14 January: Liturgy + Set List

• PSALM 134 (BLESS THE LORD

  We have sung the words to this Psalm, now let’s hear God call us to worship through His word in Psalm 134:

  Call to Worship: Psalm 134

  We raise our hands in worship for many reasons - hands raised are a sign of victory - not our, but the victory and triumph of Jesus over satan, sin, and death. But hands raised is also a sign of surrender, a sign of dependence, a posture of receiving. And I wanted to let you know, if you’re here this morning as a born and bred Baptist, you can still raise your hands and STILL be Baptist.

• BEFORE THE THRONE

• KING OF KINGS

  You cannot encounter Jesus - the King of kings and remain neutral. Encountering Christ requires a response - even in our passage today we will see three groups of people encounter Christ and respond in very different ways. Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr Day - a day our country sets aside to remember the life and work of Dr. King. Like you and me, Dr. King was an imperfect person, putting an imperfect faith into practice in an imperfect world - but I hope what we truly see in the life and work of Dr. King was someone who had encountered Christ and could not remain neutral. Dr. King encountered the God who justified sinners by the blood of Christ, the God who showed mercy to those deserving of wrath, and the God who welcomes enemies as friends. So we are going to spend a few moments praying that we too would encounter Christ, and live on mission. I will read these words and then I will invite you to pray them with me.

Almighty God, you created us in your own image: Grant us grace to contend fearlessly against evil and to make no peace with oppression; help us to use our freedom rightly in the establishment of justice in our communities and among the nations to the glory of your holy name; though Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

A Prayer For Social Justice

The Book of Common Prayer

Sermon: Mark 14:1-11

Worship does not begin and end, your affections do not turn on and off - they are aimed. And part of the reason we gather week after week is because we desperately need to aim our worship and our affection on the only one worthy of our affection and our worship. Let’s treasure Christ together, would you stand if you’re able, we’ll sing…

• SON OF SUFFERING

• HOLY IS OUR GOD

Benediction

7 January: Liturgy + Set List

• PROMISES

  Call to Worship: Psalm 16

  Good morning and welcome to worship on this first Sunday of the new year. We are here to set the Lord always before our mind’s attention and our heart’s affection. We look to the one who leads us in the way of life, and regardless of the year ahead will not abandon you. Let’s sing of his heart and character together:

• THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

• ABIDE

  Sermon: Mark 13:1-37

  Christ has come, and he is coming again. Let’s not grow indifferent toward our sin, but use this time to once again set Christ before our gaze, and confess our sins to God and one another. Would you stand if you’re able:

  BCP Corporate Confession

  Brothers and sisters, hear the good news. God does not treat you as your sins deserve. Christ has come and He is coming again. Let’s sing to him now…

• HYMN OF HEAVEN

• YET NOT I, BUT THROUGH CHRIST IN ME

  Benediction

31 December: Liturgy + Set List

• WONDER AND GIFT

  The Church calendar says that Christmas is more than a day, it is a season. So we are still in the season of Christmas, remembering Christ’s coming, and anticipating His return. As we sing together this morning, I want to encourage you to look back over the past year and search for ebeneezers - remembrances of God’s care, help, and provision. Hold those things in your heart and mind, and sing from that place, sing from that remembrance this morning.

• BEHOLD

• HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarate Word: Grant that this light, kindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one god, now and for ever. Amen.

• ONLY A HOLY GOD

  Readings: Luke 1:26-33, Matthew 1:1, 12-16

  This is the word of the LORD. The kind of people Jesus came from reveals the kind of people Jesus came for. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God.

  Sermon: Luke 1:26-56

  Writer Frederick Buechner says, ‘The grace of God means something like: "Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are, because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us... I love you." If you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, as you look back over 2023 and as you look ahead to 2024 you have nothing to fear, because the Lord who loves you says in His Word: ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ God is so kind, so good, so gracious, he can work all things for our greater good, and His greater glory. As we close out our morning and our year, we’re going to sing about God’s glory with a song that will have a familiar melody, but maybe words which are unfamiliar. Would you stand if you’re able…

• All Glory Be To Christ

24 December: Liturgy + Set List

• WONDER AND GIFT

• O COME LET US ADORE HIM

• O COME O COME EMMANUEL

  If you have been with us this Advent season you know that we have been looking at the mothers of Jesus - women in the genealogy of Jesus. And we have said throughout this series, ‘The kind of people Jesus came from reveals the kind of people Jesus came for.’ And what Scripture tells us is that Christ came to win for Himself, to purchase with His blood, a bride made up of people from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language on the earth. This is part of what the angels say to the shepherds, ‘This is good news of great joy which will be for all the people.’ And this morning we get to hear some of our people - who call Life Church home - read us the story of this good news in a few of the languages representing the people Jesus came for:

  Luke 2:1-7 (in Spanish), Luke 2:8-13 (in Vietnamese), Luke 2:14-20 (in English)

• COME THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS

  Sermon: 2 Samuel 11:1-27

  I love what the Psalmist says - even the darkness is not dark to you, for the night is as bright as the day. This is Jesus, the Light of the World illuminating the darkness of our sin, the darkness of our lives, the darkness of the world. Let’s sing about Him, and to Him, and to one another - would you stand if you’re able…

• LIGHT OF THE WORLD (SING HALLELUJAH)

  Reading: John 1:9-18

  We light a candle to remember that Jesus is the Light of the World. And if you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, you carry the very life and light of Christ in you and with you as you walk into a darkened world.

