Church Calendar

Advent Preparation

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We are only a few weeks away from the Advent season. One of the elements that has helped mark out this time as special for me in the last few years has been writing an Advent devotional. Collecting these quotes, prayers, Scripture, and writings helps set my attention and affection on the coming of Christ during a particularly busy season in the life of the Church.

If you are looking for something for you, your church, or your team, here are links to the last several years. I’ll also be posting a new Advent devotional in the weeks ahead.

If you’re looking for some practical resources for worship leaders, worship teams, or church here are some posts from previous years:

The Most Important Part Of The Gathering

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What is the most important part of the worship gathering?

My Anglican friends would likely say the Eucharist.

My extroverted friends would likely say the time of fellowship.

My musical friends would likely say sung worship.

My worship-leading friends would likely say sung worship as well.

My reformed, gospel-centered friends would likely say the preached word of God.

Most pastors would likely say the sermon.

My charismatic friends would likely say what is unexpected, or surprising.

Whether we realize it or not, every portion of our corporate gatherings is formative. We are shaped in subtle and significant ways by years of repetition. What we emphasize, and where we place the most resources (time in the service, staff, money, etc) is likely what the churches we serve value most. But if everything portion of our gathering is retelling the gospel story, if every part of our gathering is intentionally placed to form our people, then each component has a role to play in the importance of our formation.

What is the most important part of the corporate gathering? It all is important.

28 May: Liturgy + Set List

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  • HOUSE OF THE LORD

    Good morning Life Church, and welcome to worship with us on this Memorial Day Weekend, and this Family Worship Weekend. One of the reasons that we can gather in freedom to worship in this country is that for generations men and women have laid down their lives to secure and sustain the freedoms we enjoy. That is what our culture is celebrating this weekend, and that is right and good. But what we know as followers of Christ is that the freedoms we enjoy in this country are only a shadow of the freedom that ours in and through Christ. Because He has set us free from the law of sin and death. Let’s celebrate the freedom that we have in this country, but if you are here this morning as a follower of Christ, let’s celebrate the freedom that is ours through Christ. Let’s hear God call us to worship from His word:

    Call to Worship: Psalm 1:1-2

    Let’s look to Christ, the One who fulfills the law.

  • ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST

  • BE THOU MY VISION

    Sermon: Exodus 20:1-3

    Everyone, everywhere, always, is a worshiper. But right worship begins not with us, but when God reveals Himself as the only one worthy of our worship - ‘I AM the Lord your God, worship me alone.’ Right worship is a result of the Holy Spirit leading you in all truth to behold the person and work of Christ. And this morning is Pentecost Sunday, the day when the global church remembers and celebrates the sending of the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower the life of every believer. To empower right worship. And so as we remember this day and the sending of the spirit we are going to pray these words together. I will read this through one time so you can hear these words, and then together we will pray these words.

Almighty God, on this day, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, you revealed the way of eternal life to every race and nation: Pour out this gift anew, that by the preaching of the Gospel your salvation may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. 

Book of Common Prayer

  • THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

  • ONLY A HOLY GOD

    Benediction

9 April: Liturgy + Set List

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REJOICE

Welcome + Call to Worship: Psalm 111:1-4, 9

  • AND CAN IT BE

  • ALL HAIL KING JESUS

    Let’s confess what we believe and what we celebrate this morning. I will read the parts marked ‘Leader,’ and together we’ll read the parts marked ‘All’:

Corporate Prayer:

Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen.

All: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Leader: Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

All: He has given us new life and hope.

He has raised Jesus from the dead.

Leader: God has claimed us as his own.

All: He has brought us out of darkness.

He has made us light to the world.

Leader: Alleluia! Christ is risen.

All: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

—based on 1 Peter 1:3-5 [From the Worship Sourcebook]

Sermon: Ephesians 2:4-7

Scripture tells us that we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Let’s sing this morning in light of that day - the further up, and further in revelation of God’s glory. Would you stand if you’re able:

  • O PRAISE THE NAME (ANÁSTASIS)

  • SON OF SUFFERING

    Benediction: 1 Peter 1:3-4

Good Friday

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The Gospel is good news.

Good news that God saves sinners. Good news is that on the darkest day, God shines forth as the one who is good, and does good.

When God made the world, he called it good.

When God made humanity he called man very good.

And then He rested, having completed His work.

When Jesus remade humanity, he said it is finished.

He gave up His spirit and rested. Rested in His completed work. Rested in the love and joy of the Father. This same rest is offered to all who trust in Christ’s completed work on this Good Friday. This day that by any standard would be called evil, wicked, and fruitless. But not for a Good God. Not for the One who works all things together for good, and glory.

No one is good but God alone. And today on this Good Friday, we can again celebrate His goodness.

18 December: Liturgy + Set List

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  • HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING

    Call to Worship: Zechariah 13:1, Psalm 87:1-3, 7

    Advent is a season of longing, and something about this season highlights for me how many of the longings and desires of my heart go unfulfilled on this side of eternity. But every desire should be an arrow that points us to the source of our greatest desire: God Himself. As we sing these Advent and Christmas songs that speak to our longings, we can be honest with God and with one another, as we look to Jesus the One who is the fulfillment of our deepest longings. Let’s sing…

  • COME THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS | JESUS WHAT A FRIEND FOR SINNERS

  • I SHALL NOT WANT

    Reading: Luke 2:8-21

    Sermon: John 4:1-24

    Scripture tells us that no one seeks God. If you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, you are not following Jesus because you went looking for Jesus, rather, like the woman at the well, you were searching for life, hope, and fulfillment on your own when Jesus moved toward you. He is the One that we adore because He has revealed himself to us. Would you stand if you’re able, let’s sing…

