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 video of our entire service, or check it out 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 Sunday church planting resident Gordon Brown preached on “kindness” as a Fruit Of The Spirit, from Luke 5:12-16 (Jesus heals a leper). Learn more about Sojourn Community Church here.
July 2, 2017 – Fruit of the Spirit (Kindness) – Gordy Brown from Sojourn Community Church on Vimeo.
Almighty God written by David Leonard, Leslie Jordan, Sandra McCracken.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Good morning Sojourn, it’s great to be back in the presence of our church family. This is a safe place to celebrate, mourn or even wrestle in the tension of life’s goodness and complexities. So let’s get straight to the heart of God’s loving kindness for us.
Hear the word of the Lord:
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6,7 (NIV)
A Mighty Fortress is Our God written by Martin Luther.
CONFESSION
Our Almighty God showed us kindness in reaching out to us when we did not deserve his grace. He calls us to reach out to those who are downcast and unloved in this world, yet we are often content to insulate ourselves. Let’s confess and ask the Lord to increase our love for others:
Almighty God, we confess how hard it is to be your people.
You have called us to be the church,
to continue the mission of Jesus Christ to our lonely and confused world.
Yet we acknowledge we are more apathetic than active,
isolated than involved, callous than compassionate, legalistic than loving.
Gracious Lord, have mercy upon us and forgive our sins.
Mold us more into the image of Jesus, use us as
your representatives to a broken world.
This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Let’s sing and ask the Lord to lead us back to life in him.
Lead Us Back written by Bobby Gilles and Brooks Ritter.
ASSURANCE/GIVING
Extemporaneous intro
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He has not dealt wit us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. -Psalm 103.8,10-12 NASB
Extemporaneous giving talk
Steadfast written by Sandra McCracken.
PASSING OF THE PEACE
In kindness Christ stretched out his arms on a cross to make peace with us. Since we have peace with Christ, we also have peace with one another. Let’s take this time to reach out to one another with the peace of Christ.
[Sermon]
[Communion]
Oh To Be Loved By Jesus written by Thad Cockrell.
In light of God’s kindness let’s consider this bookend to the verses we read at the beginning of the service.
Please read this with me:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
not by works, so that no one can boast. -Eph 2:8-9
King of My Heart written by John Mark and Sarah McMillan.
BENEDICTION
“…and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”