Prepare (October 1, 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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THE CHURCH - Created to Worship

SERMON

Gary Aston will be preaching to us from 1 Peter 2, as we continue our sermon series on the church. 

LITURGY

COMMITMENT READING

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

(Romans 12:1-2)

MUSIC

• Look and See (The Village Church): A call to turn our gaze towards God again and celebrate his glory and majesty.

• This is Amazing Grace (Phil Wickham): A song of wonder and amazement at the God of grace we gather to worship. A celebration of who God is and what he's done for us in Jesus.

Reflect (September 24, 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 - Created By God

CALL TO WORSHIP

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of children and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honour. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet.

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.

(Psalm 8)

Song: All Creatures of our God and King

Song: Indescribable 

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We've already seen that God is a creator God and his glory is seen throughout his creation. As part of his creation, God tells us in his word time and time again that he has created a people for himself. As Christians we have the joy of being part of his people, the church, and yet so often don't experience this joy. We neglect one another, criticise one another and fail to see our need for the church. Take a moment to confess that tendency in your own heart to God now.

Father God, forgive us for neglecting the church and for rejecting our identity as your people. Help us to be people who see the church as you see it and to love the church like you have loved it. Thank you that now through Jesus, we can confidently say we are your people. Amen.

Song: Grace Alone

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

This week we looked at the idea that the church is created by God. Gary Aston preached to us on this from Ephesians 1:15-23. 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: Shine into our Night

Song: Man of Sorrows (Oh the Rugged Cross)

COMMITMENT READING

Throughout scripture God tells us that he is committed to dwelling with his people. God dwells with us now through the Holy Spirit and we have the hope of one day when God will dwell with his people face to face for all of eternity. Here is the vision John was given that we read in Revelation:

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God."

Song: New Again

BENEDICTION

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 

Amen.

Prepare (September 24, 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

---

THE CHURCH - Created by God

SERMON

As we get into our sermon series on the church, Gary Aston will be preaching to us this week from Ephesians 1. 

LITURGY

BENEDICTION

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

MUSIC

• Indescribable (Chris Tomlin): A song of praise and worship to God who's glory and majesty can be seen in all of his creation. 

• New Again (Sojourn Music): A song of hope looking forward to the day where God will dwell with his people for all of eternity and all things will be made new. 

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.