February 15, 2026 – St. John's Lutheran Church

February 15, 2026 11 A.M.

Welcome!

Introduction

Today’s festival is a bridge between the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle that comes to a close today and the Lent-Easter cycle that begins in several days. On a high mountain Jesus is revealed as God’s beloved Son, echoing the words at his baptism. This vision of glory sustains us as Jesus faces his impending death in Jerusalem. We turn this week to Ash Wednesday and our yearly baptismal journey from Lent to Easter. Some churches put aside the alleluia at the conclusion of today’s liturgy. This word of joy will be omitted during the penitential season of Lent and will be sung again at Easter.

(please stand for our opening song)

We Sing: How Good, Lord, to be Here! ELW 315

Confession and Forgiveness

P: Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Word who spoke life into being, the Wind stirring the waters.

C: Amen.

P: Let us turn in confession to the one who knows us completely.

Silence is kept for reflection.

P: Mighty God, lover of justice,

C: You call us to life in community, but we have served our own interests

at the expense of our neighbors. We have sown deceit where honesty was needed. We say the right words, but our hearts are far from you. Turn us to seek your face. Knit us together and give us the mind of Christ, that we may do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.

P: The former things have passed away, and new things God now declares:

Like a spring of water that never fails, God covers you in the righteousness of Christ and forgives your sin in ☩ Jesus’ name. May the Spirit give you strength to live for others and bless you with the gift of peace. C: Amen.

Prayer of the Day

O God, in the transfiguration of your Son you confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the witness of Moses and Elijah, and in the voice from the bright cloud declaring Jesus your beloved Son, you foreshadowed our adoption as your children. Make us heirs with Christ of your glory, and bring us to enjoy its fullness, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

(Please be seated for the readings)

First Reading: Exodus 24:12-18

At Mount Sinai, Moses experienced the presence of God for forty days and forty nights. The “glory of the Lord” settled on the mountain, and on the seventh day God called out to Moses. On the mountain God gave Moses the stone tablets inscribed with the ten commandments.

R: ¹² The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there; I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” ¹³ So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up onto the mountain of God. ¹⁴ To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come back to you. Look, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.”
¹⁵ Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. ¹⁶ The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. ¹⁷ Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the Israelites. ¹⁸ Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

…This is the Word of the Lord

C: Thanks be to God

Psalmody: Psalm 2

You are my son; this day have I begotten you. (Ps. 2:7)

¹ Why are the nations in an uproar? Why do the peoples mutter empty threats?
² Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt, and the princes plot together, against the Lord and against the Lord’s anointed?
³ “Let us break their yoke,” they say; “let us cast off their bonds from us.”
⁴ God whose throne is in heaven is laughing; the Lord holds them in derision.
⁵ Then in wrath God speaks to them, and in rage fills them with terror.
⁶ “As for me, I have anointed my king upon Zion, my holy mountain.”
⁷ Let me announce the decree of the Lord, who said to me, “You are my son; this day have I begotten you.
⁸ Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession.
⁹ You shall crush them with an iron rod and shatter them like a piece of pottery.”
¹⁰ And now, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.
¹¹ Submit to the Lord with fear, and with trembling bow in worship;
¹² lest the Lord be angry, and you perish in a sudden blaze of wrath. Happy are all who take refuge in God!

Second Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-21

At the transfiguration, God’s voice was heard, declaring Jesus to be the beloved Son. By the activity of the Holy Spirit, God’s voice continues to be heard through the word of scripture.

R: ¹⁶ We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” ¹⁸ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
¹⁹ So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰ First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, ²¹ because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

…This is the Word of the Lord

C: Thanks be to God

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9

C: <sung>

🎵 Sing: Alleluia 🎶

Shortly before he enters Jerusalem, where he will be crucified, Jesus is revealed to Peter, James, and John in a mountaintop experience of divine glory called the transfiguration.

D: ¹ Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. ² And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. ³ Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. ⁴ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁵ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” ⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” ⁸ And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

…This is the Gospel of the Lord

C: Praise to you, oh Christ

We Sing: I Love to Tell the Story ELW 661

with Pastor Jerry leFeber

(please stand for the Apostle’s Creed)

Apostles’ Creed

C: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day, he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

(please be seated)

Prayers of Intercession

As God’s beloved children united in Christ, let us pray for the church, the whole human community, and the well-being of the earth, our home.

A brief silence.

Revealing God, your Spirit sustains the church. Strengthen the faithful with the revelation of Christ transfigured, that we may joyfully follow him in the way of the cross. Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Life-giving God, creation is full of your majesty. Nurture in us a deep respect for the interdependence of all life, and make us wise and vigilant stewards of your good earth. Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Peacemaking God, the nations are in turmoil. We pray for an end to violent conflict. Give wisdom to negotiators and sanctuary to refugees. Defend any who are in danger. Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Healing God, you desire wholeness for all people. Bring healing to any who are experiencing illness, chronic pain, or mental anguish. Comfort the dying and those who grieve (especially). Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Holy God, in our worship we glimpse your glory, hear your voice, and receive assurance of your love. Inspire all who prepare, lead, and participate in worship to serve you with reverence and joy. Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Transforming God, you bring life from death. We give thanks for the witness of those who have died in faith, and we praise you for the hope we have in Christ, our Morning Star. Merciful God,

receive our prayer.

Confident that the Holy Spirit receives our prayers and answers us, we commend all for whom we pray to God’s loving-kindness made known to us in Christ Jesus our Savior.

Amen.

(stand)

The Sharing of the Peace:

P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C: And also with you.

P: We Greet one another with the Peace of Christ

We Sing: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise ELW 834

Offering Prayer

P: God of majesty, no eye has seen, no ear has heard what you have prepared for those who love you, yet in this meal you reveal the wideness of your mercy. Use what we have gathered to feed us with the reign of God come near, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C: Amen.

Communion

P: Good and loving God, we rejoice in the birth of Jesus, who came among the poor to bring the riches of your grace. As you have blessed us with your gifts, let them be blessings for others. With the trees of the field, with all earth and heaven, we shout for joy at the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

C: Amen.

P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you.

P: Rejoice before your Lord. C: We lift them to the Lord.

P: Let us give thanks to our God. C: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

P: It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, through our Savior Jesus Christ. In the wonder and mystery of the Word made flesh

you have opened the eyes of faith to a new and radiant vision of your glory,

that, beholding the God made visible, we may be drawn to love the God whom we cannot see. And so, with all the choirs of angels, with the church on earth and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of Power and might.

Heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

P: In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.

P: Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.

P: For as often as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

C: Christ has died: Christ is risen: Christ will come again.

P: We pray as Jesus taught us:

C: 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.

Invitation to Communion

P: Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Come to the table; taste and see.

(sit)

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Prayer after Communion

P: Radiant God, we have seen your glory in the face of Jesus Christ. In the sacrament of his body and blood you have drawn us to your heart. Send us from this table with delight, that our lives may reflect the beauty of your love, and bear witness to all we have seen and heard, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

C: Amen.