Over the past five weeks we have been following issues in our news and asking how they relate to a life of Christian faith. We have talked about capital punishment, the war in Iraq, Super Bowl heroes, ethics in government, and global warming. The issues have provoked us, and challenged us. They asked the question: "does our Sunday life have anything to do with our Monday world?"

Today the series wraps up with a review of sorts. Sometimes you can't help but wonder how in the world what becomes news is news. The top news searches on AOL include the continuing saga of Anna Nicole Smith, about which we will not elaborate. Also in the top searches are stories of Britney Spears … her one day trip to rehab and her head shaving. Our attention was caught by a story on designer water. Bling Water hit the news this week with the announcement they were selling water for 75 dollars a bottle. The Bling developer, Keven Boyd came up with this designer water because he noticed "you can tell a lot about a person by the bottled water they drink." The Bling mission: "to offer a product with an exquisite face to match our exquisite taste." Boyd feels their water is strategically positioned to target an expanding super-luxury consumer market. (Bling website) ABC news this week reported on designer waters wondering if the hype of bottled water that cost between 20 and 75 dollars a bottle was worth it.

We wonder about this story for a different reason. Why are stories such as Bling Water, Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears and the like so well covered? And why do other major issues get barely a passing mention. What doesn't get news coverage is an important issue – for example – where was the major coverage of the UN reporting that 18,000 children die from hunger every day? This issue and others like it beg the question – how can anyone buy water for 75 dollars when even one child is going hungry?

As we wrap up this series on faith and news the question we ask this morning is the question of relevancy – in the face of mixed up priorities and the crazy things we get fascinated about, can what we do and say in church have any impact … is the church relevant in today's world?

Luke 28-36 (The Message) About eight days after saying this, he climbed the mountain to pray, taking Peter, John, and James along. While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white. At once two men were there talking with him. They turned out to be Moses and Elijah – and what a glorious appearance they made! They talked over his exodus, the one Jesus was about to complete in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him. When Moses and Elijah had left, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, this is a great moment! Let's build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He blurted this out without thinking.

While he was babbling on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them. As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: "This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him." When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless. And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.

Thanks to all who helped develop and lead this series through during the season of Epiphany. I start this morning by locating us in church time. We are about to begin the season of Lent and once again journey to the cross with Jesus. On Wednesday we will gather for worship to start that journey. The Ash Wednesday services will remind us of our mortality and also our inability to make it on our own. But before we gather on Wednesday, we gather this morning to remember the bottom line.

Our epistle text opens with this: "Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness." (2 Corinthians 3:12) Our hope is, of course, the hope found in the power of God revealed in Jesus Christ. We glimpse that power this morning in the story from our Gospel, the story known as the transfiguration of Jesus. The Synoptic gospels all record this event. And all three of them place it right after Jesus predicts his death, and right before he and the disciples begin their journey to Jerusalem where he will meet his death. In Luke's gospel the transfiguration is related to the experience of Moses on Mt. Sinai. It is also connected with the baptism of Jesus. Just as in his baptism a voice from the clouds confirms Jesus … and there is an announcement of God's pleasure and this time a command to listen to God's son.

The disciples manage to fall asleep in the face of this event. It is tempting to be harsh on them, but humans that we are, we know what strange things stress and tension do to us. When waking up, Peter tries to capture the experience. His words seem a bit as if he is trying to say something just for the sake of words, but maybe they are, even if inadequate, the best he can do in the midst of the unexplainable. And they are not all that poor an attempt. They stand in the long tradition of offering hospitality to guests; as others in the Hebrew tradition had offered food and drink to God's messengers, Peter offers Moses and Elijah a place to rest.

Peter's words are, as I said, an attempt to capture this moment. He may not know exactly what is going on, but he does know it is something major. It is as if he is trying to freeze this moment in time so that it can be pulled out and checked out and examined for all time, to figure out its meaning and purpose. Again, he is aware this is something momentous. We do the same thing – think of the moments we try to preserve, the times that remind us of who we are and what we are in the face of all that changes. We need those peak moments to keep us going through the tougher days. We need the memories because they tell the story of who we are … they define us. So, while Peter's words fall inadequate, we can't dismiss his attempts to capture the moment.

However, there is a danger in attempting to capture the moment. What happens when our peak experiences become nothing more than photographs and memories? For the Transfiguration event to have power, Jesus and the disciples had to leave the mountaintop. Many years ago, I spent a week in Altamont, Tennessee working on a mission team. The theme song for our week was called "Mountaintop." The lyrics talked about wanting to stay on the peak where God's word was clear, but knowing that we had to go down and work in the world … that only then could we realize the power of God. We need the mountaintops to know God, but we needed to be at work where God sends us to claim the power of God.

And that, I believe is the answer to the news stories of our time and how we, the church are more than relevant to confront them. We know the answer to both the inane stories that really should never be news, as well as the atrocities that get reported and under-reported. The answer is wrapped up in the power and glory and mystery of the Transfiguration. We pause on that mountain top for a bit with the disciples – for there we see the power of Jesus Christ revealed. We know that we can not stay there. It is not enough simply to remember the story. And that says something about our worship. We don't come to church simply to remember and feel good. Our worship and liturgy are not about re-creating what was … building tents so to speak. Our liturgy and worship gather us to remember in order that we might move forth. They are at their best when we give ourselves to be transformed and continually made new in order that we claim the power of God's word, so that we might proclaim the power of God's word.

As witnesses to the Transfiguration event we are those to go forth to serve and witness to the greatness of God. How dare we sell ourselves short … and in reality sell God short? We have the answer to the meaninglessness of the news … we have the answer for the news that overwhelms. We know the saving power of God in Jesus Christ. How dare we act as if we have nothing to say? We who claim the name of Jesus must act as such. How dare we give into our fears and timidity? Paul's words send us forth this morning: "Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness." How dare we do anything else?

"Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness." (2 Corinthians 3:12)