Bethlehem Lutheran ChurchEstablished 1874

Rev. Kerry B. Eversole, PastorDeacon Cindy Cordes-Eversole, Associate in Ministry

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 314, Lanesboro, MN 55949-0314Physical Address: 200 Kenilworth Ave S, Lanesboro, Minn.

Telephone: 507.467.3344E-mail Address: bethlehem@acegroup.ccWeb Page: www.staronthehill.comFacebook Page: Bethlehem Lutheran Church Lanesboro

Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Parsonage Phone:

507.467.3017Pastor Kerry’s Cell Phone:

507.951.3954

Bethlehem Lutheran ChurchLanesboro, Minnesota

Transfiguration of Our LordLast Sunday after Epiphany

February 14, 2021

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, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Mark 9:1

Welcome to worship at Bethlehem Lutheran!“The star on the hill” — Let your light shine!

Being Together in Church in the Time of COVID-19. Church members and visitors are required to wear a face covering or mask when in the building and during the service when they are able. They must sanitize their hands upon entering the church and frequently while in the building and wash their hands after using the lavatories. They must maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from people not in the same household. Please follow ushers’ directions when entering and exiting the sanctuary to maintain proper physical distancing including which pew you may sit in and where in the pew you may sit.

Worship Practices and Restrictions. Hymnals will not be available in the pews. A full-service bulletin is placed on the pew where an individual worshipper may sit but it should not be shared. If you have a smart phone, slides of the order of worship can be viewed on our Facebook page, #BethlehemLutheranLanesboro. No shaking of hands, hugging, fist-bumping, high-fiving, etc., to greet one another before, during, or after worship. Instead, say “Good morning!” or “Glad you are here!” or “Hello!” … with eye contact! No standing together in groups before or after worship. Speaking and singing will be permitted but only while wearing a face covering or mask. There will be no passing of offering plates. Plates are located at the entrances/exits where you can simply drop your offering. Sorry, no coffee or fellowship after worship.

Abbreviations. Throughout this worship folder P: refers to the presiding minister or preacher, A: denotes an assisting minister, and C: and/or bold text indicates the congregation.

GatheringThe Holy Spirit calls us together as the people of God.

Introduction to the day. Today is the last Sunday after the Epiphany of Our Lord. Epiphany is the celebration of the revelation of the glory of God to all the people of the world by means of the magi or wise men who visit the young Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12). Each Sunday after Epiphany we have witnessed the revelation of God’s glory in the person of Jesus. First, at his baptism (Mark 1:9-11); as Jesus calls his first disciples (Mark

1:16-20); and as Jesus preaches and teaches about and heals as a sign of God’s kingdom (Mark 1:21-39). In Mark’s story of Jesus’ baptism, apparently only Jesus sees the Spirit descending and hears the words from heaven. But in today’s glory-filled event, Jesus’ three closest friends hear the same words naming him God’s Beloved. As believers, Paul writes, we are enabled to see the God-light in Jesus’s face, because the same God who created light in the first place has shone in our hearts to give us that vision. The light of God’s glory in Jesus has enlightened us through baptism and shines in us also for others to see.

An means that you may stand, as you are comfortably able.

PRELUDE Sue Holst

RINGING OF THE BELL

OPENING HYMN Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies Sung to For the Beauty of the Earth ELW # 879 Text is printed at the back of the bulletin.

GREETING

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

C: And also with you.

KYRIE

CANTICLE OF PRAISE Glory to God

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CANTICLE OF PRAISE continued

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CANTICLE OF PRAISE concludedPRAYER OF THE DAY

P: 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.

C: Amen.

WordGod speaks to us in scripture reading, preaching, and song.

FIRST READING 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.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

Continued on the next page.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.

A: Word of God, word of life.C: Thanks be to God.

PSALM 50:1-61The 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.

SECOND READING 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.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.

A: Word of God, word of life.C: Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Alleluia

GOSPEL Mark 9:2-9

P: Announcement of the Gospel.C: Glory to you, O Lord.

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

P: Affirmation of the Gospel.C: Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON Deacon Cindy

HYMN OF THE DAY How Good, Lord, to be Here! Text and music are printed at the back of the bulletin.

NICENE CREED

All: 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 for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human. 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 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 INTERCESSION

Each prayer ends with these words and response:

A: … let us pray.C: Have mercy, O God.

Concluding prayer and response:

A: 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.

