” (Anders Nyberg), and “God is with us, Lord, and set us all free/give us your (love, joy, peace)” (Paul Vasile).
“Hold US Together”
~Matt Maher & Steve Wilson
It don’t have a job
It don’t pay your bills
Won't buy you a home in Beverly Hills.
Won't fix your life
in five easy steps.
Ain't the law of the land
or the government.
But it's all you need...
And love will hold us together
make us a shelter to weather the storm.
And I'll be my brother's keeper
so the whole world will know that we're not alone.
It's waiting for you
Knockin' at your door
in the moment of truth
when your heart hits the floor
and your on your knees...
And love will hold us together
make us a shelter to weather the storm.
And I'll be my brother's keeper
so the whole world will know that we're not alone.
This is the first day of the rest of your life
This is the first day of the rest of your life
‘Cause even in the dark you can still see the light
It's gonna be alright,
It's gonna be alright.
(Repeat)
And love will hold us together
make us a shelter to weather the storm.
And I'll be my brother's keeper
so the whole world will know that we're not alone.
Scripture Readings
Exodus 34:29-35 (CEB)
29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two covenant tablets in his hand, Moses didn’t realize that the skin of his face shone brightly because he had been talking with God. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw the skin of Moses’ face shining brightly, they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called them closer. So Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 After that, all the Israelites came near as well, and Moses commanded them everything that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34 Whenever Moses went into the Lord’s presence to speak with him, Moses would take the veil off until he came out again. When Moses came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites would see that the skin of Moses’ face was shining brightly. So Moses would put the veil on his face again until the next time he went in to speak with the Lord.
Luke 9:28-36 (CEB)
28 Jesus took Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes flashed white like lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, were talking with him. 31 They were clothed with heavenly splendor and spoke about Jesus’ departure, which he would achieve in Jerusalem. 32 Peter and those with him were almost overcome by sleep, but they managed to stay awake and saw his glory as well as the two men with him.
33 As the two men were about to leave Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it’s good that we’re here. We should construct three shrines: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—but he didn’t know what he was saying. 34 Peter was still speaking when a cloud overshadowed them. As they entered the cloud, they were overcome with awe.
35 Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him!” 36 Even as the voice spoke, Jesus was found alone. They were speechless and at the time told no one what they had seen.
THEOLOGICAL Reflection
Alexis Ward Owens
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Where have the crossroads been in your life? Those times and places when you needed a lightning bolt kind of sign from God! Do you feel like you received the message you needed? Not necessarily the one you wanted, but what you needed?
Can you think of a time where you felt like you experienced God’s transfiguration working in your life? If so, when?
What does the transfiguration of Jesus mean for you in your personal journey and how does that influence the way you encounter the rest of the world?
PRAYER
~William Loader
O God,
We open our eyes and we see Jesus,
the months of ministry transfigured to a beam of light,
the light of the world,
your light.
May your light shine upon us.
We open our eyes and we see Moses and Elijah,
your word restoring us, showing us the way,
telling a story,
your story, his story, our story.
May your word speak to us.
We open our eyes and we see mist,
the cloud of your presence
which assures us of all we do not know
and that we do not need to fear that.
Teach us to trust.
We open our eyes and we see Peter’s constructions,
his best plans, our best plans,
our missing the point,
our missing the way.
Forgive our foolishness and sin
We open our eyes and we see Jesus,
not casting us off,
but leading us down, leading us out -
to ministry, to people.
Your love endures forever.
We open our ears and we hear your voice,
‘This is my beloved Son, listen to him!’
And we give you thanks.
Amen
Communion
SONG
“Crowded Table”
~The Highwomen
You can hold my hand, when you need to let go
I can be your mountain, when you’re feeling valley low
I can be your streetlight, showing you the way home
If you can hold my hand, when you need to let go
I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done
If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the seeds
Plant a little happiness, let the roots run deep
If it’s love that we give, then it’s love that we reap
If we want a garden, we’re gonna have to sow the seed
Yeah, I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done
The door is always open
Your picture’s on my wall
Everyone’s a little broken
And everyone belongs
Yeah, Everyone belongs
I want a house with a crowded table
And a place by the fire for everyone
Let us take on the world while we’re young and able
And bring us back together when the day is done
Offering and NOMOFOMO
One of our core values is, "God gives to us, so we give back." We're called to give as a joy-filled response to what we've been given. Your financial gifts make a tremendous difference in the lives of God's beloved in Harrisonburg and beyond. Whether it's helping to make sure children in our community have enough to eat, helping to respond to the mental health crisis in our community, or providing much needed backing for the operating costs of our spaces and staff — your gift is a part of God's dream and we are grateful for everyone who partners with us on this journey!
