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 Travis McGowan preached from Romans 6 in the third sermon of our 5 Solas series, “Faith Alone.” Learn more about Sojourn Community Church here.
November 12, 2017 – Christ Alone – Travis McGowan from Sojourn Community Church on Vimeo.
A Country of My Own written by Thad Cockrell.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Good morning, and welcome to Sojourn Community Church. We call ourselves Sojourners, because we know that we live in a world that is not as it should be… We are not at home in a world in turmoil. But God calls us and gathers us into His kingdom. Hear these words from the Lord.
[The Lord has] gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
[He] satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things. ( Psalm 107:3-7 & 9 ESV)
This is not escapism, but a recognition that we are only at peace when we are in God’s perfect presence. Let us praise the God who brings us near and satisfies the longings of our souls.
In Christ Alone written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty.
LAMENT
The violence of our age has become almost unbearable. We don’t have time to process the last unthinkable tragedy before the next is already upon us. Last Sunday even as we experience what in many ways was a landmark Sunday… (15 precious children were dedicated to the Lord, we eclipsed our previous attendance record by 80 souls…) 26 sisters and brothers were gunned down at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas and then later in the evening, Jason Spencer, a member of sojourn’s midtown congregation was murdered while on a walk with his newly wedded bride. To say that these events hit close to home would be an understatement… and we’re forced to acknowledge that there is no song, no lament, no prayer that neatly ties the loose ends of this madness… it’s NOT ok… it’s entirely appropriate to feel angry, confused, scared, even desperate. Our only hope is to turn our eyes upon Jesus and so let us walk with him and remember his prayer in the garden of gethsemane as he was about to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of the authorities. Let’s remember his words as we pray:
Help us, today, to keep watch,
To pay attention to the meaning of your suffering,
The meaning of your cross,
And the purpose of the cross.
In the Garden, we see Jesus’ humanity on display.
He was weary and overwhelmed,
To the point of sweating blood.
Today, we feel our humanity deeply as we process these tragedies.
We are weary and overwhelmed,
We are grieved beyond words.
In your sufferings, Lord Jesus,
May we find comfort for our own, and particularly for the loved ones of our brother Jason and the victims in Texas;
We are never alone, never without your sympathy and solidarity.
People of God,
Remember your Savior
In his suffering , his agony, and his victory.
Let us declare together:
Amen. Come Lord Jesus.
Death Has Lost Its Sting written by Rebecca Dennison.
ASSURANCE/GIVING
Brothers and sisters hear this hope.
There he will remove the cloud of gloom,
the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.
He will swallow up death forever!
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.
He will remove forever all insults and mockery
against his land and people.
The Lord has spoken!
In that day the people will proclaim,
“This is our God!
We trusted in him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!”
-Isaiah 25:7-9 NLT
What Isaiah saw in part then, we see in full now. That in Jesus death is defeated! What more reason is there to sing and praise our King.
Extemporaneous giving…
All My Tears written by Julie Miller.
PASSING OF THE PEACE
In times of difficulty, chaos, and worldly division, we declare to one another and the world that because Jesus gave us peace with God, there is a divine, other-worldly peace that is ours. This peace isn’t passive, it’s not a throwing up of our hands to say we’ve given up.
Instead, this kind of peace is a protest, it’s counter cultural, to say that people who have been wronged and who have wronged others can come together in a gathering like this and show love, forgiveness, and grace to one another. That’s the kind of peace that changes the world, and that’s the peace that is ours in Christ here today. Knowing that, let’s greet one another in his peace now.
[Sermon]
[Communion]
The Anthem written by Joth Hunt, Henry Seeley, Liz Webber.
New Again written by Brooks Ritter and Mike Cosper.
BENEDICTION
For I am sure 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, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:38-39