• SILENT NIGHT (SON OF GOD, SON OF MAN)

• O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

17 December: Liturgy + Set List

• WONDER AND GIFT

• COME THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS

• ADVENT HYMN/COME BEHOLD THE WONDROUS MYSTERY

  Readings: Ruth 4:13-17, Matthew 1:1-6a

  Sermon: Ruth 1-4

  God is not, and cannot be cruel. God is and does good. And my hope and prayer for you and me is that regardless of the past, regardless of the present, regardless of the future - we will be able to say with the Psalmist:

  Psalm 40:16-17

  But may all who seek you

  rejoice and be glad in you;

  may those who love your salvation

  say continually, “Great is the LORD!”

  As for me, I am poor and needy,

  but the Lord takes thought for me.

  You are my help and my deliverer;

  do not delay, O my God!

• O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

• LIGHT OF THE WORLD (SING HALLELUJAH)

  Benediction

Liturgical Resources

“Tradition is a set of solutions for which we have forgotten the problems.” - Donald Kingsbury

I love hymns.

I love that liturgy forms us as disciples.

I love how reading, singing, and praying ancient words remind us that we are connected to a global Church that spans culture, continent, language, and generation.

Although some of my early church experience involved elements of formal liturgy, it was not until I was in college that I began to encounter liturgical rhythms and resources.

Other worship leaders, pastors, and liturgists would talk about the Church Calendar, seasonal colors, readings, prayers, and the intentional movements of the liturgy - but I could not understand how they knew all of that information. As I tried to find my feet in this context, the Worship Sourcebook was one of my most helpful resources. Explaining the seasons, and giving prayers, readings, confessions, and responsive elements for each season, and every service. Even as my understanding of Liturgical rhythms and the library of books has grown - this is always one of the first places I turn as I think, pray, and plan services.

More recently, I have incorporated the Book of Common Prayer into my preparation. A few of the elements I have come to appreciate about the BCP is that many prayers are incredibly succinct. Although I love using the Valley of Vision during times of personal devotion, I value the accessibility in language and the brevity of word count used in the BCP when it comes to corporate worship.

I think it is important to speak to current events in the gathering, but sometimes those events can feel like landmines in a service. But the BCP has a prayer for countless realities of living in a fallen world. When I can’t find my own words, when a topic feels important but delicate - I look for the ways the BCP can guide our congregation’s prayer and response.

How about you? Are there resources you use regularly that you have found helpful in thinking and planning intentionally for the gathering?

10 December: Liturgy + Set List

• WONDER AND GIFT

• LIGHT OF THE WORLD (SING HALLELUJAH)

• HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING

  Readings: Joshua 2:8-14, Matthew 1:1-6a

  Sermon: Joshua 2:1-24

  God is so good, so kind, so sovereign, that there is nothing - no sin, no brokenness - that can thwart or derail his plan and His purpose. And I hope that does not make us casual about our sin, but makes us draw near to the One who has first drawn near to us. That God’s kindness would lead us to continual repentance. Would you stand if you’re able, we’ll sing together…

• ALL HAIL KING JESUS/JOY TO THE WORLD

• CROWN HIM (CHRISTMAS)

3 December: Liturgy + Set List

Good morning, we’re glad you are here worshiping with us on this first Sunday of Advent. The Advent season is when we look back and remember the first coming of Christ, and look ahead to his return. Each week, we’ll begin our services with this next song that was taken from the words of a Puritan prayer as we remember who Jesus is, and what He has done…

• WONDER AND GIFT

• JOY TO THE WORLD (UNSPEAKABLE JOY)

• LAMB OF GOD

  Readings: Genesis 38:24-30, Matthew 1:1-6a

  Sermon: Genesis 38:1-30

  The good news of the gospel is not that Jesus came to take good people and make them better, it is that Jesus came to take dead people and make them alive. Some of us wear our sin and brokenness on the outside, all of us have sin and brokenness on the inside - and every one of us is equally as in need of a Savior. Your brokenness and sin do not repel God, it invites His grace. So would you stand if you’re able and we’ll draw near to the one who has first drawn near to us in Christ.

