The photo is me on the summit of Ben Nevis in a blizzard, September 2012.  It's the photo I chose to share this morning as part of our serivce for Transfiguration Sunday.

Eight people, including me shared stories about mountains or hills; about walks, about the struggle and exertion; about the beauty - or the enveloping clouds; about memorable moments, and much more.

It was a great way to approach the three stories of Moses on Sinai (God's presence signalled by cloud, earthquake, wind and fire), Elijah on Sinai (here called Horeb; God's presence not being signalled by cloud, earthquakes, wind or fire, but instead in silence/whisper), and Jesus, Peter, James and John on a nameless mountain/hill in Galilee or thereabouts.

Intentionally going onto the mountain... meeting God somehow or other... and having to come back down again to where life goes on.

What we do Sunday by Sunday.  And whether it's a wow-that's-awesome-moment, or whether it's a where-on-earth-are-you- God moment, it's authentic and God is there.