WONDER AND GIFT
COME THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS
ADVENT HYMN/COME BEHOLD THE WONDROUS MYSTERY
Readings: Ruth 4:13-17, Matthew 1:1-6a
Sermon: Ruth 1-4
God is not, and cannot be cruel. God is and does good. And my hope and prayer for you and me is that regardless of the past, regardless of the present, regardless of the future - we will be able to say with the Psalmist:
Psalm 40:16-17
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the LORD!”
As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
LIGHT OF THE WORLD (SING HALLELUJAH)
Benediction
Set List
10 December: Liturgy + Set List
WONDER AND GIFT
LIGHT OF THE WORLD (SING HALLELUJAH)
HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING
Readings: Joshua 2:8-14, Matthew 1:1-6a
Sermon: Joshua 2:1-24
God is so good, so kind, so sovereign, that there is nothing - no sin, no brokenness - that can thwart or derail his plan and His purpose. And I hope that does not make us casual about our sin, but makes us draw near to the One who has first drawn near to us. That God’s kindness would lead us to continual repentance. Would you stand if you’re able, we’ll sing together…
ALL HAIL KING JESUS/JOY TO THE WORLD
CROWN HIM (CHRISTMAS)
3 December: Liturgy + Set List
Good morning, we’re glad you are here worshiping with us on this first Sunday of Advent. The Advent season is when we look back and remember the first coming of Christ, and look ahead to his return. Each week, we’ll begin our services with this next song that was taken from the words of a Puritan prayer as we remember who Jesus is, and what He has done…
JOY TO THE WORLD (UNSPEAKABLE JOY)
LAMB OF GOD
Readings: Genesis 38:24-30, Matthew 1:1-6a
Sermon: Genesis 38:1-30
The good news of the gospel is not that Jesus came to take good people and make them better, it is that Jesus came to take dead people and make them alive. Some of us wear our sin and brokenness on the outside, all of us have sin and brokenness on the inside - and every one of us is equally as in need of a Savior. Your brokenness and sin do not repel God, it invites His grace. So would you stand if you’re able and we’ll draw near to the one who has first drawn near to us in Christ.
O HOLY NIGHT (HEAR THE GOSPEL STORY)
HOLY FOREVER
Benediction
26 November: Liturgy + Set List
HOW GREAT THOU ART
Welcome to worship with us on this Thanksgiving weekend, and this Family Worship Weekend. To all of the boys and girls joining us from the Clubhouse, we are so glad you’re here! This part of our time is called the ‘Call to Worship.’ It’s not called the call to worship because worship starts and stops when we sing, because God has made us to worship and made us worshiping. But because of sin, we celebrate, and love and give our attention - we worship - all of the wrong things. And the call to worship reminds us that it is only God who is worthy of all of our celebration, love, and attention. Let’s hear God call us to worship from His Word:
Psalm 145:1-9
If you are an adult in the room, we have a chance to inhabit and model one of our values here are Life Church - ‘We will leave a gospel legacy.’ We can do that by commending the works of the Lord to the next generation - by singing about and from the goodness, grace, mercy, and love you have experienced through Christ. Let’s do that together.
GOD, YOU’RE SO GOOD
NO BODY
Sermon: Mark 12:35-44
The Apostles’ Creed
The Lord’s Supper
O PRAISE THE NAME (ANASTASIS)
Benediction
19 November: Liturgy + Set List
HOLY HOLY HOLY
Call to Worship: Psalm 63:1-8
God’s love is stronger than death, and better than life. That is reason to sing….
ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST
HOLY (JESUS YOU ARE)
Sermon: Mark 12:28-34
Scripture says ‘we love because He first loved us.’ You can only love to the degree you understand how deeply, truly, and completely you’ve been loved by God. You can only forgive to the degree you understand how deeply, truly, and completely you’ve been forgiven in Christ. You can only give of yourself to the degree to which you realize you have been given all things in Christ. Let’s sing about those truths together. Would you stand if you’re able…
FORGIVEN FOREVER
HOW DEEP THE FATHER’S LOVE FOR US
Benediction
12 November: Liturgy + Set List
GRACE ALONE
Let’s hear God call us to worship from His word - if you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, this is what is true of you:
Call to Worship: Romans 5:1-6
We are justified by faith, have peace with God, we have access and faith, we stand in grace, we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, our suffering is not meaningless, God has poured His love into our hearts, we have been given the Holy Spirit, we are weak, but Christ has died for us. Those are reasons to sing and celebrate:
GLORIOUS DAY
I STAND AMAZED (HOW MARVELOUS)
Sermon: Mark 12:18-27
When my family lived in England, every funeral would begin with the entire congregation gathered outside and together we would walk in reading this passage:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)
In life and in death, and in the life to come - if you are in Christ - goodness and mercy will follow after you, would you stand if you’re able and we’ll sing together:
GOODNESS OF GOD
LIVING HOPE
Benediction
5 November: Liturgy + Set List
ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING
Call to Worship: Romans 12:1-3
HOLY IS OUR GOD
A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS
There is a day coming when there will be an endless hallelujah, an eternal ‘praise God!’ that will come when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. That day will not be a gathering just of the local body of believers but will be the global Church - followers of Jesus from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language. Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Those brothers and sisters around the world who lose their lives and their livelihoods, their families, and communities for following Jesus. Scripture tells us that we are to remember those who are in chains as though we ourselves are in chains. And so together we are going to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world this morning - specifically those who face the most extreme and acute persecution:
Father, there is nothing that can separate us from Your love. Not tribulation or distress. Not persecution or famine. Not nakedness, danger or sword. And still, these realities are all too present for many of our brothers and sisters around the world who are persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
Jesus, You know the suffering of Your Bride - because You are the man of sorrows, the one acquainted with grief, You were despised and rejected, beaten, tortured, deserted, and killed. As our brothers and sisters around the world share in Your sufferings, would You draw them near to Your glory? Would they count the loss of all things as nothing in comparison to knowing You?
Would they live in the promise of Your words in Matthew:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account.”
Holy Spirit, let us not use our freedom to be free of the burden to pray, to think, to act, on behalf of our brothers and sisters around the world who are in chains for the sake of the gospel. We take a moment now to silently pray on behalf of our brothers and sisters suffering for their faith….
*A list of the 50 countries that experience acute persecution based on the 2023 World Watch List
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers. Thank you, that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus. Amen and amen.
(Based on Romans 8:17, Romans 8:35-39, Isaiah 53:3, Philippians 3:8, Matthew 5:10-11)
Sermon: Mark 12:13-17
I think it would be a missed opportunity to encourage you to walk out those doors and pray for your leaders and not take a few moments here and now to pray for our leaders. I will read these words first so you can hear this prayer, and then I will invite you to pray these words with me:
O Lord our Governor, whose glory fills all the world:
We commend this Nation to your merciful care, that we may be guided by your providence, and dwell secure in your peace. Grant to the President of this Nation, the Governor of this State, and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them continually mindful of their calling to serve this people in reverent obedience to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Occasional Prayer, 37
For The President And All In Civil Authority Book of Common Prayer
IS HE WORTHY
HOLY FOREVER
Benediction
29 October: Liturgy + Set List
BEFORE THE THRONE
Call to Worship: Psalm 27:7-13
When we gather, we behold the goodness of God in the land of the living. We see in part now what one day we will see in full, we behold the glory of the Father in the face of the Son. We see His goodness. Let’s sing to Him:
THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD
ABIDE
Sermon: Mark 11:27-12:12
If you are here as a follower of Jesus, Scripture tells us ‘Your life his hidden with Christ in God.’ And one of the things that means is that when God looks at you - he sees Christ’s perfect obedience, Christ’s perfect righteousness, the song of delight the Father sings over the Son He sings over you, the eternal inheritance which rightfully belongs to Christ, Christ shares with you and me. I hope that makes us humble, grateful, and worshipful. Would you stand if you’re able, let’s sing together:
THERE IS A REDEEMER
LAMB OF GOD
Benediction
8 October: Liturgy + Set List
GRACE ALONE
Call to Worship: Psalm 8
Worship does not begin and end. Everyone, everywhere is a worshiper. One of the things we do as we gather with the people of God is re-aim our worship toward the One who has set His glory in the heavens and moved toward us in and through the person and work of Christ. Let’s sing to him together.
