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
THE CHURCH - A Place to Belong
CALL TO WORSHIP
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; My heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
(Psalm 84:1-4;10)
Song: O For A Thousand Tongues
Song: This is Amazing Grace
CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE
As we've gone through this series on the church, we've seen that God calls us to be his people. When we believe and trust in Jesus, our identity changes. We're invited into his family. God tells us in his word that the church is his dwelling place. God dwells in us, his church, by his Spirit. And yet so often we forget this, we reject the invite God gives us to belong to his family and neglect one another as a result. Let's pray these words together:
Heavenly Father, forgive us for mistreating the church and seeing it as a place to take from rather than belong to. Forgive us for being impatient with one another and seeking to divide rather than unite.
Help us to forgive one another, bear with one another and encourage one another as response to the forgiveness and grace you have shown to us in Christ. Amen.
We really need God's help in this, we can't do this on our own. But we can have hope that God's spirit is with us and dwells in us, producing good fruit in us.
Song: Lead us Back
PASSING OF THE PEACE
PREACHING OF THE WORD
Tom Thrower preached to us this week from Psalm 133, helping us to see what it means to belong to the church. 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: There is A Fountain
Song: Jesus Paid it All
COMMITMENT READING
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as we see the Day drawing near.
(Hebrews 10:23-25)
As Christians we have the hope of a secure future, a future of belonging that exists for all of eternity!
Song: Christ is Risen
BENEDICTION
Brothers and sisters, continue to have unity of mind, loving one another just as Christ loves the church. Go in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.
And also with you.
Amen.