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 Pastor Jonah Sage preached from Mark 1 in the first of our three-part annual “State Of The Communion series (a vision casting series for the coming year). Learn more about Sojourn Community Church here.
State Of The Communion 2017 pt 3 – Jonah Sage – August 20 from Sojourn Community Church on Vimeo.
Abide written by Liz Vice.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Good morning! I’m Justin – I’m one of the deacons here. If you’re a visitor, we are so glad you’re here and ask you to please pardon our mess… As we just sang, God invites us to abide in Him- to trust in Him, to rest in Him, to be present with Him. As He faithfully calls we respond in worship because He is good. Our Call to Worship this morning is from Psalm 34. Let’s begin with God’s word and join in on the underlined portions. Hear the word of the Lord:
I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.
Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Fear the LORD, you his godly people,
for those who fear him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing.
-Psalm 34:1-3, 8-10 (NLT)
Whether you are seeking or have been a christian for 50 years, taste and see that the LORD is Good! Let us sing!
Invitation Fountain written by Michael J. Pritzl.
Confession
While God invites us to abide in Him, and experience life, so often our hearts are enamoured with what others have, with what we think we are entitled to, with what the world looks to to give itself meaning. Please hear the word of the Lord: (Reminder- lead this one with a conversational cadence as the word count is fairly high)
What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
…God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:1-3,5b-6(NLT)
Let us humble ourselves as we sing, asking ourselves; “what worldly things have we trusted in to give us life?” Let’s sing and bring this before the Lord.
The Water and the Blood written by Isaac Watts, Neil Degraide, David LaChance.
ASSURANCE/GIVING
Though our sin separates us from God, He cleanses us and still draws near to us. Hear God’s promise.
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.
(James 4:7-8a NLT)
Hallelujah!! When we give to God’s church, frankly, we’re resisting the grip Satan and sin have on our bank account and recognizing that everything we have has been given to us by God in an intimate, particular way. Let’s make this declaration together as a church family:
Father God, receive our offering.
May our gifts be used for Your glory,
May our tithes be used to grow to Your church,
May we participate in fulfilling Your Great Commission. Amen.
Let us continue singing to the God who has saved us and brought us to himself as the giving baskets are passed around 🙂
Your Great Name written by Krissy Nordhoff, Michael Neale.
PASSING OF THE PEACE
Jesus has repaired our broken relationship to God, and also with one another. In God’s kingdom, people of different ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and people of all nations are brought together into a family of peace. Hear this promise from his Word:
For Christ himself has brought peace to us.
He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when,
in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God
by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward
each other was put to death.
Now all of us can come to the Father through the same
Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
-Eph. 2:14,16,18 (NLT)
In Christ, the wall of hostility that exists because of worldly differences is broken down, and we can experience true peace with one another. With that in mind, let’s welcome one another in the peace of Christ today.
[Sermon]
[Communion]
Oh God Our Help in Ages Past written by Isaac Watts, Brooks Ritter.
COMMISSIONING – Missionaries Daniel & Kristyn.
He Reigns written by Peter Furler, Steve Taylor.
BENEDICTION
Go today, abiding in Christ and resting in His love. Go in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.