LAMB OF GOD
ONLY A HOLY GOD
Sermon: Mark 10:32-52
The Apostles’ Creed
Baptism Affirmations
Baptisms
NO BODY
Benediction
1 October: Liturgy + Set List
REJOICE
Call to Worship: Psalm 16:7-11
If you are here this morning as a follower of Christ, the fullness of joy and eternal pleasures are not just a future promise but a present reality in and through Christ. And so we are here to once again set the Lord ever before our eyes. We’re going to introduce a new song this morning that gives us a clearer picture of who Jesus is and what He has done…
NO BODY
HYMN OF HEAVEN
Sermon: Mark 10:17-31
We started our morning with a call from the last verse of Psalm 16, I want you to hear the first verse of Psalm 16 as well:
Psalm 16:1-6
If you are here as a follower of Christ, whether your life feels abundant or constricted - the boundary lines have fallen for your in pleasant places, and you have a beautiful inheritance - not an inheritance of earthly riches, but the inheritance of Jesus. Jesus is your inheritance. Let’s sing to him and about him…
GOODNESS OF GOD
BE THOU MY VISION
Benediction
Questions To Consider
One of the things that our team has spoken about is the need for a deeper dive into our songs and services apart from a weekly service evaluation. And that would open up questions, and facilitate discussion for our whole team around the purpose and movement of our gatherings, apart from song choice, and how each of us can play a part in moving our services in the same direction.
One of the things that sparked these categories in my mind is Mike Cosper’s 10 Questions to Consider at the end of every year. I appreciated how he was able to open a view of the gathering wider than song choice and simply judge a service. The categories below are certainly not exhaustive, but will hopefully fuel deeper thought:
SONGS
What new songs are we singing, and how are people responding?
Which songs consistently have high responses (loud singing/participation, comments, humming in the bathroom)?
What holes are in our master song list (content)?
What are we singing too much (themes, songs, style)?
Is the liturgy balancing an awareness of the people, while continuing to lead toward a direction that more closely embodies our values and mission?
COMMUNICATION
Is it clear?
Are we equipping our verbal communicators to understand and navigate the movement, tone of the morning, and the moment while still being themselves?
Are the announcements leading people in worship, and moving them toward mission, not just giving them information?
What has been confusing?
Where have we dropped the ball (for the congregation, for the team, with visuals, with helping equip those on the platform knowing how to effectively communicate)?
FORMATION
What is missing?
What is stale?
Are the ordinances being thoughtfully navigated (within the service and by the communicator)
What has been surprising?
What would you add?
Here are some other similar resources you may find helpful:
17 September: Liturgy + Set List
GRAVES INTO GARDENS
Call to Worship: Romans 11:33-12:2
All we do is give back to God what always has been His. We live in response to the mercy and grace of God by offering our lives as an act of worship. Part of what we do as we gather is reorient our lives around responding to the mercy and grace of God. Let’s do that together as we sing:
ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST
HOLY IS OUR GOD
Sermon: Mark 10:1-12
Scripture says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Some of us have sin that is loud and obvious, all of us have sin that is subtle and subversive and deep in our hearts. As we continue in worship, we’re going to confess our sins to God and one another:
Book of Common Prayer Corporate Confession
Now that we have confessed our sins to God and one another, I want to give you a few moments of silence to consider and confess your own sins.
Brothers and sisters hear the good news: The Lord who loves you says in His word: Go and sin no more.
HOLY FOREVER
LAMB OF GOD
Benediction