A THOUSAND SHORES
Child Dedications
HOLD HIM HIGH
ABIDE
Sermon: 1 Peter 5:1-4
We live in a time when every person is hostile toward any authority that is from outside of the self. But if you are here as a follower of Jesus, you serve a Savior who said to His Father, and our Father, ‘Not my will, but Yours be done.’ When you live in joyful submission to authority in the Church, in the home, at work or school, even in the government, you give evidence to whom you belong. You give evidence that Your Chief Shepherd is your true Keeper, and He is good, and kind. Would you stand if you’re able lets sing about who Jesus is and what He has done.
ONLY A HOLY GOD
A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS
Benediction
Shepherd
9 January: Tuesday Refocus
“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
Know Your People
If you would have asked me ten years ago if relationships were important within the role of leading worship I would have said, ‘yes.’ But what I did not understand was the fundamental connection between leading worship and being in relationship with the people you serve. If we see the role of leading worship as primarily musical, relationships will be secondary. If we see the role of leading worship as primarily pastoral, shepherding the people of God, then relationships become inextricably linked to the responsibility of leading worship. If you, like me, struggle to understand the value of relationships to your role as a worship leader, here are some of the things I have learned over the years:
We need relationships to be reminded that we are sheep before shepherds. We must remember before we have a role, exercise any gifts, walk in a God-given calling, we are sheep. When we intentionally create distance by things like staying backstage, being disengaged during the sermon, or staying out of the room our presence communicates what we think is valuable in significant and subtle ways. We too are sheep needing the voice of our shepherd.
Relationship informs the way that we serve because discipleship is rooted in relationship. We are not people-directed, but Holy Spirit led, but knowing the stories, struggles, and experiences of those we lead in song should shape the way we pray, prepare and point them to Jesus. As leaders of sung corporate worship, I believe that we are making disciples through our liturgy, song choice, and leadership on a Sunday morning. But true disciple-makers are those that make disciples as they go, not just when they are wearing the vocation/volunteer hat as a worship leader.
Relationships help us see the individual, not just a crowd. Standing in front of 20 people or 2,000 there is a temptation to see a crowd rather than the individual. But as we begin to enter into personal relationships with people in our church, it adds perspective to the crowd. We can begin to see the individual - made in the image of God, completely loved, completely known, as we stand before the crowd.
What are you learning about relationships and leading worship?