WTF? Ash Wednesday edition
This Wednesday Features a Little More!
12-3 pm - Ashes on Warner Commons at JMU
6 pm(ish) - WTF Community Meal with Otterbine and John Wesley UMCs in the Fellowship Hall
7 pm - Contemplative Ash Wednesday Service (led by Alexis) Downstairs in the Fellowship Hall
7 pm - Traditional Ash Wednesday Service (choir, organ, and sermon, led by Revs. Gordon and Adam) upstairs in the sanctuary
Starting Next Week!
Your source of information for all things RISE! Check out the latest edition if you haven’t already! Its packed with info on all our events this summer, staffing updates, etc.
CLOSING SONG
“Down the Road”
~Bill Staines
I do believe that there will be
Waiting for me somewhere down the road
Another song …. that’s worth the singing,
That's worth the singing, somewhere down the road
Down the road, down the road,
Another song worth singing down the road
If the way seems long and slow, remember when you go,
There's a song worth singing down the road
I do believe that there will be
Waiting for me somewhere down the road
Another friend that's worth the knowing,
That's worth the knowing, somewhere down the road
Down the road, down the road,
Another friend worth knowing down the road
If the way seems long and slow, remember when you go,
There's a friend worth knowing down the road
I do believe that there will be
Waiting for me somewhere down the road
Another day that's worth the living,
That's worth the living, somewhere down the road
Down the road, down the road,
Another day worth living down the road
If the way seems long and slow, remember when you go,
There's a day worth living down the road
If the way seems long and slow, remember when you go,
There's a song worth singing,
A friend worth knowing,
There's a day worth living down the road
Parting Blessing
~Nadia Bolz-Weber
Blessed are the agnostics.
Blessed are they who doubt. Those who aren’t sure, who can still be surprised.
Blessed are they who are spiritually impoverished and therefore not so certain about everything that they no longer take in new information.
Blessed are those who have nothing to offer. Blessed are the preschoolers who cut in line at communion. Blessed are the poor in spirit. You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.
Blessed are they for whom death is not an abstraction.
Blessed are they who have buried their loved ones, for whom tears could fill an ocean. Blessed are they who have loved enough to know what loss feels like.
Blessed are the mothers of the miscarried.
Blessed are they who don’t have the luxury of taking things for granted anymore.
Blessed are they who can’t fall apart because they have to keep it together for everyone else.
Blessed are those who “still aren’t over it yet.”
Blessed are those who mourn. You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.
Blessed are those who no one else notices. The kids who sit alone at middle-school lunch tables. The laundry guys at the hospital. The sex workers and the night-shift street sweepers.
Blessed are the forgotten. Blessed are the closeted.
Blessed are the unemployed, the unimpressive, the underrepresented.
Blessed are the teens who have to figure out ways to hide the new cuts on their arms.
Blessed are the meek.
Blessed are the wrongly accused, the ones who never catch a break, the ones for whom life is hard, for Jesus chose to surround himself with people like them.
Blessed are those without documentation. Blessed are the ones without lobbyists.
Blessed are foster kids and special-ed kids and every other kid who just wants to feel safe and loved.
Blessed are those who make terrible business decisions for the sake of people.
Blessed are the burned-out social workers and the overworked teachers and the pro bono case takers.
Blessed are the kindhearted football players and the fundraising trophy wives.
Blessed are the kids who step between the bullies and the weak.
Blessed are they who hear that they are forgiven.
Blessed is everyone who has ever forgiven me when I didn’t deserve it.
Blessed are the merciful, for they totally get it.
You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.
Remember friends, you are a gift!
Now let’s go and be a gift!
REMEMBER - YOU ARE A GIFT!
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