Monday, September 18, 2006

Order of Worship

Order of Worship
Lord’s Day, September 17th, 2006, 10:30am
Fourteenth Sunday of Trinity
Prelude                  

Welcome & Announcements

Silent Meditation:
    Grant unto us, O God, the fullness of your promises. Where we have been weak, grant us your strength; where we have been confused, grant us your guidance; where we have been distraught, grant us your comfort; where we have been dead, grant us your life. Apart from you, O Lord, we are nothing, in and with you we can do all things. Amen.
          
Call to Worship     

Prayer of Invocation  (The Lord’s Prayer)

*Hymn of Response # 600   He Leadeth Me: O Blessed Thought

OT Reading     Zechariah 3:1-10
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!

Corporate Prayer of Confession  
  Our Father in heaven, we thank You that You have led us into the light. We thank You for sending the Savior to call us from death to life. We confess that we were dead in sin before we heard His call, but when we heard Him, like Lazarus, we arose. But, O Father, the grave clothes bind us still: old habits that we cannot throw off, old customs that are so much a part of our lives that we are helpless to live the new life that Christ calls us to live.
Give us strength, O Father, to break the bonds; give us courage to live a new life in You; give us faith to believe that with Your help we cannot fail. All this we ask in the name of our Savior who has taught us to come to You.

Private Confession of Sins

Words of Assurance and Comfort of the Gospel
  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
Ephesians 2.8-9


Confession of Faith
                  The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,    the Creator of heaven and earth,    and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
    Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,    born of the Virgin Mary,    suffered under Pontius Pilate,    was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
    The third day He arose again from the dead.
    He ascended into heaven    and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,    whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,    the communion of saints,    the forgiveness of sins,    the resurrection of the body,    and life everlasting.
Amen.

*Hymn of Response # 105     O God, We Praise Thee
                                                               Dundee – Scottish Psalter

Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Uniting Our Hearts in Prayer

*Hymn of Response # 76    Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven

*God’s Word to Us
          

* Congregation Standing


Scripture Reading      Luke 15:17-24
     Leader: This is the Word of Lord!
     People:  Thanks be to God!     

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon:    My Father is Greater Than…     Rev. Jerry Dodson

*Hymn of Thanksgiving # 44     How Great Thou Art

*Benediction

Postlude

“Go…and tell the people the full message of this new life” Acts 5:20

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Order of Worship

Order of Worship
Lord’s Day, September 10th, 2006, 10:30am
The Season After Pentecost


Prelude                  

Welcome & Announcements

Silent Meditation:
    We praise you, we worship you, we adore you. You hold the heavens in your hand, all stars rejoice in your glory. You come in the sunrise and the song of morn and bless the splendor of the noonday. The stars in their courses magnify you, day and night tell of your glory. Your peace blows over the earth and the breath of your mouth fills all space. Your voice comes in the thunder of the storm and the song of the wind whispers of your majesty. You satisfy all things living with your abundance and our hearts bow at your presence. Accept us, your children, Eternal Father, and hearken to our prayer. Bend over us, Eternal Love, and bless us. Amen.
          
Call to Worship     Psalm 100
Leader: Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!
People: Know that the LORD, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Leader: Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!
Give thanks to Him; bless His name!
People: For the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100

Prayer of Invocation  (The Lord’s Prayer)

*Hymn of Response # 100     Holy, Holy, Holy

NT Reading     Luke 12:13-21
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!



Congregation Standing

Corporate Prayer of Confession:  
Almighty and most merciful God; We acknowledge and confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed; that we have not loved You with all our heart and soul, with all our mind and strength; and that we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves. We beseech You, O God, to forgive what we have been, to help us to amend what we are, and of Your mercy to direct what we shall be; so that we may hereafter walk in the way of Your commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in Your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Words of Assurance and Comfort of the Gospel
Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18

Confession of Faith
Westminster Larger Catechism #72
Leader: What is justifying faith?People:  Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assents to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receives and rests upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.

*Hymn of Response # 587       Who is on the Lord’s Side
                                                             St. Petersburg

Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Uniting Our Hearts in Prayer

* Congregation Standing


*Hymn of Response # 522 My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

*God’s Word to Us
          
Scripture Reading      Mark 8: 34-38
     Leader: This is the Word of Lord!
     People:  Thanks be to God!     

