Welcome to the Sunday Gathering recap (songs, hymns, liturgy and sermon). This blog gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you heard in the gathering or catch up if you weren’t able to be with us.
*The indented sections are responses read aloud by the congregation during the Gathering
HABITS OF GRACE
CALL TO WORSHIP
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my
soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
(Psalm 103: 1-12)
Song: It is Finished
Song: This is Amazing Grace
CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE
God has lavishly poured his grace onto us in Christ. He is the giver of all good gifts. But here is the picture the bible gives: so often we worship the gifts he has given us, rather than Him.
We look at the sunbeam but lose the blazing wonder of the sun We put our time, talent & treasure into those things and neglect to spend time with the one who has given us everything. So here is what this point in the gathering is for: To take a moment to confess to God now, your tendency to forget him, to worship his gifts rather than him. Tell him, admit, own the ways you do this.
We've already heard that God does not treat us as our sin deserves, the truth of the Gospel is that Jesus took the wrath that our sin deserved so that we could know forgiveness and relationship with God. It is only by grace that we're saved and because of God's grace we can know him intimately. Let's sing this next song as a prayer together now, asking that God would help us in this.
Song: Shine into our Night
PASSING OF THE PEACE
PREACHING OF THE WORD
Gary Aston kicked off our Habits of Grace sermon series by preaching to us from Ephesians 2:1-10. Click here to listen to that sermon.
COMMUNION
Every week we want to respond to what God has done for us in Jesus. One of the great ways he has provided for us to remember the truth of the gospel is giving us communion. As we take the bread and wine we remember what Jesus has done for us.
POST COMMUNION READING
Jesus’ death brings us life and this meal reminds us that we are fed by Jesus and forgiven because of Jesus.
We rejoice that You have died, rose again, and are now with the Father advocating for us. Amen.
With our money, time, and talent we give generously, knowing that through Your Son, Jesus, You have generously given to us.
We rejoice that You have given everything and we joyfully give everything back to Your care. Amen.
Song: Amazing Grace
Song: Cornerstone
COMMITMENT READING
It is by grace we have been saved, through faith and this is not from ourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
(Ephesians 2:8-10)
Song: Grace Alone
BENEDICTION
May you grow in the grace and knowledge and love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Centering your lives on Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Peace be with you.
And also with you.
Amen.