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
IMPACT - Understanding Brokenness
CALL TO WORSHIP
When the church gathers, we bring our lives and stories. Some of you might be here today with a burden that feels too big to carry, the burden of bad health, loss, family difficulty. Whatever your burden might be, the scriptures remind us that no matter what our heartache is, we can bring it before the Father. Would you like to stand with me and let’s pray this psalm together as we begin our gathering.
How long, LORD? Will you forget me for ever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
Consider and answer, me, O LORD my God and give light to my eyes. Don’t let my enemies gloat, Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.
(Based on Psalm 13)
Song: O God of Mercy Hear our Plea
Song: Rock of Ages
CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE
We've already sung that creation is groaning for Jesus to return. In Romans 8, Paul tells us that it's not just creation that groans, but us. We long for Christ to return so that we can be restored and our earthly bodies transformed into to heavenly ones. When we look around at the world we live in, we experience that groaning. We see brokenness in a world where life is needed. When sin entered the world, all of creation was broken, sin shattered the good and perfect creation God had made and we still live in that reality now. Take a moment to reflect on that now, to confess to God the damaging effects of sin in your own life and lamenting where you see that sin in the world around us...
In his word God tells us that creation is still groaning and the effects of sin are still a reality for us. But God is still good, Jesus has taken our sin and the world's sin upon him and dealt with it so that we could know his light and life in this broken world.
Song: Grace Alone
PASSING OF THE PEACE
PREACHING OF THE WORD
This Sunday Tom Thrower preached to us on how we can understand the brokenness in our world. Listen to that sermon here.
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: The Power of the Cross
Song: See His Love
COMMITMENT READING
The truth of the Gospel is that Jesus is the only one who can bring light into this broken world. He promises to bring light and life and that the darkness of this world will not overcome him. Hear these words from our saviour as we prepare to go now:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12)
Song: Saviour of the World
BENEDICTION
To Him who is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work
Peace be with you.
And also with you.