Prepare (July 1, 2018)

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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HABITS OF GRACE

SERMON

This week we'll be starting our Habits of Grace sermon series looking at the practices and habits that allow us to grow in and enjoy our relationship with God. Gary Aston will be preaching this week from Ephesians 2:1-10. 

LITURGY

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)

MUSIC

• Grace Alone (Dustin Kensrue):  A song celebrating the grace shown to us in Christ. A reminder that it is only by grace we're saved. 

• Shine into our Night (Sovereign Grace):  A song that confesses to God that we so often turn away from him. A plea that God would shine his light into our darkness and that we'd see his glory.

Reflect (June 24, 2018)

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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EZEKIEL - A New Temple

CALL TO WORSHIP

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. Splendour and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name; worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; it is powerful and majestic. In his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’ The Lord is enthroned as King for ever.

(Based on Psalm 96:1-6 & 29: 1-2;9)

Song: How Great is Our God

Song: All Praise to Him

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We've already heard and sung of God's glory, and yet we are quick to forget this. Quick to forget the faithfulness he's shown us and quick to turn to other things. For many of us, it can be easy to believe God is not present with us anymore, that he's abandoned us. An yet in His word, God promises to never leave, nor forsake us. Take a moment to reflect on that now, to confess to God this tendency in your own heart.

This next song, speaks of this longing we can feel to know God's presence with us. That even though we've seen God's faithfulness, so often our faith can feel frail and weak. Let's sing it together now, asking for God to hear our prayers.

Song: O God of Mercy Hear our Plea

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Tom Thrower finished off our Ezekiel sermon series this week, preaching to us on the hope of a new temple from Ezekiel 40-48. 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: The Power of the Cross

Song: O God

COMMITMENT READING

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God."

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

(Revelation 21:1-3, 22-23)

Song: Revelation Song

BENEDICTION

Brothers and Sisters, go, knowing that one day the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 

Amen.

Prepare (June 24, 2018)

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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EZEKIEL - A New Temple

SERMON

We'll be finishing off our Ezekiel sermon series this week and Tom Thrower will be preaching to us from Ezekiel 40-48. 

LITURGY

COMMITMENT READING

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God."

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.

(Revelation 21:1-3, 22-23)

MUSIC

• O God of Mercy Hear our Plea (Sovereign Grace):  A new song to us at Redeemer that pleas with God to answer our prayers. It reminds us that creation is groaning, longing for restoration and that we look forward to Christ's return. 

• O God (Dustin Kensrue):  A song that affirms God's presence with us in the midst of all of life's situations. 

Reflect (June 17, 2018)

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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EZEKIEL - A New People

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 of job, 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. Let’s pray this psalm together:

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: Jesus

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 evil and suffering 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 have a future hope. A hope of no pain or suffering. We can only experience this new life through Christ. Let's sing this next song asking that God would lead us back to him, the source of all life.

Song: Lead us Back

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Gary Aston preached to us this week on the power God has to bring life from Ezekiel 37. 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: Hallelujah What a Saviour

Song: Lamb of God

COMMITMENT READING

We can only know new life in Christ. He is the only one who can bring us from death to live. Let's hear these words of commitment that speak of the truth that is ours in Christ:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions, it is by grace you have been saved.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

(Ephesians 2:1-7)

Jesus death and resurrection gives us hope of new life now and one that leads into eternity. We can look forward to a day where all of creation will be restored to new life. Let's sing out in light of that truth together now.

Song: New Again

BENEDICTION

May you go knowing the life giving power of God the Father, the self giving love of God the Son, and the reviving breath of God the Holy Spirit. 

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 

Amen.