Reflect (February 19, 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


JONATHAN GILMORE

CALL TO WORSHIP

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among all the peoples!

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name for ever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory!

(Psalm 72:17-19, 96:1-3)

Song: All Creatures of our God and King

Song: Fountain of Goodness 

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

Heavenly father, every time we are reminded of your greatness, we see how far we are from you. We remember how quick we are to turn away from you and forget the grace shown to us in Christ. Remind us that we were once far from you, but now, by the blood of Jesus, have been brought back into the people of God. Amen. Hear these words of assurance to us from Ephesians 2:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 2: 19-22

Song: Made Alive

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Jonathan Gilmore joined us for our gathering and preached to us from Matthew 9:36-38, sharing about the work he is involved in within Acts 29 Italy. Listen to that sermon here:

Continue to pray for the work of the Jonathan and Annette and for the following areas: 

  1. Church planters and existing young church plants
  2. Training and Coaching
  3. The Albania Project
  4. Setting of Gospel DNA/Culture 

For more information about the work of the Gospel in Italy click here

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: Mighty to Save

COMMITMENT READING

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice,

“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever
and ever! Amen.”

(Revelation 7:9-12)

Song: O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

BENEDICTION

Go in the peace of knowing that one day the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 
Amen.

Prepare (February 19, 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.


JONATHAN GILMORE

SERMON

This week Jonathan Gilmore from Acts 29 Italy will be joining us for our gathering and will be preaching to us from God's word. 

LITURGY

COMMITMENT READING

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice,

“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

(Revelation 7:9-12)

MUSIC

  • O For A Thousand Tongues (Zach Sprowls): A new take on the old hymn, reminding us of the hope we have in the Gospel, that one day the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory.

  • See His Love (Tom Lockley): A reminder of the love God has shown to us on the cross of Christ. A call to look again at the cross and respond to Jesus' great sacrifice for us. 

Reflect (February 5, 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


2 CORINTHIANS 2&3

CALL TO WORSHIP

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.

In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

Psalm 95:1-7

Song: Rejoice

Song: This I Believe

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

If we were honest today there is probably a list of things we are struggling with: Maybe areas in which we’ve sinned, or doubts & unbelief, maybe struggling through things happening in our lives,
or maybe wondering how God would allow our struggles, maybe you are even angry with what God is doing in your life. In all of this, we have an invitation to come to God. Its not an invitation to get everything straightened out in our lives, then come to God. Rather it is a invitation to come with all our sin and struggles and frustration and lay them at the foot of the cross, To allow the grace of God to bring our souls to rest in the righteousness, the perfection, that Jesus give us!
Let's remind our hearts of this truth by reading these words together:

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.

For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood.

Romans 3:23-25

Song: Shine into our Night

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Steve Robinson from Cornerstone Church Liverpool joined us and preached to us from 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:6. Listen to that sermon here:

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: When I Survey

Song: Jesus Paid it All 

COMMITMENT READING

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

Song: It is Well 

BENEDICTION

Go, today, trusting in the Father who forgives us through His son, Jesus and reminds us that we’re loved and forgiven through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 
Amen.

Prepare (February 5, 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.


STEVE ROBINSON

SERMON

This week Steve Robinson from Cornerstone Church Liverpool will be joining us for our gathering and preaching to us from God's word. 

LITURGY

COMMITMENT READING

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

MUSIC

  • Rejoice (Dustin Kensrue): A call to praise God and gaze upon His glory. A reminder that, even in the midst of our trials and suffering we still have reasons to rejoice in the Gospel. 

  • Boldly I Approach (Rend Collective Experiment): A wonderful reminder that in Christ, we can approach the throne of God with confidence, knowing we have been saved from the condemnation of sin.