  • O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

  • JOY TO THE WORLD (UNSPEAKABLE JOY)

    Reading: John 7:37-39

    Advent Candle Lighting/Benediction

4 December: Liturgy + Set List

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  • JOY TO THE WORLD (UNSPEAKABLE JOY)

    Call to Worship: Isaiah 55:1-2,6-9

    Advent confronts us with the reality that from our physical needs to our spiritual needs, and our greatest need - to be made right with God the Father - you and I are incapable of saving ourselves. But Advent reminds us that God is with us, God is among us, God is for us, and God saves us. That is the good news of great joy - that we cannot save ourselves, but God, in and through Christ saves us. Let’s sing and celebrate together:

  • GREAT THINGS/ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

  • TRISAGION

    Reading: Luke 1:39-45

    Sermon: John 2:1-12

    I think about how in the Old Testament, Moses - this towering figure, the servant of the Lord asks God, ‘Show me your glory.’ And God says, ‘No… but I will let my glory pass by you.’ A little later on King David - this man after God’s own heart says, ‘There is one thing I ask of the Lord, there is one thing I desire, one thing I seek after - gaze upon the beauty and glory of the Lord and to dwell in his house forever.’ The New Testament tells us that we see ‘the glory of God in the face of the Son.’ Brothers and sisters, if you are here as a follower of Jesus, you have seen and experienced the glory of God in a way that Moses and David never did. Let Advent be a reminder to you to cease striving, and simply receive. Let’s celebrate God’s revealed glory, would you stand if you’re able, we’ll sing together.

  • A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS

  • BEHOLD

    Reading: John 1:9-14

  • Benediction/Advent Candle Lighting

27 November: Liturgy + Set List

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  • CROWN HIM (CHRISTMAS)

    Call to Worship: Isaiah 40:3-8

    Welcome to this first week of Advent. This season of life in the Church is where we look back on the coming of Christ and look forward to His return. If Christ has come, He will come again. Every song we will sing this morning is looking back on Christ’s first coming and looking forward to His return. Let’s sing together:

  • JESUS!

  • O COME O COME EMMANUEL

    Reading: Luke 1:26-38

    Sermon: John 1:43-51

    The season of Advent is a reminder that God rarely comes to us in the way, we would expect. The Creator and Sustainer of the universe is born as a helpless baby. The One who is holy is also the One who moves near. Though He has all the riches of heaven, He lays aside His glory and takes the form of a servant. He is transcendent and immanent. Come and see brothers and sisters, come and see.

  • HOLY (JESUS YOU ARE)

  • COME THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS

    Reading: John 1:1-5

  • Benediction/Advent Candle Lighting

Advent Beyond Nostalgia

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When we lived in England, it was a normal and expected part of the Advent and Christmas season to sing carols. Not just in corporate worship, but during a Carol service - where Christians and non-Christians alike would come and sing along to songs that felt more nostalgic than worshipful. But isn’t that the truth even for followers of Jesus who gather weekly with the people of God? We all are tempted by nostalgia more than wonder during the Advent season.

As you begin to think about and prepare for Advent, what would it take to spend time celebrating the season by helping people not just sing familiar carols, but meditate on the truth these songs declare about the wonder of the Gospel and the fact that God is with us?

If you are unfamiliar with the history, additional verses, or inspiration behind some of the carols that you will be leading, spend a little bit of time reading about these songs online. I often find that understanding the original context changes the way I experience and lead a song.

Work to connect songs and sermons. We lead people, not songs. So help the people understand why we are singing what we are singing, what it means, and how we are to respond.

Use the slides, projection, or printed material to help do some of the heavy lifting. I like to use the slides to help shepherd people. Rather than feeling the pressure to explain everything, how might you use what is already at your disposal to help lift the eyes of those your are leading toward the transcendent truths we celebrate together?

Christmas may be a popular time for non-Christians to attend church, but Christians need the Gospel just as much as anyone else. Let’s prepare the truths of Scripture beautifully to be sung, prayed, and remembered inviting the Holy Spirit to lead in our preparation as well as our leading. And ask the Holy Spirit to make alive cold dead hearts for the first time, and the hundredth time.

Easter Recovery

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You made it.

Whether your Easter celebrations went exactly as planned, or you would prefer a redo - you made it. Although there can often be additional time, energy, and effort that is spent on Easter, the truth is that every Sunday is a mini Resurrection Sunday.

Every Sunday we remember and rehearse the truth that Jesus is alive, and that Satan, sin, and death have been defeated.

As you recover physically, mentally, and emotionally from your Easter celebrations, don’t let this coming week be just another Sunday - let your heart be steadfast as you view all things in light of the resurrection of Christ. Lead your team and congregation toward the Hope of the Gospel again this week, and the week after that, and the week after that, until we arrive at Resurrection Sunday once more.

April 17: Liturgy + Set List

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  • HOUSE OF THE LORD

Call to Worship: Luke 24:1-6

Corporate Reading:

LEADER: Alleluia! Christ is risen. ALL: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

L: Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. A: He has given us new life and hope,
He has raised Jesus from the dead.

L: God has claimed us as His own.
A: He has brought us out of darkness. He has made us light to the world,

L: Alleluia! Christ is risen.
A: He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

[From the Worship Sourcebook, based on 1 Peter 3:3-5]

  • CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY

  • KING OF KINGS

Sermon: Acts 13:36-41

Whatever stage of life you may be in - committed follower of Jesus, or you don’t believe anything said or sung this morning, or anywhere in between - our only hope in life and death for everyone one of us, a risen Christ. Let’s respond to who God’s Word preached with our songs and lives, would you stand and sing:

  • IN CHRIST ALONE

  • LIVING HOPE

Benediction