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon:    'My way - Thy way'        Mr.. Jim Cunningham

*Hymn of Thanksgiving # 524     Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ

*Benediction

Postlude

“Go…and tell the people the full message of this new life” Acts 5:20


* Congregation Standing

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Order of Worship
Lord’s Day, September 3rd, 2006, 10:30am
The Season After Pentecost
Prelude

Welcome & Announcements

Silent Meditation:
We do not presume to come to your table, merciful Lord, trusting in our own goodness, but in your all-embracing love and mercy. We are not worthy even to gather up the crumbs under your table, but it is your nature always to have mercy. So feed us with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your Son, that we may forever live in Him and He in us. Amen.

Call to Worship Psalm 148
(Responsive reading)
Leader: Praise the Lord.
People: Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights
above.
Leader: Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
People: Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.
Leader: Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
People: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded
and they were created.
Leader: He set them in place for ever and ever;
People: he gave a decree that will never pass away.
Leader: Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all
ocean depths,
People: lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his
bidding,
Leader: you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
People: wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,
Leader: kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on
earth,
People: young men and maidens, old men and children.
Leader: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is
exalted;
People: his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
Leader: He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his
saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart.
People: Praise the Lord.

Prayer of Invocation (The Lord’s Prayer)

*Hymn of Adoration# 295 Crown Him With Many Crowns

NT Reading Colossians 1:24-2:7
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!

Corporate Prayer of Confession (See hymn of the Month Insert)

Words of Comfort and Promise
Hear the gospel: Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Confession of Faith
Westminster Shorter Catechism
#91 How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?
People: The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them.

*Hymn of Response # 500 Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
Augustus Toplady, 1776 – Tune: New City Fellowship

Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Uniting Our Hearts in Prayer

*Hymn of the Month: Day of Arising (See Hymn of the Month Insert)


*God’s Word to Us

Scripture Reading Philippians 1: 27-30
Leader: This is the Word of Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: Dr. David Dorst The Joy of Living Worthy of the Gospel

The Lord’s Supper

Prayer of Commitment
Unison: Almighty and everliving God, we thank You for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of Your Son, and heirs of Your eternal kingdom. And O, Lord, grant us this other benefit: that You will never allow us to forget these things; but having them imprinted on our hearts, may we grow and increase daily in the faith which is at work in every good deed. And now, Father, send us out to do the work You have given us to do, to love and serve You as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To Him, to You, and to the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Benevolent Offering

*Hymn of Thanksgiving # 455 And Can It Be That I Should Gain
Charles Wesley, 1738

*Benediction

Postlude

“Go…and tell the people the full message of this new life” Acts 5:20


* Congregation Standing

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Order of Worship
Lord’s Day, August 27th, 2006, 10:30am
The Season After Pentecost
Prelude

Welcome & Announcements

Silent Meditation:
A Prayer of Preparation:
Eternal God, you are the power behind all things: behind the energy of the storm, behind the heat of a million suns.
Eternal God, you are the power behind all minds: behind the ability to think and reason, behind all understanding of the truth.
Eternal God, you are the power behind the cross of Christ: behind the weakness, the torture and the death, behind unconquerable love.
Eternal God, we worship and adore you. Amen.

Call to Worship Psalm 67

Leader: The Lord be with you
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Prayer of Invocation (The Lord’s Prayer)

*Hymn of Adoration# 2 O Worship the King

OT Reading Proverbs 10:1-12
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!

Prayer of Confession
Holy God, Father most gracious!
Rebuke us not in your anger, nor chasten us in your wrath!
Heal us from our sin, for we are troubled.
Deliver us for the sake of your steadfast love.
Our sins trouble us, O God.
We are troubled by how they have hurt others.
We are troubled by how they have hurt us.
Your ways are right! O righteous God!
And whenever we have refused to follow them
we have found out how right they are.
Have mercy on us, O God.


