Welcome to Sojourn’s weekly worship music set list review & service recap. You’ll not only read a list of the songs we led, but also the readings and prayers from our liturgy. And if you’d like to see how we incorporate liturgical art and lead the responsive readings, watch the embedded Facebook Live video of our entire service, originally streamed on the Sojourn New Albany Facebook page. Our liturgy is written by worship director Justin Shaffer in collaboration with worship directors at other Sojourn churches. This week’s sermon is the first of three on marriage, from Ephesians 5:21-33. It comes from Deacon Stephen Pierce, director of our student ministry. Learn more about our church here.
Song: Lord Let Your Glory Fall
CALL TO WORSHIP
Happy New Year! For some of us 2016 was a prosperous year, for many it was a year of hardship and disappointment. No matter where we find ourselves at the beginning of 2017, excited or doubtful, we can rest assured that our God is in control and has our best interest in mind. Stand and hear the Word of the Lord:
Don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. – James 1:16-18
Let us sing out to the God who blesses us and loves us!
Song: Joy to the World
CONFESSION
The New Year often ushers in new commitments, plans, and dreams. You might be considering a diet or a budget, but ask yourself, where is The Lord calling us to repentance? Where is he calling us to lay down habits of sin, selfishness and pride?
Let’s pray this Psalm together and ask The Lord to show us where he might be calling us to turn away from our sins and turn towards Him:
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you,
Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain…
This is our prayer together:
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. -Psalm 139:1-6; 23-24
Song: All I Have is Yours
CELEBRATION OF ASSURANCE/GIVING
Hear the Word of the Lord,
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-5
Through Christ and Christ alone do we have assurance of pardon. This hope we stand on is not in one that is fleeting or shifting like sand, but placed in God who was and is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. No matter what happens in this life He is who we cling to and trust in.
One of the ways that we proclaim Christ lordship over our lives is through giving to a local body and the work of Christ gospel. If you call Sojourn home we invite you to give as the buckets go by or online. If you are visiting Sojourn today we are not looking for you to give, but welcome you to this gathering.
Song We Are Listening
PASSING OF THE PEACE
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.-Hebrews 12:14
Christ came and reconciled us to God and in doing so reconciled us to one another. Please take a moment to greet one another in the spirit of this peace.
[Sermon]
[Communion]
Song You Alone Can Rescue
Song Whom Have I In Heaven
BENEDICTION
Go now and be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may know the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Go in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Peace be with you. –Romans 12:2