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 a few 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.
The people’s responses are given in bold.
ENTRANCE PROCESSION
The people are invited to stand as they are able as the sacred ministers enter the church from the south-east door.
THE GREETING
We share in the Apostolic Greeting.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
COLLECT FOR PURITY
Almighty God,
unto whom all hearts be open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love thee,
and worthily magnify thy holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE SUMMARY OF THE LAW
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Lord, have mercy upon us, and write both these thy laws in our hearts, we beseech thee.
KYRIE ELEISON
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
The collect is the prayer appointed for the day that reflects the theme of the day or season, and which celebrates the attributes of God revealed in the readings of the day.
The Lord be with you;
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Almighty God,
on the holy mount you revealed to chosen witnesses
your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured:
mercifully deliver us from the darkness of this world,
and change us into his likeness from glory to glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The people may be seated.
THE FIRST READING Exodus 24. 12–18 Todd Jarvis
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.
The Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.’ So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, ‘Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.’
Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 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. 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 people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM Psalm 99
The Psalms form the ancient songbook of God’s people.
1 The Lord is king; let the people tremble; * he is enthroned upon the Cherubim; let the earth shake.
2 The Lord is great in Zion; * he is high above all peoples.
3 Let them confess his name, which is great and awesome; * he is the Holy One.
4 “O mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; * you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”
5 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and fall down before his footstool; * he is the Holy One.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his name, * they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; * they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.
8 “O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; * you were a God who forgave them, yet punished them for their evil deeds.”
9 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hill; * for the Lord our God is the Holy One.
THE SECOND READING 2 Peter 1. 16–21 Todd Jarvis
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.
For 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. For he received honour 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.’ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
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. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
THE HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 2. 1–12
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.
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
Glory to thee, O Lord.
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
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.
The Gospel of Christ.
Praise be to thee, O Christ.
THE SERMON The Reverend Canon Dr. David Anderson
The sermon follows the readings and reflects on one or more the readings, relating them to our Christian discipleship and daily life.
The people are seated.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH The Nicene Creed
The Affirmation of Faith typically takes the form of one of the ancient creeds of the Church. The word ‘creed’ comes from the Latin ‘credo,’ translated as, ‘I believe.’
The people may stand for the creed.
Let us confess the faith as we say,
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth,
and of all things visible and invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of the Father before all worlds,
God, of God; Light, of Light; very God, of very God;
begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father;
through whom all things were made:
who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven,
and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man,
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried,
and the third day he rose again according to the scriptures,
and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead:
whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceedeth from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified,
who spake by the prophets.
And I believe one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
And I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The people may be seated for the prayers.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Todd Jarvis
We pray for the Church throughout the world; the flourishing of creation; the nation, our King and all in authority under him; the needs of the world, the concerns of our community of faith, especially those who have requested our prayers; and for the departed.
The people are seated.
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. With the worldwide Anglican Communion and in our cycle of prayer we pray for The Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean. In our Diocese of Niagara, we pray for St. Alban the Martyr, Glen Williams, The Reverend Aaron Orear, Rector; and the people of that parish. We pray for Susan and Colin our bishops; David, Sarah, and Patrick our priests; Adedayo our student minister; and for our other parish leaders and all the people. 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 and pray especially for Ukraine, Russia, Palestine, Irael, South Sudan, Myanmar and every place where aggression brings suffering to your people. Give wisdom to negotiators and sanctuary to refugees. Defend any who are in danger. We pray for Charles our King and all in authority under him, especially Mark, the Prime Minister of Canada; Doug, the Premier of Ontario; Gary, the Chair of Halton Regional Council; and Rob the Mayor of Oakville. 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. We pray for the community of Tumbler Ridge, for those who have died, and all who mourn. We pray for all those who have requested our prayers: Bruce, Kevin, Marlene, Moira, Brooke, Kathryn, Peter, Jas, Isabel, Eileen, Madison, Pam, David H, Mary, Cheryl, Scott M, Paul, John, Gary, Cam, Freda, David B, Carol, Connie, Ted. Tom and Melissa. Comfort the dying and those who grieve. 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. Bring us to the banquet feast of your kingdom with St. Jude, and all the saints. 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 Saviour. Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Let us humbly confess our sins to almighty God.