Words of Comfort and
Hear the gospel: If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Confession of Faith
Nicene Creed (pg. 846 in Trinity Hymnal)

*Hymn of Response # 301 Join All the Glorious Names
Isaac Watts

Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Uniting Our Hearts in Prayer

*Hymn of Preparation: # 379 Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now

*God’s Word to Us

Scripture Reading I Corinthians 13
Leader: This is the Word of Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon Mr. Steve Dornan
Love: The Christian Way of Life

*Song of Response # 597 Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire

*Benediction

Postlude

“Go…and tell the people the full message of this new life” Acts 5:20

Monday, August 21, 2006

The Lord's Day

Order of Worship
Lord’s Day, August 20th, 2006, 10:30am
The Season After Pentecost
Prelude                  

Welcome & Announcements

Silent Meditation:
    A Prayer of Preparation:
We praise you, we worship you, we adore you. You hold the heavens in your hand, all stars rejoice in your glory. You come in the sunrise and the song of morn and bless the splendor of the noonday. The stars in their courses magnify you, day and night tell of your glory. Your peace blows over the earth and the breath of you mouth fills all space. Your voice comes in the thunder of the storm and the song of the wind whispers of your majesty. You satisfy all things living with your abundance and our hearts bow at your presence. Accept us, your children, Eternal Father, and hearken to our prayer. Bend over us, Eternal Love, and bless us. Amen.
          
Call to Worship     Psalm 21

Leader: The Lord be with you
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Prayer of Invocation  (The Lord’s Prayer)

*Hymn of Adoration# 53   Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
       
OT Reading     Isaiah 55:1-8
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!

Prayer of Confession
Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo. Forgive what our lips tremble to name, what our hearts can no longer bear, and what has become for us a consuming fire of judgment. Set us free from a past that we cannot change; open to us a future in which we can be changed; and grant us grace to grow more and more in your likeness and image, through Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen.

Words of Comfort and Promise
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

*Hymn of Response # 345     Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken

Confession  of Faith
Nicene Creed (pg. 846 in Trinity Hymnal)

Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Uniting Our Hearts in Prayer

*Hymn of Preparation: #358   For All the Saints

*God’s Word to Us           

Scripture Reading      Hosea 2:16-23
     Leader: This is the Word of Lord!
     People:  Thanks be to God!     

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon       Mr. Chris Hayes
                  A Marriage Made in Heaven

*Song of Response # 347     The Church’s One Foundation

*Benediction

Postlude

“Go…and tell the people the full message of this new life” Acts 5:20







Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Walk the Line

For some of you who have seen Walk The Line, you may still be humming Johnny Cash tunes in your mind. I confess I had listened very few times to Johnny Cash but as of now I have about 15 of his tunes in my Ipod. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon playing respectively Johnny Cash and June Carter, Walk the Line was truly a fascinating performance. I frankly can’t think of anyone else playing June Carter than Reese Witherspoon. All you have to do is listen to June Carter and realize that what Witherspoon did was remarkable. She was able to capture the accent, style, and essence of Johnny Cash’s partner. Joaquin Phoenix has the difficult task of imitating the inimitable. Johnny Cash is one of a kind. Joaquin Phoenix did his best and to me since you can never sound exactly like Cash, he was the closest there will ever be. Phoenix is one of the best that Hollywood offers today. Who can forget his cruel portrayal of Commodus in Gladiator and the dying Fireman in Ladder 49? Phoenix who received permission from Johnny Cash himself to play his role learned to play the guitar, took voice lessons, spent numerous hours mimicking Johnny Cash. This guy is passionate about what he does.
The movie itself gives an aura of dark addictions and redemption. It doesn’t minimize the consequences of Cash’s sins and it doesn’t minimize his difficult childhood. From the famous gospel tunes to Walk the Line, Johnny Cash’s life seems to follow the life of so many well-known artists. Drugs, Sex and Country Music. This is the story of Johnny Cash. The man who married his sweetheart and earned innumerable praises from the media. In the end, Cash redeems himself from his addictions and actually is resurrected. A perfect fit role for an actor whose last name Phoenix means “Resurrection.” This movie gets an eight.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Order of Worship

Order of Worship
Lord’s Day, August 13th, 2006, 10:30am
The Season After Pentecost

“Wherever we find the Word of God surely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to the institution of Christ, there, it is not to be doubted, is a church of God.” –John Calvin

A Prayer of Preparation:
To your name, Lord Jesus, help me to bow the knee and its worshiping, bow the head and all its thinking, bow the will and all its choosing, bow the heart and all its loving. Amen.

Prelude                  

Welcome & Announcements

Silent Meditation      
          
Call to Worship     Psalm 34:1-8

Leader: The Lord be with you
People: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Prayer of Invocation  (The Lord’s Prayer)

*Hymn of Adoration# 342    Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
       
OT Reading     Psalm 28
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!

