Prepare (February 4, 2018)

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

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LOVE, JOY & PEACE

SERMON

This Sunday Gary Aston will be preaching to us from Galatians 5:22-23, looking at the first three characteristics the Spirit brings: love, joy and peace.

LITURGY

CONFESSION/ASSURANCE

We've experienced the love of God, yet so often we find it difficult to love him and others in the way we should. Instead of loving others, for their good, we love them for what we'll get out of it. We seek our good instead of theirs. Every week, at this point in our gathering, we take a moment to confess our sin before God. It's a time to admit our failing to him and celebrate the forgiveness we can know in Christ. Let's take a moment, in the quiet of our hearts to do that together now. Let's read these words of assurance and encouragement about our God who has shown us what perfect love looks like:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.

This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loves us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

God we ask that as a response to this love, you would help us to love one another with this kind of love, knowing that if we love one another, you abide in us and your love is perfected in us.

(Based on 1 John 4:7-12)

MUSIC

• In Tenderness He Sought Me (Citizens and Saints): A song celebrating the love shown to us in Jesus' death and resurrection, the blood that was shed on our behalf and the grace that brings us into God's family. 

• It is Well: A song declaring the deep joy and peace we can know in Christ, even in the midst of despair. 

Reflect (January 28, 2018)

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

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THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

CALL TO WORSHIP

When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, our lives are changed, we have a new heart and the Spirit of God lives in us. This leads to a life of growth by the Spirit. As we start our gathering now, hear what the Psalmist says a flourishing life looks like. Join with me in the underlined portions.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever they do prospers.

(Psalm 1:1-3)

Let's sing out in praise to the God who makes all of this possible for us.

Song: Come Thou Fount

Song: Made Alive

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We've just sung that we've been made alive by God's grace, we've been saved from sin and brought back to life. We've brought into the light but so often we live as though we were still in the dark. Instead of seeking to grow, we become comfortable in our sin. Let's take a moment to confess that tendency in our hearts together now:

Heavenly Father, forgive us for being slow to want to grow. Forgive us for being satisfied where we are, standing still in our faith and comfortable with our sin.

We confess that so often we want to grow apart from you, relying on ourselves and our strength rather than the Spirit at work in our lives. Help us to desire spiritual growth, that makes us more and more like Christ. Amen.

It's not always easy to ask God for this kind of growth, it can feel like we're stepping out beyond our comfort zone and we don't know how he will choose to grow us. We're going to sing a new song together now that reminds us of God's leading and his spirit's guiding, even when we may fear, there is a security we can know in Christ.

Song: Oceans (Where feet may fail)

PASSING OF THE PEACE

PREACHING OF THE WORD

Gary Aston preached to us this week from Galatians 5:16-26 giving us an overview of the Fruit of the Spirit. 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: There is a Fountain

COMMITMENT READING

We have no hope of achieving any of this apart from the Spirit of God at work within us. Let's declare these words together now, affirming that it is God who works in and through us.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20

God is committed to growing us, by his Spirit and in Christ we have an eternal hope that one day this work will be complete. One day we will be completely renewed and completely restored. 

Song: New Again

BENEDICTION

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thess 5:23)

Peace be with you.

And also with you. 

Amen.

Gospel Living (January 21, 2018)

Gospel Living sessions aim to go deeper, looking at what it means to practically live out the gospel in different areas of our lives, providing us with an opportunity to hear from others about their experiences and challenges. These blog posts are designed to help you catch up on the session if you missed it and provide you with resources to follow up with. 

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LIVING BY THE WORD 

In this Gospel Living session, Elspeth Taylor shared some really helpful thoughts for us on God's word and what it looks like to live by the word. You can catch up on the audio from the session here: 

RESOURCES

Here are some of the resources Elspeth used and recommended:

1. Lectio Divina - Download here
2. Psalm 139: First Aid for the Soul - Download here
3. Bible Read Through - Download here
4. Living by the Word Handout - Download here
5. The Praying Life - Paul Miller - Buy it here

A NOTE FROM ELSPETH

"It was an immense privilege to be asked to do this Gospel Living session and to share how God has been leading me to dwell in his Word over the past few years. It was wonderful to share it with church family, and I pray that these resources will help you listen to God’s voice and gaze on his face in Scripture too.

We need to keep encouraging each other to turn to the Lord, as King Josiah did when he rediscovered God’s word, with all our heart and soul and strength. When we expose ourselves to it time and again, we begin to feel the heartbeat of God, and those verses becomes the most precious treasure in our lives. When we apply them to our prayer life we find peace, joy and transformation.

I would love to hear from you as you try out any of the suggestions from the Living by The Word session, eg. If using Psalm 139 as ‘first aid for the soul’ has helped you in the trial you are going through, or if you’ve be challenged to start doing prayer cards, or if you’ve discovered how to dwell in the word for the first time and caught a glimpse of God’s radiance there. Do message me on the Redeemer Facebook page or find me at the Gathering.

Yours in Christ,

Elspeth."

Prepare (January 28, 2018)

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

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THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

SERMON

This Sunday is the second gathering in our Fruit of the Spirit sermon series. Gary will be giving an introduction to all the fruit, preaching to us from Galatians 5:16-26.

LITURGY

COMMITMENT READING

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3)

MUSIC

• Oceans (Hillsong): A new song to us at Redeemer that reminds us of God's leading and the Spirit's guiding, even when we are fearful and life feels uncertain. 

• New Again (Sojourn): A celebration of our future hope in the Gospel that one day we will be fully renewed and restored.