New Year

23 January: Tuesday Refocus

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“The heart which has no agenda but God’s is the heart at leisure form itself. Its emptiness is filled with the love of God. Its solitude can be turned into prayer.” - Elisabeth Elliot

We enter a new year with excitement, anticipation, anxiety, and likely a few lists and plans for what we hope to accomplish, who we desire to become. Whether conscious or not, we have an agenda. But how quickly those best laid plans, or the pace of life fill every corner our heart, mind, life, time, and attention. Don’t you desire rest?

For the follower of Jesus, rest is not the reward for a job well-done. Rest is the posture of heart and life because Christ has accomplished what we could never do: heal the divide sin has wrought between God and man (Hebrews 10, Colossians 1:20).

Cease your striving, find rest in God.

Empty your heart, be filled with God’s love.

Silence the noise, and meet God in prayer.

“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” - Psalm 33:20-22

Waiting,

AB

9 January: Tuesday Refocus

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“Teach me to listen, Holy Spirit, for your voice; in busyness and in boredom, in certainty and doubt, in noise and in silence. Teach me, Lord, to listen. Amen.” - John Veltri, SJ

Sheep recognize the voice of the Shepherd (John 10:27). In the whispers and the wind (1 Kings 19:11-13), in the busyness and the boredom, in the certainty and doubt, in the noise and the silence - our Shepherd is speaking and speaking through His Word, speaking through His Spirit, speaking through His people, speaking through creation.

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world (Hebrews 1:1-2).”

May the voice of the Good Shepherd ring unmistakably through our souls in 2024.

Speak Lord, your servant is listening. Amen.

Listening,

AB

7 January: Liturgy + Set List

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  • PROMISES

    Call to Worship: Psalm 16

    Good morning and welcome to worship on this first Sunday of the new year. We are here to set the Lord always before our mind’s attention and our heart’s affection. We look to the one who leads us in the way of life, and regardless of the year ahead will not abandon you. Let’s sing of his heart and character together:

  • THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

  • ABIDE

    Sermon: Mark 13:1-37

    Christ has come, and he is coming again. Let’s not grow indifferent toward our sin, but use this time to once again set Christ before our gaze, and confess our sins to God and one another. Would you stand if you’re able:

    BCP Corporate Confession

    Brothers and sisters, hear the good news. God does not treat you as your sins deserve. Christ has come and He is coming again. Let’s sing to him now…

  • HYMN OF HEAVEN

  • YET NOT I, BUT THROUGH CHRIST IN ME

    Benediction

31 December: Liturgy + Set List

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  • WONDER AND GIFT

    The Church calendar says that Christmas is more than a day, it is a season. So we are still in the season of Christmas, remembering Christ’s coming, and anticipating His return. As we sing together this morning, I want to encourage you to look back over the past year and search for ebeneezers - remembrances of God’s care, help, and provision. Hold those things in your heart and mind, and sing from that place, sing from that remembrance this morning.

  • BEHOLD

  • HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarate Word: Grant that this light, kindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one god, now and for ever. Amen.

  • ONLY A HOLY GOD

    Readings: Luke 1:26-33, Matthew 1:1, 12-16

    This is the word of the LORD. The kind of people Jesus came from reveals the kind of people Jesus came for. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.

    Sermon: Luke 1:26-56

    Writer Frederick Buechner says, ‘The grace of God means something like: "Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are, because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us... I love you." If you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, as you look back over 2023 and as you look ahead to 2024 you have nothing to fear, because the Lord who loves you says in His Word: ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ God is so kind, so good, so gracious, he can work all things for our greater good, and His greater glory. As we close out our morning and our year, we’re going to sing about God’s glory with a song that will have a familiar melody, but maybe words which are unfamiliar. Would you stand if you’re able…

  • All Glory Be To Christ

8 January: Liturgy + Set List

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  • ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK

Call to Worship: Psalm 119:17-20

My hope and prayer for this morning and the year ahead is that we will be people who have souls that are consumed with the things of the Lord, not just the things of the world. Let’s sing to that end:

  • CHRIST BE MAGNIFIED

  • THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

Sermon: Mark 1:1-14

Brothers and sisters, hear the good news - Christ has come and will come again. Let’s join in the ancient praise of all God’s people proclaiming that good news.

