All About Worship

I really want to move our congregation towards a deeper and more intentional theology of worship. This will require preparation and hard work on your part. I would like to see our congregation greatly improve in our singing, however, worship is more than singing and is not a show.

Worship is a narrative (the content moves as a story with an inner cohesion). Not a program (a series of isolated and unconnected acts of worship appearing without connection). A program approach to worship is generally entertainment rather than a spiritual journey. We are no good at entertainment. Worship should appear as an inverted V, representing an uninterrupted flow of the story of coming into God’s presence and being made ready to hear the Word. I tried to add some commentary along the way (I am indebted to the late Bob Webber who taught me much about worship during my doctoral studies).

Gathering Song...Sung while the congregation takes its place in the sanctuary. As people enter they should automatically join the singing to prepare their hearts for worship. This will begin 5 minutes before the service starts. Please arrive early with joyful anticipation.

Let the Worshipers Arise (this is a good example of a simple modern song that still has a strong message. Many of today's chorus songs are not helpful in our approach of the one, true, living God--but some are. We will continually strive to select those with messages of depth).

Carillon

Entrance Hymn...The Entrance Hymn signals the beginning of the formal acts of worship. The great hymn, Praise to the Lord the Almighty is characterized by weight and substance and expresses the journey of coming before God and standing in His presence in the heavens. When the choir comes back in the fall, here is when they would process.

Praise to the Lord the Almighty

Greeting and Call to Worship...The Greeting is a joyful exchange between the worship leader and the people. The Call to Worship expresses the acts of being brought up into God’s presence, and it forms within the worshipers’ experience the sense of God’s intense presence in the Church.

Pastor: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from?
People: My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
Pastor: Glorify the Lord with me!
People: Let us exalt God’s name together!

Right Into:

Corporate Invocation (The Invocation calls upon God to be present in the sanctuary):

People: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets and hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Act of Praise...The Act of Praise recognizes God’s transcendence thus continuing the narrative aspect of the worship journey. The Entrance Hymn has brought the people into a face-to-face position with God; the Call to Worship has resulted in the congregation becoming a worshiping community; the Invocation has asked God to be uniquely present. Now, the Act of Praise is the proper response for those who stand before the Almighty God of the universe.

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

Confession of Sin...Once the congregation has experienced God’s transcendence, the appropriate response is a confession of sin (as in Isaiah 6:1-17). The internal experience of knowing that one is accepted before God ministers to the worshiper and produces an assurance of their relationship to God.

People: O Almighty God, Lord of heaven and earth, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us after your great goodness; according to the multitude of your mercies forgive our sins; wash us thoroughly from our wickedness and cleanse us from our sins, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

Offering

Desert Song (a great new song of lament, bringing balance to include all "voices" in worship)

http://www.ccli.com/usa/Community/CCLITV/Default.aspx?v=606dccc9-31e8-44d4-a711-3ffd17ae8e61

Silent Confession...The time of Confession and forgiveness may be a special time of ministry during which the worshiper reflects on their shortcomings and then hears the words of forgiveness and acceptance. The experience of the worshiper should be a sense of release accompanied by real joy!

The Words of Forgiveness...After the time of confession, both in word and song, the words of God’s grace and pardon are spoken. We are free in Christ, but called continually to live a more holy life.

In Rev.21.5 the Lord says, See, I am making all things new. 2 Cor. 5:17 says, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. and 2 Cor. 5:19 says, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself. Through him our sins are forgiven!

Song of Assurance: Your Grace still Amazes Me

Congregational Prayer for the Sermon...At the time around the Word, worship shifts from coming into the presence of God to being and remaining in that presence. The chief action is communication: God speaks to us through the Word, and then we respond. Our attitude should be, “I want nothing more than that the Word of God will take up residence in my life and shape me into Christ’s likeness.”

People: O Lord, heavenly Father, in whom is the fullness of light and wisdom, enlighten our minds by your Holy spirit and give us grace to receive your Word with reverence and humility, without which no one can understand your truth. For Christ’s sake. Amen.

Elder Prayer

Sermon

Closing Song—TBD based on sermon content