Transfiguration of Jesus C: Reflecting God's Light

There is a 2022 updated version of this post with lots more stuff  - see archive at left.

Bible Readings: Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99, 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2, Luke 9:28-43a. Theme: Reflecting God's Light About the Photo: Norfolk Island sunset Decor of the worship space: Decorate the focal point of your worship space with any combination of heaps of lit candles, spotlights, and white and gold material. Listening Song: Great Light of the World By Bebo Norman on his album, Myself When I Am Real, 2002, or on WOW 2004 Kid's Story: I have a collection of large cards with dinner plate sized round faces drawn on them - each face reflecting a different emotion; eg tired, scared, surprised, sad, happy, excited, puzzled etc etc. The transfiguration lends itself very much to a retelling of the story using these cards to reflect the emotions of the disciples. You can either hand out the faces and get kids to hold up the one they have when they think that is how the disciples must have felt or you can hold up a relevant card at the relevant time and ask the kids (and the congregation?) to reflect the same face. It can be lots of fun. Film Clip: Amelie Show the clip where Amelie walks the blind man across the road. As she does so, she begins to detail all the things around him so that she gives him his sight. Discussion Questions: For the film clip or as stand alones To think about by yourself: When have you felt closest to God's glory? Brainstorm: How did it make you feel? Together: Why do you think God sometimes is revealed in these ways? How has the experience impinged on your daily life? How are we able to reflect god's glory on to other people? What happens when we do? Drama: We Can't Tell You Found in Mega Drama 5 by Verena Johnson (Ed.), Open Book, 2002, ISBN 0859109194, page 61 Story: A Candle in the Darkness Found in More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks by Wayne Rice, Zondervan, 1995, ISBN 0310207681, page 17 (pictured in an earlier blog). Story: Reflected Son-light Index 2166 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990 Story: Wouldn't He stick Out? Found in Illustrations, Stories and Quotes to Hang Your Message On by Jim Burns and Greg McKinnon, Gospel Light, 1997, ISBN 0830718834, page 203 (pictured in an earlier blog). Poem: Transfiguration By Bruce Prewer and found his site at www.textweek.com (see my links at left) under Prayers, Prefaces, Litanies, etc. on the Transfiguration C page. Response Activity: Project or give everybody a copy of 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 and ask them to underline the part that gives them the most hope. Be generous with time to do this - make it a spiritual exercise. Then ask them to share their response with two other people. Response Activity: Give each person a small candle or tea light and ask them to light it at their main meal each day this week to remind themselves of God's love for them and that they are reflectors of God's light. Response Activity: Brainstorm ideas on how your congregation can be a light in the community? As each idea is suggested, write it on a separate piece of paper. Put them around the walls. Give everybody three stickers each and ask them to put a sticker on the three which excite them the most. After the service, give the six with the most dots to a member of your church council or leadership team :-) !!