Reflect (May 5, 2019)

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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IMPACT - How we impact brokenness

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: Everlasting God

Song: 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We've already heard that God is a compassionate God, we've sung that he defends the weak and comforts those in need. When we're reminded of God's character, we realise how far short we fall from his standards. Instead of looking to serve those in need, we use our time, money and resources for selfish gain. Take a moment to reflect on that now, to confess these ways before God...

Father God, forgive us for using the good gifts you have given us to serve ourselves rather than others. Help us to see the needs of those around us and use all that we have to meet them. Remind us of your generosity, shown to us in Christ, when he gave himself up for us. Help us to show that generosity towards others in how we love and care for them. Amen.

Song: Forgiven

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

This Sunday Tom Thrower preached to us from Mark 15: 16-39 on how we can impact brokenness. 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: Nothing but the Blood

Song: Here is Love

COMMITMENT READING

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

He was in the form of God, but did not count equality with God something to be grasped. He emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant and humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(Based on Philippians 2:3-8)

Song: Cornerstone

BENEDICTION

Finally, brothers and sisters rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Peace be with you.

And also with you.

Prepare (May 5, 2019)

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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IMPACT - How we impact brokenness

SERMON

This Sunday we will be continuing to look at the IMPACT part of our vision. Tom Thrower will be preaching to us as from Mark 15 as we look at how we can impact brokenness.

LITURGY

COMMITMENT READING

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

He was in the form of God, but did not count equality with God something to be grasped. He emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant and humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(Based on Philippians 2:3-8)

MUSIC

• Everlasting God (Brenton Brown): A song of praise that celebrates our God of justice and compassion.

• Forgiven (Sovereign Grace): A song of confession and assurance that reminds us we are forgiven through the blood of Christ, despite the ways we fail God and fail one another.

Reflect (April 28, 2019)

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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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.

Prepare (April 28, 2019)

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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IMPACT - Understanding Brokenness

SERMON

This Sunday we will be starting a three-week sermon series looking at the IMPACT part of our vision. Tom Thrower will be preaching to us as we think through understanding the brokenness of this world.

LITURGY

COMMITMENT READING

“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)

MUSIC

• O God of Mercy Hear our Plea (Sovereign Grace): A song that pleads with God to hear our prayers as we lament the brokenness of this world.

• O God (Dustin Kensrue): A song that celebrates God’s presence with us in the midst of all of life. A reminder that neither height nor depth can separate us from the love of God.