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Maker of all things and judge of all people:
We acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness,
Which we from time to time most grievously have committed,
By thought, word and deed,
Against thy divine majesty.
We do earnestly repent and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings.
Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father;
For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
Forgive us all that is past;
And grant that we may ever hereafter
Serve and please thee
In newness of life,
To the honour and glory of thy name;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him: have mercy upon you; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE PEACE
As forgiven and reconcile people we exchange words of peace with one another.
The people may stand.
Christ will transfigure our human body and give it a form like that of his own glorious body. We are the body of Christ. We share his peace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And with thy spirit.
The people are invited to share words of peace with one another.
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
Holy God,
receive all we offer you this day,
and bring us to that radiant glory
which we see in the transfigured face
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
It is meet and right so to do.
It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, creator and preserver of all things, through Jesus Christ our Lord; Because in the mystery of the Word made flesh, thou hast caused a new light to shine in our hearts, to give the knowledge of thy glory, in the face of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name; evermore praising thee and saying:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts,
heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessing and glory and thanksgiving be unto thee, almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to take our nature upon him, and to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memorial of that his precious death, until his coming again.
Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee; and grant that we receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’s holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood; who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread; and, when he had given thanks, he brake it; and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me.”
Likewise after supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all, of this; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins: Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Wherefore, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, we thy humble servants, with all thy holy Church, remembering the precious death of thy beloved Son, his mighty resurrection, and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming again in glory, do make before thee, in this sacrament of the holy bread of eternal life and the cup of everlasting salvation, the memorial which he hath commanded:
We praise thee, we bless thee, we thank thee,
and we pray to thee, Lord our God.
And we entirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his passion; And we pray that by the power of thy Holy Spirit, all we who are partakers of this holy communion may be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction; through Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
Believing in the promises of God and gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Saviour taught us,
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, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
We do not presume to come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.
FRACTION ANTHEM Agnus Dei
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: grant us thy peace.
THE COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE
All people who seek to follow Jesus are welcome to receive the Holy Communion. The Holy Communion is distributed at the altar rail. You are welcome to kneel or stand to receive. You may receive Holy Communion in either, or both the bread and the wine. Gluten free bread is available; if you prefer gluten free, please ask the priest distributing the bread. Receive the bread in your open and outstretched hands, responding, Amen. The wine is offered from a common cup. To receive please assist by helping guide the cup to your lips. If you prefer not to receive the cup, cross your arms across your chest. If you prefer to receive a blessing rather than the bread and wine of communion, again, cross your arms over your chest as the priest comes to distribute the bread and the priest will bless you.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
The people may stand.
Holy God,
we see your glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
May we who are partakers of his table
reflect his life in word and deed,
that all the world may know
his power to change and save.
We ask this in his name. Amen.
ACCLAMATION
By the appearance on earth of our Saviour Jesus Christ
God has broken the power of death
and brought life and immortality to light.
Arise, shine, for your light has come
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For though darkness shall cover the earth
and thick darkness the nations,
the Lord will rise upon you
and his glory will be seen upon you.
By the appearance on earth of our Saviour Jesus Christ
God has broken the power of death
and brought life and immortality to light.
BLESSING
Christ Jesus, the splendour of the Father and the image of his being, draw you to himself that you may live in his light and share his glory; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
If it is needful that any announcements concerning the life and work of the church be made, they are given at this time.
DISMISSAL
The assisting minister dismisses the people.
Go in peace. Do justice. Love mercy.
Thanks be to God.
As you are able, please remain standing as the sacred ministers make their way from the church.
