Prepare (October 27, 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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ROMANS - Certainty

SERMON

This Sunday Tom Thrower will be preaching to us from Romans 9:6-29 looking at how we can have certainty of our salvation as Christians.

LITURGY

CALL TO WORSHIP

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

(Romans 8:38-39) 

 MUSIC

• Nothing in All the Earth (Sovereign Grace): A song of assurance that speaks of the confidence we can have in our salvation through Jesus death and resurrection.

• Grace Alone (Dustin Kensrue): A song that affirms that it is by grace we are saved, not by our works.

Reflect (October 20, 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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ROMANS - Recap

CALL TO WORSHIP

Praise be to you, LORD, from everlasting to everlasting.

Yours, LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the majesty and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honour come from you; you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

(1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

Song: Jesus is the Lord of All

Song: How Great is Our God

We've already heard that God is the ruler of all the earth. We've sung that Jesus is the lord of all, and yet so often our hearts wander and desire to bow down to other masters. Rather than trusting God's sovereignty, we seek to become the kings and rulers of our own lives. We don't give Jesus lordship over our lives, instead we let other things rule us and make them our priority instead. Why don't you take a moment to reflect on that now, and confess to God where you see this tendency in your own heart...

Father God, forgive us for failing to trust you and your sovereignty in our lives. Reveal the parts of our lives where we are slow to give you control. Help us to see that your plans and purposes are greater than ours and would we know the peace that comes from trusting in you. Amen

The truth of the gospel is that there is forgiveness for us to be received through faith in Jesus. In putting our trust in him, we can know freedom from all our sin through his gift of grace. Let's sing out about this offer of grace together now.

Song: Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

This week we were back in our Romans sermon series, Gary Aston preached to us from Romans 9:1-5 . 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: See the Lamb

COMMITMENT READING

Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. By him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, all things were created through him and for him.

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. So he is first in everything.

(Colossians 1:15-18)

Song: The Lion and the Lamb

BENEDICTION

God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light. To him be honour and might forever. Amen

(1 Timothy 6:15-16)

Peace be with you.

And also with you.

Prepare (October 20, 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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ROMANS - Recap

SERMON

This Sunday we’ll be back in our Romans sermon series and Gary Aston will be preaching to us from Romans 9:1-5 as we recap the series and think about God’s sovereignty.

LITURGY

CALL TO WORSHIP

Praise be to you, LORD, from everlasting to everlasting. 

Yours, LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the majesty and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. 

Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honour come from you; you are the ruler of all things. 

In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. 

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. 

(1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

 MUSIC

• Jesus is the Lord of All (Olly Knight): A song of praise to our Saviour who reigns and rules over all.

• The Lion and the Lamb (Bethel): A song of celebration of God as the Lion of Judah and the Lamb who was slain. A reminder that he is sovereign over all and every knee will one day bow before him.

Reflect (October 13, 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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BELONGING - Belonging to One Another

CALL TO WORSHIP

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 

In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture. 

(Psalm 95:1-7)

Song: Behold our God

Song: How Great Thou Art

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

At this point in our gathering each week we have a time of confession. We do this because when we see God’s greatness and recognise his glory, we are faced with our own humanity and how short we fall of God’s requirements. 

So a time for confession reminds us of our right place before God, it reminds us of our sinfulness, our need for God’s grace and forgiveness and also of God’s provision of this grace through Jesus. 

As we've been in our belonging series, we've thought about what it means to belong to God together, how when we trust and follow Jesus we become part of his body, the church. So often though we fail to love the church as we should and treat one another as God asks us to. Take a moment to confess to God where you see that in yourself in the quiet of your own heart. 

Let's ask for God's help in this... 

Father God, help us to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Help us to bear with each other and forgive one another as we have been forgiven in Jesus. Amen. 

(Colossians 3:12-17)

Song: Shine into our Night

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Tom Thrower preached to us from God’s word this week from Colossians 3:12-17. 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: Look What God Has Done

TESTIMONIES & BAPTISMS

This Sunday we celebrated two baptisms as a church family. It was great to share with Joe and Livi as they told their stories of salvation and publicly affirmed Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

Song: Revelation Song

BENEDICTION

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. (Colossians 3:15)

Peace be with you.

And also with you.