Reflect (September 17, 2017)

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

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THE CHURCH - The Essentials

CALL TO WORSHIP

We gather today not as individuals, but as a church – a single body made up of many members. And Sunday for us isn’t an odd thing we pile on to the rest of “real life”. It’s a place where we focus on the practices that should fill our days – worshiping the Lord, confessing our sins, remembering the Gospel, listening to God’s Word. We practice these things together here and we ask God that he would write these practices on to our hearts, so that as we scatter, we would continue them throughout our days. Hear this call to worship as we begin our gathering about the identity we now have in Jesus.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Once we were not a people, but now we are God's people; once we had not received mercy, but now we have received mercy.

(1 Peter 2:9-10)

Song: O God of Our Salvation

Song: Jesus is the Lord of All

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

Let's pray this prayer of confession together now:

Heavenly father, every time we are reminded of your greatness, we see how far we are from you. We remember how quick we are to turn away from you and forget the grace that brought us into relationship with you.

Remind us of what it means to be part of your family and help us by your Spirit, to know and experience the joy of being your people. Amen.

Hear these words of assurance from Ephesians 2:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

(Ephesians 2: 19-22)

Song: Made Alive

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

This week marked the start of our new sermon series on the Church. Gary Aston gave us an overview of the essentials of the church from Acts 2:42-47 and showed us what we can look forward to in the coming weeks. 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 (My Chains are Gone)

Song: Saviour of the World 

COMMITMENT READING

God’s word reminds us that God has made us a family, and that our unity is an expression of the gospel for the watching eyes of the world. The apostle Paul encouraged the church with these words:

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

(Ephesians 4:1-6)

Song: This I Believe

BENEDICTION

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 

Amen.

Reflect (September 10, 2017)

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

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JAMES -  True Faith & Prayer

CALL TO WORSHIP

Our God is unchanging, he is the same yesterday, today and forever. In him there is no variation! Hear this call to worship about the God we gather to worship today.

Do you not know? Have you not understood?

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He will not grow tired or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

He gives power to the weary and strength to the weak. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Song: Everlasting God

Song: Behold Our God

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

Scripture always encourages us to open and reveal our hearts before God. We are told that he knows our needs, he is aware of where are hearts are. God tells us in his word to confess our sins to him and to one another. That's why every week at Redeemer we take time to confess to God together. Let's pray these words together now:

Father God, forgive us for doubting you and your character. We confess that we are quick to forget your goodness and grace shown to us in Jesus Christ. Help us to put our faith in you and remind us of your unchanging, unwavering character. Amen.

Song: A Mighty Fortress is Our God 

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

This week was the last gathering in our sermon series in the book of James. Oli Simmons preached to us this week from James 5:13-20, looking at true faith and prayer. 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: Here is Love

Song: See His Love

COMMITMENT READING

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

(Hebrews 10:19-23)

Song: Come Thou Fount

BENEDICTION

May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

(2 Thessalonians 3:5)

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 

Amen.

Prepare (September 10, 2017)

This blog gives you a glimpse into the upcoming Sunday Gathering. It's an opportunity to read through the passage we'll be studying together, pray through some of the liturgy we'll be using, and listen to a selection of the songs we’ll be singing

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JAMES - True Faith & Prayer

SERMON

This week we'll be finishing our summer sermon series in the book of James. Oli Simmons will be preaching to us on James 5:13-20, looking at true faith and prayer. 

LITURGY

COMMITMENT READING

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

(Hebrews 10:19-23)

MUSIC

• Everlasting God: A song affirming the unchanging, unwavering nature of God. 

• Come Thou Fount: A hymn of praise and worship to God, asking for God to tune our hearts to sing his praise. 

Reflect (September 3, 2017)

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

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JAMES -  True Faith & Oppression

CALL TO WORSHIP

Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them he remains faithful for ever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns for ever, for all generations. Praise the Lord.

Based on Psalm 146

Song: Look What God Has Done 

Song: Jesus

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We've already heard that our God is a God who cares for those in need, who feeds the hungry and upholds the cause of the oppressed. Yet we can be so ignorant to the needs of those around us. We can be so comfortable in our own lives that we're unwilling to serve sacrificially. Let's confess to God together now:

Father forgive us for being so focussed on ourselves that we fail to see the needs of those around us. We confess that we are creatures of comfort, seeking our own pleasures above meeting the needs of others. Help us to love people as you have loved us, to serve people as Jesus has sacrificially served us and to live out the gospel both in our faith and in our works. Amen.

Song: Lead Us Back

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

John McPhilimey preached to us this week from James 5:1-12, looking at true faith and oppression. 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: Jesus Paid it All

Song: There is a Fountain 

COMMITMENT READING

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

(Colossians 3:12-14)

Song: It Is Well

BENEDICTION

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 

Amen.