Sunday Service from Hillside Circuit for March 2nd 2025:
Lectionary Theme: An encounter with Christ transforms life
Occasion: Transfiguration
Lectionary readings:
Psalm 99
Exodus 34: 29-35
2 Corinthians 3: 12 – 4: 2
Luke 9: 28-43a
[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to read it for yourself (and/or to listen to it) and then click or tap on Back to top to come back here.]
Songs:
Here are the songs for Sunday morning service. Click or tap on a song to open it in YouTube.
All hail the power of Jesus name.
Speak O Lord.
Shepherd of my soul.
Be still for the power of the Lord.
Love divine.
O Jesus I have promised.
Christ be beside me.
You can listen and join in with prayers from the English Methodist Service Book. They can be found at the Prayers for worship webpage.
Children’s Address:
Sermon:
Bible readings:
Psalm 99
1 Our LORD, you are King!
You rule from your throne above the winged creatures,
as people tremble and the earth shakes.
2 You are praised in Zion, and you control all nations.
3 Only you are God! And your power alone,
so great and fearsome, is worthy of praise.
4 You are our mighty King, a lover of fairness,
who sees that justice is done everywhere in Israel.
5 Our LORD and our God, we praise you
and kneel down to worship you, the God of holiness!
6 Moses and Aaron were two of your priests.
Samuel was also one of those who prayed in your name,
and you, our LORD, answered their prayers.
7 You spoke to them from a thick cloud,
and they obeyed your laws.
8 Our LORD and our God, you answered their prayers
and forgave their sins,
but when they did wrong, you punished them.
9 We praise you, LORD God,
and we worship you at your sacred mountain.
Only you are God!
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Exodus 34
29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai, carrying the Ten Commandments. His face was shining brightly because the LORD had been speaking to him. But Moses did not know at first that his face was shining. 30 When Aaron and the others looked at Moses, they saw that his face was shining, and they were afraid to go near him. 31 Moses called out for Aaron and the leaders to come to him, and he spoke with them. 32 Then the rest of the people of Israel gathered around Moses, and he gave them the laws that the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.
33 The face of Moses kept shining, and after he had spoken with the people, he covered his face with a veil. 34 Moses would always remove the veil when he went into the sacred tent to speak with the LORD. And when he came out, he would tell the people everything the LORD had told him to say. 35 They could see that his face was still shining. So after he had spoken with them, he would put the veil back on and leave it on until the next time he went to speak with the LORD.
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2 Corinthians 3 & 4
3: 12 This wonderful hope makes us feel like speaking freely. 13 We are not like Moses. His face was shining, but he covered it to keep the people of Israel from seeing the brightness fade away. 14 The people were stubborn, and something still keeps them from seeing the truth when the Law is read. Only Christ can take away the covering that keeps them from seeing.
15 When the Law of Moses is read, they have their minds covered over 16 with a covering that is removed only for those who turn to the Lord. 17 The Lord and the Spirit are one and the same, and the LORD’S Spirit sets us free. 18 So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the LORD’S Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord.
4: 1 God has been kind enough to trust us with this work. That’s why we never give up. 2 We don’t do shameful things that must be kept secret. And we don’t try to fool anyone or twist God’s message around. God is our witness that we speak only the truth, so others will be sure that we can be trusted.
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Luke 9
28 About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up on a mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying, his face changed, and his clothes became shining white. 30 Suddenly Moses and Elijah were there speaking with him. 31 They appeared in heavenly glory and talked about all that Jesus’ death in Jerusalem would mean.
32 Peter and the other two disciples had been sound asleep. All at once they woke up and saw how glorious Jesus was. They also saw the two men who were with him.
33 Moses and Elijah were about to leave, when Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But Peter did not know what he was talking about.
34 While Peter was still speaking, a shadow from a cloud passed over them, and they were frightened as the cloud covered them. 35 From the cloud a voice spoke, “This is my chosen Son. Listen to what he says!”
36 After the voice had spoken, Peter, John, and James saw only Jesus. For some time they kept quiet and did not say anything about what they had seen.
37 The next day Jesus and his three disciples came down from the mountain and were met by a large crowd. 38 Just then someone in the crowd shouted, “Teacher, please do something for my son! He is my only child! 39 A demon often attacks him and makes him scream. It shakes him until he foams at the mouth, and it won’t leave him until it has completely worn the boy out. 40 I begged your disciples to force out the demon, but they couldn’t do it.”
41 Jesus said to them, “You people are stubborn and don’t have any faith! How much longer must I be with you? Why do I have to put up with you?”
Then Jesus said to the man, “Bring your son to me.” 42 While the boy was being brought, the demon attacked him and made him shake all over. Jesus ordered the demon to stop. Then he healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 Everyone was amazed at God’s great power.
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[Did you miss last week’s Sunday Services? They can now be found at Worship Archive – February 23rd 2025.]
Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit 
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