C: Amen.

ThanksgivingWORD ABOUT THE OFFERING AND PRAYER

SONG OF THANKSGIVING Beautiful Savior Text and music are printed at the back of the bulletin.

THANKSGIVING FOR THE WORD

P: Let us pray.Praise and thanks to you, holy God, for by your Word you made all things: you spoke light into darkness, called forth beauty from chaos, and brought life into being. For your Word of life, O God,

C: we give you thanks and praise.P: By your Word you called your people Israel to tell of your wonderful gifts:

freedom from captivity, water on the desert journey, a pathway home from exile, wisdom for life with you. For your Word of life, O God,

C: we give you thanks and praise.P: Through Jesus, your Word made flesh, you speak to us and call us to

witness: forgiveness through the cross, life to those entombed by death, the way of your self-giving love. For your Word of life, O God,

C: we give you thanks and praise.P: Send your Spirit of truth, O God; rekindle your gifts within us: renew our

faith, increase our hope, and deepen our love, for the sake of a world in need. Faithful to your Word, O God, draw near to all who call on you; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever.

C: Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER Traditional Wording

P: Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.

All: 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.

SendingGod blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BLESSING

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

C: Amen.

DEPARTING SONG Shine, Jesus, Shine Text and music are printed at the back of the bulletin.

DISMISSAL

A: Go in peace. Be the light of Christ.C: Thanks be to God.

RINGING OF THE BELL

POSTLUDE Sue Holst

At the conclusion of today’s service, we say farewell to the alleluia. This word of joy will be put aside during the penitential season of Lent and will be sung again at Easter.The hymn Alleluia, Song of Gladness, a Latin hymn written in the 11th century, translated by John Mason Neale, 1818-1866, is a tribute to this acclamation in the church’s worship life. Below is the text from Evangelical Lutheran Worship 318. The music was composed by John Goss, 1800-1880, and is designated

PRAISE, MY SOUL 87 87 87. Both the text and the tune are in the public domain.

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.

2 Alleluia, you are sounding, true Jerusalem and free; alleluia, joyful mother, bring us to your jubilee; here by Babylon's sad waters mourning exiles still are we.

3 Alleluia cannot always be our song while here below; alleluia our transgressions make us for a while for-go; for the solemn time is coming when our tears for sin must flow.

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

Prayer RequestsIn Our Community. For our church members and friends living with chronic illness and other diseases, homebound, residing in care facilities, and hospitalized. See the newsletter for our members living in area nursing homes. And let us not forget those sick and dying of COVID-19.

In Our Synod. Bishop Regina Hassanally invites the congregations of our synod to make a commitment to pray this week for the following faith communities: St. Paul Lutheran Church, Red Wing; Trinity Lutheran Church, Ostrander; First Lutheran Church, Glenville; Concordia Lutheran Church of Pickerel Lake, Albert Lea; Marshall Lutheran Church, Adams; Issuna Lutheran Church, Tanzania; and El Salvador Lutheran Church, Colombia.

This Week in Our CongregationToday, February 14 — Transfiguration of Our Lord — Valentine’s Day

7 & 8 Grade Confirmation Session, online via Zoom 10:20 PM

Wednesday, February 17 — Ash WednesdayWorship with Imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion 7:00 PM

Next Sunday, February 21 — First Sunday in LentWorship 9:00 AM

News and NotesThe Root River Conference Assembly is today online via Zoom. The meeting begins at 2:00 p.m. Dave & Joan Ruen are representing our congregation. Thank you!

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17. See the attached flyers for info about this year’s Lenten theme and series.

CommemorationThursday, February 18

Martin Luther, renewer of the church, died 1546

For those congregations who remember the work of Martin Luther on Reformation Sunday or Reformation Day, this commemoration may seem out of place. But it is a custom to remember saints on the day of their death, their “heavenly birthday”. On this day Luther died at the age of 62. For a time, he was an Augustinian monk, but it is his work as a

biblical scholar, translator of the Bible, reformer of the liturgy, theologian, educator, and father of German vernacular literature that holds him in our remembrance. In Luther's own judgment, the greatest of all his works was his Small and Large Catechisms, written to instruct people in the basics of faith. And it was his baptism that sustained him in his trials as a reformer.

Christ, Whose Glory Fills the SkiesSung to For the Beauty of the Earth ELW # 879

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,Christ, the true and only light,Sun of righteousness, arise,

triumph o’er the shades of night;Day-spring from on high, be near;

Day-star, in my heart appear.

