Reflect (January 15, 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 - Promises Kept

CALL TO WORSHIP

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!

Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. (Based on Revelation 4:8-11)

Song: How Great Thou Art

SongIndescribable

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

So often we sing of God's greatness and majesty, yet we don't really believe he is a good God. We don't live our lives as though he is in control and fail to trust his timing in our lives. Take a moment to reflect on this now, to confess to him where you fail to believe God's goodness or that he will fulfill his promises. Let's pray these words together now...

All-knowing Lord, you see what is in my heart. All-powerful Lord, I don't have the power to accomplish what needs to be done, so I offer my requests to you. All-wise Lord, I know you hear and will act, but I also know I must wait on your wise timing. Amen. 

Song: Grace Alone

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

This week marked the start of our new sermon series in the book of Exodus. Gary Aston preached to us from the opening two chapters, exploring the hearing of God and the salvation of God. 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: Look What God Has Done

COMMITMENT READING

Thank you Father God that in Christ, we are your people. Thank you that you hear our groaning and remember your promises to us. We praise you that you see us and know us intimately. Amen.

(Based on Exodus 2:23-24) 

Song: New Again

BENEDICTION

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 
Amen.

Prepare (January 15, 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 - Promises Kept

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. This week marks the start of our sermon series in Exodus and so Gary Aston will be preaching to us from Exodus 1&2. 

MUSIC

  • Look What God Has Done (Ghost Ship): A call for us to look again at what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. To remind our hearts of the identity we have in the Gospel and to give God all the glory. 

  • New Again (Sojourn Music): A song looking forward to the future hope we have in the gospel. We look to the day when all pain and sorrow will be over and Christ will make all things new again!

Reflect (January 8, 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


GENESIS 16

CALL TO WORSHIP

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!

I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. The Lord will reign for ever, Praise the Lord!

(Based on Psalm 146 & 28:7)

Song: Doxology

SongCome Praise and Glorify

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

Heavenly father when we see your glory revealed in the world around us, we fail to believe that you would care for us. When trials come, we think you've abandoned us and we don't believe that you are a good God. We see your authority over all that you have made, but don't give you authority over our lives.

Help us to cast our worries and anxieties upon you, knowing that you care for us and are sovereign over all. Help us to trust you, even in the most difficult of situations, knowing that your ways a greater than ours.

SongO God 

Song: Before the Throne of God Above

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Alex Passmore preached to us from Genesis 16, looking at what the passage teaches us about trust and happiness. 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: Here is Love

SongJesus Paid it All 

COMMITMENT READING

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: Cornerstone

BENEDICTION

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 
Amen.

Prepare (January 8, 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.


GENESIS 16

SERMON

For our first gathering of 2017, Alex Passmore will be preaching to us from Genesis 16. He'll be helping us think through what the story of Abram and Sarai teaches us about trust and happiness. 

LITURGY

COMMITMENT READING

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

MUSIC

  • O God (Dustin Kensrue): An assurance that God is present with us in our struggles, when we feel alone and far from Him he is with us. A wonderful reminder that nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

  • Cornerstone (Hillsong): A song reflecting on the wonderful truth of Christ as our Cornerstone. A reminder that our hope and trust should always be built on Jesus and His saving work on the cross.