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 a sermon on the parable of the sower, in our Parables of Jesus series. Learn more about Sojourn Community Church here.
February 18, 2018 – Parable of the workers in the Sower from Sojourn Community Church on Vimeo.
Abide written by Whitney Bozarth.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Good morning everyone. Welcome to Sojourn community Church. Today is the first Sunday of Lent… a season in which we reflect on our own mortality and expectantly wait for King Jesus. As we press into this time of anticipation we recognize that though God is high above us, he reaches down to us and cares for us. Hear the word of the Lord.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
(Psalm 8:1-4 NIV)
Though God is great and mighty, He cares for us. Let us respond to His wondrous love by worshipping in song.
Almighty God written by David Leonard, Leslie Jordan, Sandra McCracken.
Lament
Last week was one of stark juxtaposition – celebration of love vs. death, Valentines Day and Ash Wednesday celebrated together on the same day. Both can be fearful and lonely depending on where your heart is and your life circumstance. Pain, loneliness and despair are a troubling condition for all of us and no less for the Christian saved by faith yet wondering where the “Joy is”. God gave us an entire book of his Bible largely dedicated to this topic in the Psalms so that we may commiserate with others who have experienced great pain and doubt. Hear these excerpts from Psalm 69:
Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God.
Reproaches have broken my heart,
so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none,
and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food,
and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus written by Helen H. Lemmel.
ASSURANCE/GIVING
Spoken: With this prayer of assurance, let us be reminded of Christ, who brought us out of the depths of our sin, and into the marvelous light of the Father.
On Screen:
He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock.
While we were weak, Christ died for the ungodly.
God shows his love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.
Lord, help us to rejoice in our suffering
Knowing that we have been justified by faith in Christ.
In Christ, we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God
- Adapted from Psalm 40 and Romans 5 (ESV)
God is Good written by Dustin Kensrue.
PASSING OF THE PEACE
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Because of what Christ has done, we can be a community marked by faith, hope and love. In faith, hope and love, let’s greet one another with the peace of Christ.
[Sermon]
[Communion]
Great Are You Lord written by Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan, David Leonard.
Your Great Name – Krissy Nordhoff and Michael Neal.
BENEDICTION
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Go now in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Peace be with you… 2 Cor. 13:14