Our Liturgical Order of Worship The following is the usual order of worship you can expect in our worship services. The whole of the worship service – its flow and pattern – is designed to shape and form us as God's people, called, claimed, and redeemed by Jesus Christ. We begin by proclaiming that it is God who has called us, and we end by proclaiming that this call requires a response. Faith is always a response to the grace of Jesus Christ.
GOD CALLS US TO WORSHIP Welcome, Opening Prayer, and Call to Worship Our worship service begins with a greeting from Scripture and an opening prayer. What brings us into worship is not our words, but God's. God is the one who has called us into worship, and worship is our response.
Opening Hymn We sing throughout the service as part of our response to God. Corporate singing reminds us that though we are individuals, we are also called together as one body. Music and song has a way of forming our hearts in ways other disciplines cannot. As has been said, 'no one ever goes home humming the sermon.' We use a mix of both traditional and contemporary hymns and music.
Call to Confession, Corporate Confession, Silent Confession, and Assurance of Forgiveness When we come into the presence of God, we cannot help but recognize that we do not love God or our neighbor as we should. We confess both corporately and individually. Through corporate confession, we acknowledge that, whether consciously or not, we are often complicit in broken and sinful systems and patterns. Through private, individual confession, we are invited to be personally specific with God. In our confession, we stand on the assurance of the forgiveness, salvation, and redemption already won in Jesus Christ.
Passing of the Peace Through Christ, we have peace with God and peace with one another. We are reminded that we gather and worship, not just as individuals, but as a people - as the family of God.
WE HEAR THE WORD PROCLAIMED Children's Time Children elementary school age and younger are invited up to the front for a special time hearing God's Word and the Good News of Jesus Christ. Children are not just the Church of the future, they are a vital and necessary part of the Church in the present.
Scripture and Sermon The Good News of Jesus Christ is read and proclaimed.
WE RESPOND TO THE WORD Hymn of Response
Affirmation of Faith We use the historic creeds of the Church to affirm our faith and trust in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Offering In response to the Good News of Jesus Christ, we acknowledge that we are not owners, but rather stewards of what God has given us. We give back as a sign of our trust and dependence upon God. On the first Sunday of every month, we invite the children to participate in our Noisy Offering during Sunday School, and then participate in bringing that offering forward during this time in the service.
Announcements We believe that all we do as a church should be in response to, and in the context of, the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Prayer Requests and Prayer We are invited to share our concerns and our joys with one another, and we lift them up in prayer. We conclude with the Lord's Payer (it is our custom to say 'debts' and 'debtors'), not because there is anything magical about these particular words, but because the prayer Jesus gave to his disciples reminds and instructs us how to pray.
*Celebration of the Lord's Supper* On the first Sunday of each month, as well as special days during the Christian year, we celebrate with thanksgiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper together. This Meal is open to any and all who trust in Jesus Christ, no matter their church affiliation.
WE FOLLOW CHRIST INTO THE WORLD Closing Hymn
Commission and Benediction We are sent out with a reminder of who we are, because of Whose we are.
Sung Congregational Response We close our service with a sung corporate affirmation of the God in Whom we trust and our call to go into the world. *** After the worship service, all are invited to the Fellowship Hall for a time of fellowship and food.