Transfiguration Sunday is a challenge. How many sermons on mountain-top experiences does one want to preach (or hear)?

This year I am going with this shining on the story. What makes Moses and JEsus shine? Their intentionally being with God. What might get us to let GOd shine through us? What might let us take that light with us when we leave the sanctuary (as Moses apparently does)? How can we Shine On

If anyone is interested, you can click here for a story-sermon I wrote for Transfiguration SUnday in my last year of seminary...

Since it is also the family day long weekend, and the beginning of reading week for our two local universities, our sign in front of the church has the following message for this Sunday:

Mountain top experiences

don't just happen

on ski hills

we're having our annual "mardi gras" sunday tomorrow (an intergenerational, music filled fun time with pancake brunch to follow), so one thing I'm doing is providing paper masks.  I'll be talking about how the transfiguration moment was not about Jesus changing, but about how his true self was revealed in that moment.  I will encourage the kids (and adults) to think about what they might look like if their truth selves were revealed -- and to create masks to represent that (eg. draw pictures of things we are passionate about, symbols of our gifts, joyful colours showing we are children of God, etc).  I'm hoping folks will engage it!

shalom

I like this interpretation. It makes sense to me. Did others find it helpful?

At church yesterday the minister didn't use the lectionary.  However the children's time - led by a different member of the clergy team - talked about transfiguraion.  While she talked a visiting person started with a ball of red-brown clay.  Skillfully she shaped it.  What did the children see?   a bird? a butterfly? a dragonfly? a person?  Finally it was a ball of clay again.  The story teller asked questions - was the bird in the ball of clay?  was the butterfly?  or was it just a ball of clay?   How do we see into the ball to know what is hiding there?  how can it be transformed into something different?  transfigured so that we see the inner being coming forth?    

There was a lot in that message for everyone - not just the children.