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. You can also watch the video stream of the whole service from our Facebook page, or here below (you’ll also see a higher resolution video of the sermon alone).
Our liturgy is written by Worship Director Justin Shaffer, in collaboration with our Creative Team at Sojourn Church New Albany and worship staff at the other four Sojourn Collective churches in the Louisville area.
This Sunday, we celebrated Christ The King Sunday. Pastor Sam Huff preached the first sermon in our Advent series, The Songs Of Jesus. To learn more about Sojourn Church, click here.
December 1, 2019 – Advent 1 – Sam Huff from Sojourn Collective on Vimeo.
God in the Dirt
CALL TO WORSHIP
Set the scene… invite church to awaken to the longing they feel…
Our longing for home, our hopeful traditions, and the stories we tell point to an even greater homecoming. That is exactly why we observe Advent – the homecoming of Christ to redeem and renew us, this earth, and all creation till “heaven and nature sing” with joy eternally.
Each week, we’ll light a candle on this wreath as a sign of the coming light of Christ,
the hope that breaks apart the darkness and rescues the world.
Hear the word of the Lord:
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a
son, and will call him Immanuel, which means “God is With Us.”
-Based on Isaiah 9:2 and 7:14
Holy, Holy, Holy
LAMENT
Though the good news of the Christ-child has been announced to the world, there remains brokenness all around us. As we long for Christ’s return to set things right, let us pray:
Lord God,
We long for the coming of your kingdom in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
The signs that your kingdom has not come grieve us.
We grieve over war, disease & death.
We mourn over Christians being persecuted & killed because they follow you.
We regret broken and unreconciled relationships.
Lord Jesus, we long for your return when you will lift up the brokenhearted and restore peace.
In this season of Advent, give us a deeper understanding of the hope we have for your kingdom to come – heaven and earth renewed and restored under the rule and reign of Christ!
Help us to cling to the promises you have made in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Glory Be
ASSURANCE/GIVING
Hear the assurance found in this prophesy of our coming Messiah:
The day will come,” says the Lord, “when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them. In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King
David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. In that day My people
will be saved and will live in peace. And this will be its name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’”
Jesus Christ, our Lord,
whose coming we announce in this season, is our righteousness.
In Christ, we are made right with God! – Based on Jeremiah 33: 14-16
**YOU MAY BE SEATED
“The day will come” this passage begins. Will come. This is an invitation into waiting and expectation—an invitation core to the season of Advent.
Over the next four weeks, we’re going to reflect on much that is familiar in hopes of experiencing something unfamiliar.
We’ll be singing familiar songs, learning more about them, particularly the promises about Jesus that gave birth to these songs.
We want to receive these songs and scriptures as invitations to bring more of who we are to God
And so we’re beginning today where Advent itself begins—with our longings.
One of our members, Chip Chrisman, wrote a devotional to help us on this journey
It’s intended to offer you tools to maybe find a better way through the complexities of Advent
What to do with our longings? How to respond to the losses and limitations that are often underneath the joy of this season.
As a church, we want to find a better way through the times of waiting and unmet desires.
So, there will be practical invitations each week in the series, both in the services, and through the free devotional (available in the lobby).
We have two very concrete opportunities to put our longings into action right now
the first is our Affordable Christmas. We get to come alongside parents who really want to do something special for their children this Christmas but may not be able to afford it.
One more week to bring gifts in. We’d love to have you help welcome these people and show them the love of Christ, too. Plenty of opportunities to volunteer, stop by the table in the back.
The second opportunity has more to do with us, our family here
In the last 6 months, we have welcomed over 400 individual children to Kids’ ministry
Those children will likely grow into teenagers soon.
Frankly, we are out of space for all of these children.
We want to raise money above and beyond our normal giving this month to renovate a classroom and make space for our students.
20k to do it. Anything we bring in over that is going straight out the door to bless our missionaries living overseas.
It’s an opportunity to put into action our longings to raise these children to know the Lord, to see the nations reached for the glory of Christ, to see GOd’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven
So, consider the part that’s yours to play
Many call this church home but never give. Maybe that’s your invitation—start giving
Maybe God’s given you extra this year. Out of your abundance, return some to the Lord!
If you’re writing a check, write “YEAR END GIVING” on the memo line, select “NA year end” online…
As we sing this next familiar song, pay attention to your longings.
Give voice to them, even as we continue to wait on the Lord.
Let’s stand and sing.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
PASSING OF THE PEACE
We know peace because Christ has brought peace to His people, yet we long for Christ’s return… to enjoy forever peace. Let’s pass the peace with each other as we greet each other today 🙂
[Sermon]
[Communion]
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel reprise
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Praise to the Lord the Almighty
BENEDICTION
May the Lord of Peace strengthen you in faith and hope as we
anticipate His Return. Go now in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
Peace be you.