TODAY’S MINISTERS. Presiding Celebrant: The Reverend Sarah Grondin, Priest Associate. Preacher: The Reverend Canon Dr. David Anderson, Rector. Reader & Greeter: Todd Jarvis. Altar Guild: Colleen Ann McCulloch, Sonja Buckland.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This liturgy is in the tradition of the Book of Common Prayer (Canada, 1962), and is adapted from the Book of Alternative Services, The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (1984), and from other sources as follows. ‘The Prayers of the People’ are adapted from Sundays and Seasons, Augsburg Fortress, © 2025, used by permission. Readings from Holy Scripture are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ (USA); used by permission. This liturgy is used at St. Jude’s Church by permission of the Bishop of Niagara.
All are invited to make a gift to support
St. Jude’s ministry of sharing God’s love.
As the plate is passed or by scanning the QR code at the left or
online at stjudeschurch.net/give.
Thank you for your generosity.
We’d love to stay connected with you.
Receive weekly updates: Email us at office@stjudeschurch.net to add your name to the newsletter or simply register at stjudeschurch.net (at the bottom of the page)
Visit stjudeschurch.net or follow us on Facebook (@stjudesoakville) and Instagram (@stjudeschurchoakville) for the latest news & events.
Call us during office hours at 905-844-3972 - we’re here to support you however we can.
St. Jude’s Church
www.stjudeschurch.net
office@stjudeschurch.net
905-844-3972
Clergy and Staff
The Right Reverend Dr. Susan J.A. Bell, Bishop of Niagara
The Reverend Canon Dr. David Anderson, Rector anderson@stjudeschurch.net
The Reverend Sarah Grondin, Priest Associate grondin@stjudeschurch.net
The Reverend Canon Dr. Patrick Patterson, Priest Assistant pat.macrae.pat@gmail.com
Adedayo Olomodosi, Student Minister
Sebastian Moreno, Director of Music choir@stjudeschurch.net
Dr. Andrei Streliaev, Associate Organist
Grace D’Mello, Choral Scholar
Carmen Almeida, Coordinator of Youth and Children’s Ministry carmen@stjudeschurch.net
Amanda Judd, Operations Manager manager@stjudeschurch.net
Bharatie Malik, Parish Secretary office@stjudeschurch.net
Churchwardens
Kevin Coleman, People’s Warden peopleswarden@stjudeschurch.net
Nancy Coombs, Rector’s Warden rectorswarden@stjudeschurch.net
Martha Denning, Deputy People’s Warden
Henry Popp, Deputy Rector’s Warden
Nick Choules-Burbidge, Treasurer nwrburbidge@gmail.com
ANNOUCEMENTS & UPCOMING EVENTS
2025 Tax Receipts – Ready for Pickup
The 2025 Charitable Donation Tax Receipts are now available for pickup in the church office, Monday to Friday from 9am – 4:30pm or on Feb 22 at the Vestry Meeting. Any left will be mailed on the following Monday.
Pancake Tuesday: Feb 17 @ 6 PM
Please join us in the Library on Shrove Tuesday at 6 o’clock for a pancake supper: a classic pancake spread with sausages and fruits (Tea, coffee and juice available too) Donations are warmly appreciated. Seating is limited. Please register online or reserve your spot at the office.
Lenten Organ Recital Series: Wednesdays at Noon in Lent
Join us for an afternoon of music with tea, coffee, and light refreshments before the recital. Freewill offerings are gratefully welcomed to support the St. Jude’s music program.
February 25 | March 4 | March 11 | March 18 | March 25
Volunteer Appreciation Reception: Thu, Feb 26 @ 5 PM
Join us for a Wine & Cheese Reception as we celebrate and thank you for your generous service and selfless contributions to St. Jude’s. Enjoy hot & cold appetizers, wine, beer & non-alcoholic beverages and maybe some door prizes.
Please register online on the website.
The Story We’re In: Wednesdays @ 7 PM
Join us for six relaxed evenings tracing the Christian story — from the world as it was meant to be, through its brokenness, to the hope of renewal and discovering your own place within it.
March 4 | March 11 | March 18 | March 25| April 1 | April 8
Each evening includes a brief reflection and open conversation. All are warmly welcome. Scan the QR code for more info and to register.