Dark and cheerless is the mornunaccompanied by thee;

joyless is the day’s return,till thy mercy’s beams I see,till they inward light impart,

glad my eyes, and warm my heart.

Visit then this soul of mine,pierce the gloom of sin and grief;

fill me, radiancy divine,scatter all my unbelief;

more and more thyself display,shining to the perfect day.

How Good, Lord, to be Here! Beautiful Savior

Shine, Jesus, Shine AcknowledgementsPermission to Podcast / Stream provided by Christian Copyright Licensing International, Inc., under License # 11459672. Additional fee paid. www.ccli.com.

Permission to Podcast / Stream provided by One License under License # A-735588. Additional fee paid. www.onelicense.net.

Permission to livestream or podcast liturgy and music content under copyright to or administered by Augsburg Fortress provided under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License SAS103296.

PowerPoint® Slides, Worship Texts, and Graphics are from sundaysandseasons.com © 2021 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Used by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License SAS103296.

Some Worship Texts are from Worship in the Home for Sunday, February 14, 2021, prepared by the ELCA Worship Office for use during this time of world-wide crisis because congregations of this church are not able to gather for worship as the body of Christ. Published on the ELCA website, https://blogs.elca.org/worship/3369/.

Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies Text: Charles Wesley, 1707-1788; Public Domain. Music: Conrad Kocher, 1786-1872. Tune: DIX; Public Domain.

How Good, Lord, to be Here Text: Joseph A. Robinson, 1858-1933, alt.; Public Domain. Music: W. Mercer, The Church Psalter and Hymn Book, 1854. TUNE: POTSDAM; Public Domain.

Beautiful Savior Text: Gesangbuch, Münster; 1677; tr. Joseph A. Seiss, 1823-1904; Public Domain. Music: Selesian folk tune, 19th cent. Tune: SCHÖNSTER-HERR JESU; Public Domain.

Shine, Jesus, Shine Text: Graham Kendrick, b. 1950. Music: Graham Kendrick. Tune: SHINE, JESUS, SHINE. Text and music © 1987 Make Way Music, admin. Music Services in the Western Hemisphere. Used by permission of One License, LLC, Song # 5a0b22b7799ef. License # A-735588. www.onelicense.net.

PLACES OF THE PASSIONA SERIES OF SERVICES FOR THE SEASON OF LENT

Join us during Lent for this series of services in which we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, contemplating what happened at each spot Jesus stopped along the path of his Passion for the sake of the world.

Each service explores the meaning, history, and spiritual inspiration associated with the location highlighted. You will learn things you may not have known before as you grow to understand more deeply the hard road Jesus traveled so that the way to heaven might be open to us.

Except for Ash Wednesday, services will alternate between Bethlehem and Fountain. NO light supper before any of the services.

Ash Wednesday, February 17. In this service marking the beginning of Lent, we go to Jerusalem, the place of the Passover, where Jesus gathers with the crowds and sacrifices himself for us.

Wednesday, February 24. In the service for Week 1 of Lent, the place of the Passion is Bethany, where Jesus is anointed for burial by his friend Mary, at her home in this small town.

Wednesday, March 3. In this service for Week 2 of Lent, the place of the Passion is the Mount of Olives, where Jesus went with his disciples to pray.

Wednesday, March 10. In the service for Week 3 of Lent, the place of the Passion is the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus is betrayed and arrested under cover of darkness.

Wednesday, March 17. In the service for Week 4 of Lent, the place of the Passion is the Courtyard, outside of where Jesus is put on trial before the high priest and where Peter denies Jesus.

Wednesday, March 24. In the service for Week 5 of Lent, the place of the Passion is Pilate’s Judgment Hall, where Pilate is in a position to set Jesus free, but turns him over to be crucified instead.

DateChurch

NO Supper Before7:00 pm Service

Series Theme Place

Ash Wednesday, February 17 Bethlehem Jerusalem

Ash Wednesday, February 17 Fountain Jerusalem

Wednesday, February 24 Bethlehem Bethany

Wednesday, March 3 Fountain The Mount of Olives

Wednesday, March 10 Bethlehem Gethsemane

Wednesday, March 17 Fountain The Courtyard

Wednesday, March 24 Bethlehem Pilate’s Judgment Hall