Prayer of Confession
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from Your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is nothing good in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent; according to Your promises declared unto men in Christ Jesus our Lord. Grant that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life; to the glory of His name. Ame

Words of Comfort and Promise
If you O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.

*Hymn of Response # 349   O Thou Who the Shepherd of Israel Art

Confession  of Faith
Apostles’ Creed (pg. 845 in Trinity Hymnal)

Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Uniting Our Hearts in Prayer

*Hymn of Response  # 353 I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord

*God’s Word to Us           

Scripture Reading      John 10:25-30
     Leader: This is the Word of Lord!
     People:   Thanks be to God!     

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon       Mr. Steve Wolters
                  Gathered, Protected, and Preserved

Corporate Response
Heidelberg Catechism # 54
Leader: What do you believe concerning “the holy catholic church”?
People:  I believe that the Son of God through his Spirit and Word, out of the entire human race, from the beginning of the world to its end, gathers, protects, and preserves for himself a community chosen for eternal life and united in true faith. And of this community I am and always will be a living member.

*Song of Response # 348 Jesus, With Thy Church Abide

*Benediction

Postlude

“Go…and tell the people the full message of this new life” Acts 5:20

* Congregation Standing

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Order of Worship

Order of Worship
Lord’s Day, August 6th, 2006, 10:30am
The Season After Pentecost

A Prayer of Preparation:
We do not presume to come to your table, merciful Lord, trusting in our own goodness, but in your all-embracing love and mercy. We are not worthy even to gather up the crumbs under your table, but it is your nature always to have mercy. So feed us with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your Son, that we may forever live in him and he in us.

Prelude                  

Welcome & Announcements

Silent Meditation      
          
Call to Worship     Psalm 57

Leader: Lift up your hearts!
People: We lift them up to the Lord!
Leader: Be exalted, O God.
People: Let your glory be over the earth.

Prayer of Invocation
(The Lord’s Prayer)

*Hymn of Adoration# 30   Our God, Our Help in Ages Past
       
NT Reading          Galatians 5:16-26
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!

Corporate Prayer of Confession  (See Insert)

Words of Comfort and Promise
Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a Spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, Abba, Father
(Rom. 8:14-15).

*Hymn of Response # 424   Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and
                                               Bless (Tune: St. Agnes)

* Congregation Standing
Affirmation of Faith
Westminster Larger Catechism #162, 163, 168
Leader: What is a sacrament?
People: A sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ in his church, to signify, seal, and exhibit unto those that are within the covenant of grace, the benefits of his mediation; to strengthen and increase their faith, and all other graces; to oblige them to obedience; to testify and cherish their love and communion one with another; and to distinguish them from those that are without.
Leader: What are the parts of the sacrament?
People: The parts of a sacrament are two; the one an outward and sensible sign, used according to Christ's own appointment; the other an inward and spiritual grace thereby signified.
Leader: What is the Lord’s Supper?
People: The Lord's Supper is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine according to the appointment of Jesus Christ, his death is showed forth; and they that worthily communicate feed upon his body and blood, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace; have their union and communion with him confirmed; testify and renew their thankfulness, and engagement to God, and their mutual love and fellowship each with other, as members of the same mystical body.

Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Uniting Our Hearts in Prayer

*Hymn of Consecration # 586  Take My Life, and Let It Be
                                                      (Tune: St. Bees)
*God’s Word to Us           

Scripture Reading      Romans 13:11-14
     Leader: This is the Word of Lord!
     People:   Thanks be to God!     


* Congregation Standing

Prayer for Illumination

Sermon       Rev. Robert Barnes
                  The Challenge of Change

The Lord’s Supper

Prayer of Commitment
Unison: Almighty and ever-living God, we thank You for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of Your Son, and heirs of Your eternal kingdom. And O, Lord, grant us this other benefit: that You will never allow us to forget these things; but having them imprinted on our hearts, may we grow and increase daily in the faith which is at work in every good deed. And now, Father, send us out to do the work You have given us to do, to love and serve You as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To Him, to You, and to the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Benevolent Offering

*Song of Response #427     Amidst Us Our Beloved Stands
                          Written by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

*Benediction

Postlude

“Go…and tell the people the full message of this new life” Acts 5:20

* Congregation Standing

Friday, August 04, 2006

This blog site will serve to keep all my papers.