Transfiguration Evening Service

March 2, 2025

7:30pm

Experience:

Themes: Silence (before and after), the Veil, and Light

Silence: There is silence before these moments with God: Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Jesus, the disciples and then after the transfiguration there is this Silence of the disciples. Thinking about how quiet it gets at certain times before a major event, the animals, the bugs all silencent and in that silence there is time, often after an event the same rings true.  In our moment right now there are different connotations to silence, how does a silent voice still speak volumes? How does silence about violence seem to allow that violence? How do we know when to break silence? How is silence comforting? Etc.

The veil: We have been talking about the Heroes journey and often, to get to another level of that journey you have to pass through something, a fog, an unknown barrier or a dream.  The experience waiting on the other side is monumental.  Similarly, people will pass through this physical representation so that they are ready for this particular moment with God.  The power of stepping into this other place will connect them more deeply with the personal and communal moment of this service after experiencing the silence.

The Light: We will have a focus on light in the form of natural and artificial light, in the clouds in candles hanging from the ceiling, on the walls, and around the altar.  They all will harken back to how God has used light or the absence of light to teach, connect, demonstrate power, demonstrate priority, demonstrate faith, and tradition.  The hope is for people to notice the different uses of the light, so connect them with other light/fire/lightening moments in the bible that have been mentioned or will be during Lent.

 

Narthex: Before going into the sanctuary the congregation will experience a room filled with poems and lyrics about silence, as well as a great essay  by Paul Goodman about the 9 kinds of silence.  There will be 2 ways to experience these works either by reading silently or listening, for those who might need

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