Reflect (June 4, 2017)

Welcome to the Sunday Gathering recap (songs, hymns, liturgy and sermon). This blog gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you heard in the gathering or catch up if you weren’t able to be with us.

*The indented sections are responses read aloud by the congregation during the Gathering

---

EXODUS - You Shall Not Commit Adultery

CALL TO WORSHIP

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.

Great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

Great is your faithfulness.

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

Great is your faithfulness.

Based on Lamentations 3:22-25

Song: Come Thou Fount

Song: In Tenderness He Sought Me

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

Awesome and compassionate God, you have loved us with unfailing, self-giving mercy, but we have not loved you. You are a faithful God, yet we are unfaithful, time and time again.

Forgive us for running after other things to find joy and satisfaction, remind us that in doing this we take the cross for granted. Show us, once again, that it cost Jesus his life to save us from our sin.

As you come to us in mercy, we repent in spirit and in truth, admit our sin, and gratefully receive your forgiveness through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

(Adapted from the Worship Sourcebook)

Song: Lead Us Back

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PRAYER FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Gary Aston preached to us from Exodus 20:14, helping us to see what the Bible teaches on sex and adultery. Click here to listen to that sermon.

COMMUNION

Every week we want to respond to what God has done for us in Jesus. One of the great ways he has provided for us to remember the truth of the gospel is giving us communion. As we take the bread and wine we remember what Jesus has done for us.

POST COMMUNION READING

Jesus’ death brings us life and this meal reminds us that we are fed by Jesus and forgiven because of Jesus.

We rejoice that You have died, rose again, and are now with the Father advocating for us. Amen.

With our money, time, and talent we give generously, knowing that through Your Son, Jesus, You have generously given to us.

We rejoice that You have given everything and we joyfully give everything back to Your care. Amen.

Song: Nothing but the Blood

Song: Cornerstone

BENEDICTION

Go, trusting in God’s unfailing love and his faithfulness to you.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 

Amen.

Prepare (June 4, 2017)

This blog gives you a glimpse into the upcoming Sunday Gathering. It's an opportunity to read through the passage we'll be studying together, pray through some of the liturgy we'll be using, and listen to a selection of the songs we’ll be singing.

---

EXODUS - You Shall Not Commit Adultery

SERMON

As Exodus is a big book we won’t read all of the Bible text in our Sunday gathering. Each week we will give you the full section of Exodus here on the blog for you to read in your own time. This is a great way to prepare your heart to hear from God’s word on a Sunday. We'll be slowing down a little now and taking a week to look at each of the 10 commandments. This week Gary Aston will be preaching to us on adultery from Exodus 20:14. 

LITURGY

CALL TO WORSHIP

Awesome and compassionate God, you have loved us with unfailing, self-giving mercy, but we have not loved you. You are a faithful God, yet we are unfaithful, time and time again.

Forgive us for running after other things to find joy and satisfaction, remind us that in doing this we take the cross for granted. Show us, once again, that it cost Jesus his life to save us from our sin.

As you come to us in mercy, we repent in spirit and in truth, admit our sin, and gratefully receive your forgiveness through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

(Adapted from the Worship Sourcebook)

MUSIC

• Lead us Back (Sojourn) : A song of confession reminding us that we so often seek security, comfort and the worship of other idols above God. A plea that God would lead us back to life in him.

• In Tenderness He Sought Me (Citizens and Saints): A glorious reminder that whilst we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. 

Reflect (May 28, 2017)

Welcome to the Sunday Gathering recap (songs, hymns, liturgy and sermon). This blog gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you heard in the gathering or catch up if you weren’t able to be with us.

*The indented sections are responses read aloud by the congregation during the Gathering

---

EXODUS - You Shall Not Murder

CALL TO WORSHIP

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and the mountains quake.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, and the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

(Based on Psalm 46:1-7)

Song: Behold our God

Song: Jesus is the Lord of All 

PRAYER FOR THE MANCHESTER ATTACKS

Song: It is Well

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Tom Thrower preached to us from Exodus 20:13, teaching us on what the Bible says about murder. Click here to listen to that sermon.

COMMUNION

Every week we want to respond to what God has done for us in Jesus. One of the great ways he has provided for us to remember the truth of the gospel is giving us communion. As we take the bread and wine we remember what Jesus has done for us.

POST COMMUNION READING

Jesus’ death brings us life and this meal reminds us that we are fed by Jesus and forgiven because of Jesus.

We rejoice that You have died, rose again, and are now with the Father advocating for us. Amen.

With our money, time, and talent we give generously, knowing that through Your Son, Jesus, You have generously given to us.

We rejoice that You have given everything and we joyfully give everything back to Your care. Amen.

Song: Before the Throne of God Above

Song: The Power of the Cross

COMMITMENT READING

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Through Jesus, God reconciled the world to himself, not counting our sin against us.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Song: In Christ Alone

BENEDICTION

Go in the knowledge 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.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 

Amen.

Prepare (May 28, 2017)

This blog gives you a glimpse into the upcoming Sunday Gathering. It's an opportunity to read through the passage we'll be studying together, pray through some of the liturgy we'll be using, and listen to a selection of the songs we’ll be singing.

---

EXODUS - You Shall Not Murder

SERMON

As Exodus is a big book we won’t read all of the Bible text in our Sunday gathering. Each week we will give you the full section of Exodus here on the blog for you to read in your own time. This is a great way to prepare your heart to hear from God’s word on a Sunday. We'll be slowing down a little now and taking a week to look at each of the 10 commandments. This week Tom Thrower will be preaching to us on murder from Exodus 20:13. 

LITURGY

CALL TO WORSHIP

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and the mountains quake.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, and the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

(Based on Psalm 46:1-7)

MUSIC

• Jesus is the Lord of All (Olly Knight): A newer song to Redeemer, celebrating Jesus, the saviour we gather to worship, asserting his power and authority over all.

• It is Well: A beautiful reminder that in the midst of trouble, pain, worry and hurt we can know true peace in Jesus Christ and his saving work for us on the cross.