  • RAISE UP THE CROWN (ALL HAIL THE POWER)

  • GOD SO LOVED

Benediction: Hebrews 4:14-16

1 January: Liturgy + Set List

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  • BEHOLD

    Call to Worship: Psalm 118:14-17

    Welcome to worship with us on this final day of the Christmas season, and the first day of the year. We are glad you have joined us to do precisely what we have read in those verses - to declare the wondrous deeds of the Lord. A new year can bring excitement, anxiety, fear, or worry. But as followers of Christ, we can rest in the reality that there is no portion of the year ahead that God does not know deeply, intimately, and completely. And if you are here this morning as a follower of Christ, there is nowhere you will go this year that Christ will not go with you. We will spend some time praying together using Psalm 16 - I will read a portion of the passage, and then give you a prompt for prayer, and leave some time for you to pray silently in your own heart. Let’s continue in worship through prayer…

Psalm 16:

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.

Take a moment to reflect, remember, and name evidences of God’s care and kindness to you in 2022.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names on my lips.

Will you take a moment to name and confess to God the places of fear, anxiety, worry, or uncertainty about the year ahead.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Will you take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to press these truths deeply into your heart in the year ahead.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

  • KING OF KINGS

  • O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

    Reading: Luke 2:41-52

    Sermon: John 20:1-18

    My only hope, your only hope in 2023 is not resolutions, but resting in the unchangeable character of God. All things are passing away - including you and me - but God’s Word never passes away - God never changes. So would you stand and sing these next two songs as prayers looking ahead to this year, and fixing our eyes on the Risen, Author, and Perfector of our faith…

  • TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS

    You will recognize the melody of this next song, but the words may be new. Let’s sing together…

  • ALL GLORY BE TO CHRIST

    Benediction: John 20:30-31

Quotes [Part 1]

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A full week into a new year. As you find your feet, I hope these quotes inspire your heart, shape your imagination, and fuel your worship:

C.S. LEWIS

Praise is the culmination of our enjoyment of anything.

JEN WILKIN

Songs of faith are teaching tools, and effective ones. In an age of widespread biblical/theological illiteracy, leaders must choose those songs with care. Many who will sing them under our leadership are spiritual infants. Imagine if the lyrics of the ABC song were 85% accurate.

J.C. RYLE

All services without heart-service are unprofitable and vain.

JOHN CALVIN

We need to have songs which are not only honorable but also holy. They should spur us on to prayer and the praise of God, to meditation on his works, so that we love, fear, honor and glorify him.

In true worship the believer exercises faith and repentance as he meets with God according to His Word and grows in grace.

Singing has a great force and vigor to move and inflame the hearts of men to invoke and praise God with a more vehement and ardent zeal.

January 2: Liturgy + Set List

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  • DOXOLOGY | AMEN

Whether this year brings you excitement and anticipation, or fear and anxiety, let’s hear about the unchanging heart and character of our God:

Call to Worship: Lamentations 3:21-25

  • THIS IS AMAZING GRACE

  • IN CHRIST ALONE

Every follower of Jesus has bold, complete, and confident access to God the Father, not through the length of time we have been followers of Jesus, not through how spiritually mature we are, not through how much knowledge of the Bible or theology we possess. No, followers of Jesus have direct, bold, complete, and confident access to God because of the God man - the Son of God, and Son of Man, the Man, Christ Jesus. The One who stands between God and man making intercession on our behalf. We are going to go to our Father through Christ the Son and pray together:

  • Prayers of the People

Sermon: Luke 12:13-21

Thou He was rich, for our sake, He became poor, so that we by His poverty might become rich. God has been rich toward us in Christ, how could we not be rich toward God in response? Let’s stand and respond together to our good and gracious God:

  • GOODNESS OF GOD

  • GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

January 7: Tuesday Refocus

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Circle me Lord, keep protection near and danger afar.

Circle me Lord, keep light near and darkness afar.

Circle me Lord, keep peace within, keep evil out.

In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen. - Celtic Prayer

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Whatever is left behind in 2019, whatever awaits in 2020, we can be assured in all things: ’The LORD is your keeper, the LORD is your shade on your right hand.’ Ps 121:5

The One who has defeated Satan, sin and death will ‘keep you from all evil; He will keep your life.’ This does not mean we will never experience sorrow or suffering. Jesus said, ‘In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’ And when we are led through the valley of the shadow of death, we are strengthened, helped, upheld with the righteous right hand of our God (Ps 121:7, Jn 16:33, Ps 23:4, Is 41:10).

Our days, years and lives rest firmly in the reality: ‘The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.’ Ps 121:8

Let it be so, Lord, amen.

Resting,

AB