Reflect (November 24, 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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SERVE THE CITY: John 13

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: O For a Thousand Tongues

Song: All Praise to Him

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We've already heard of the generous and compassionate God we have. Bible tells us that He is the giver of every good gift He showers those good gifts down on the world he has made Yet so often we are ungrateful for his gifts We assume that they are things we deserve and have a right to have And instead of using them to love God & love other people. We use them for selfish gain. We are selfish with our time, money, resources and yet God has been so generous towards us. Take a moment to confess to God the ways in which you can be selfish with the gifts God has given you and to reflect on his generosity shown to us in Christ.

Jesus himself tells us:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)

God has been generous to us in giving his son to free us and save us from our sin. We are only able to serve others and demonstrate generosity because of the way we have already been served by Christ.

Song: Forgiven

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Tom Thrower preached from God’s word to us this Sunday as part of our Serve the City gathering from John 13:1-17. Listen to the sermon audio 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: When I Survey

Song: Man of Sorrows (Oh the Rugged Cross)

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: Christ is Risen

BENEDICTION

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

(1 Corinthians 15:58)

Peace be with you.

And also with you.

Prepare (November 24, 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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SERVE THE CITY

SERMON

This Sunday is our Serve the City gathering where we’ll hear about different the projects our city groups have been involved in over the weekend. Tom Thrower will be preaching to us on Jesus’ example of service from John 13:1-17.

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

• Man of Sorrows (Hillsong): A song that focuses on the cross of Christ and on his death and resurrection which is where our salvation was achieved.

• Forgiven (Sovereign Grace): A song of confession that speaks of the selfish ways we can misuse the gifts God has given us and yet the forgiveness that we can know in Christ.

Reflect (November 17, 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 - God & Israel: Restoration

CALL TO WORSHIP

The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and filled with unfailing love. The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. 

The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. 

My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever. 

(Psalm 145:8-14)

Song: Everlasting God

Song: 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

Father God as we are reminded of your glory and majesty, we confess that so often we forget how far we are from you. We are quick to build ourselves up and quick to look down on others. Forgive us for judging one another, thinking we are better than one another. 

Remind us that all of us have sinned and fallen short of your standards. We are all undeserving of your grace and yet you have lavishly poured it onto us. Amen. 

Even though we deserved God's judgement, Jesus took the judgement that was ours on the cross so that we might be freed from the power of sin. God tells us in his word that if we repent and turn to Jesus, we find life. Hear these words of assurance about our great and perfect saviour now: 

"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds we have been healed." 

(1 Peter 2:22-24) 

Song: Jesus

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Gary Aston preached to us from Romans 11:11-36 this Sunday as we thought about restoration for God’s people. 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: Before the Throne

COMMITMENT READING

Heavenly Father help us to entrust ourselves to you with confidence in what Jesus has already done for us in his death and resurrection. 

Give us a deep assurance of our salvation as we trust your promises to us. May we find our identity in Jesus' finished work on the cross, not in our works or performance. Amen.

Song: It is Well

BENEDICTION

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen

Peace be with you.

And also with you.

Reflect (November 10, 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 - God’s Sovereignty

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: Indescribable

Song: Fountain of Goodness

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We've already heard and sung of God's unfailing and unchanging character, that he is faithful in all he promises. We've sung that he is the one who brings salvation, yet so often we are quick to forget this. We begin to believe that it is our work and merit that make us right with God. When we do that we take the cross for granted and fail to give God the glory and thanksgiving he deserves.

So take a moment in the quiet of your heart to confess that to God now. Of the ways this week you have resting on your own goodness and achievement One of the joys of gathering together as God's people is that when we forget God's truth, we can remind one another and encourage one another with it together. We can preach the gospel- the good news of what God has done for us in Jesus- again to one another So let's do that now as we read these words of assurance together:

For 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 none of us can boast.

(Ephesians 2:8-9)

When we receive this gift of grace, we are welcomed into God's family, we are part of his people and our identity changes. Let's sing out in light of that truth together now.

Song: Made Alive

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Gary Aston preached to us from Romans 11:1-10 this Sunday as we thought about God’s Sovereignty. 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: Here is Love

COMMITMENT READING

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying:

“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honour and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

(Revelation 7:9-12)

Song: This I Believe

BENEDICTION

Go and celebrate the Father’s Love, Christ’s victory, and the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts as we share our hope with the rest of the world.

Peace be with you.

And also with you.