• O HOLY NIGHT (HEAR THE GOSPEL STORY)

• HOLY FOREVER

  Benediction

26 November: Liturgy + Set List

• HOW GREAT THOU ART

  Welcome to worship with us on this Thanksgiving weekend, and this Family Worship Weekend. To all of the boys and girls joining us from the Clubhouse, we are so glad you’re here! This part of our time is called the ‘Call to Worship.’ It’s not called the call to worship because worship starts and stops when we sing, because God has made us to worship and made us worshiping. But because of sin, we celebrate, and love and give our attention - we worship - all of the wrong things. And the call to worship reminds us that it is only God who is worthy of all of our celebration, love, and attention. Let’s hear God call us to worship from His Word:

  Psalm 145:1-9

  If you are an adult in the room, we have a chance to inhabit and model one of our values here are Life Church - ‘We will leave a gospel legacy.’ We can do that by commending the works of the Lord to the next generation - by singing about and from the goodness, grace, mercy, and love you have experienced through Christ. Let’s do that together.

• GOD, YOU’RE SO GOOD

• NO BODY

  Sermon: Mark 12:35-44

  The Apostles’ Creed

  The Lord’s Supper

• O PRAISE THE NAME (ANASTASIS)

  Benediction

19 November: Liturgy + Set List

• HOLY HOLY HOLY

  Call to Worship: Psalm 63:1-8

  God’s love is stronger than death, and better than life. That is reason to sing….

• ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST

• HOLY (JESUS YOU ARE)

  Sermon: Mark 12:28-34

  Scripture says ‘we love because He first loved us.’ You can only love to the degree you understand how deeply, truly, and completely you’ve been loved by God. You can only forgive to the degree you understand how deeply, truly, and completely you’ve been forgiven in Christ. You can only give of yourself to the degree to which you realize you have been given all things in Christ. Let’s sing about those truths together. Would you stand if you’re able…

• FORGIVEN FOREVER

• HOW DEEP THE FATHER’S LOVE FOR US

  Benediction

12 November: Liturgy + Set List

• GRACE ALONE

  Let’s hear God call us to worship from His word - if you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, this is what is true of you:

  Call to Worship: Romans 5:1-6

  We are justified by faith, have peace with God, we have access and faith, we stand in grace, we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, our suffering is not meaningless, God has poured His love into our hearts, we have been given the Holy Spirit, we are weak, but Christ has died for us. Those are reasons to sing and celebrate:

• GLORIOUS DAY

• I STAND AMAZED (HOW MARVELOUS)

  Sermon: Mark 12:18-27

  When my family lived in England, every funeral would begin with the entire congregation gathered outside and together we would walk in reading this passage:

  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)

  In life and in death, and in the life to come - if you are in Christ - goodness and mercy will follow after you, would you stand if you’re able and we’ll sing together:

• GOODNESS OF GOD

• LIVING HOPE

  Benediction

5 November: Liturgy + Set List

• ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING

  Call to Worship: Romans 12:1-3

• HOLY IS OUR GOD

• A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS

  There is a day coming when there will be an endless hallelujah, an eternal ‘praise God!’ that will come when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. That day will not be a gathering just of the local body of believers but will be the global Church - followers of Jesus from every tribe, tongue, nation, and language. Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Those brothers and sisters around the world who lose their lives and their livelihoods, their families, and communities for following Jesus. Scripture tells us that we are to remember those who are in chains as though we ourselves are in chains. And so together we are going to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world this morning - specifically those who face the most extreme and acute persecution:

Father, there is nothing that can separate us from Your love. Not tribulation or distress. Not persecution or famine. Not nakedness, danger or sword. And still, these realities are all too present for many of our brothers and sisters around the world who are persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus, You know the suffering of Your Bride - because You are the man of sorrows, the one acquainted with grief, You were despised and rejected, beaten, tortured, deserted, and killed. As our brothers and sisters around the world share in Your sufferings, would You draw them near to Your glory? Would they count the loss of all things as nothing in comparison to knowing You?

Would they live in the promise of Your words in Matthew:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account.”

Holy Spirit, let us not use our freedom to be free of the burden to pray, to think, to act, on behalf of our brothers and sisters around the world who are in chains for the sake of the gospel. We take a moment now to silently pray on behalf of our brothers and sisters suffering for their faith….

*A list of the 50 countries that experience acute persecution based on the 2023 World Watch List

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayers. Thank you, 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 can separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus. Amen and amen.

(Based on Romans 8:17, Romans 8:35-39, Isaiah 53:3, Philippians 3:8, Matthew 5:10-11)

Sermon: Mark 12:13-17

I think it would be a missed opportunity to encourage you to walk out those doors and pray for your leaders and not take a few moments here and now to pray for our leaders. I will read these words first so you can hear this prayer, and then I will invite you to pray these words with me:

O Lord our Governor, whose glory fills all the world:
We commend this Nation to your merciful care, that we may be guided by your providence, and dwell secure in your peace. Grant to the President of this Nation, the Governor of this State, and to all in authority, wisdom and strength to know and to do your will. Fill them with the love of truth and righteousness, and make them continually mindful of their calling to serve this people in reverent obedience to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Occasional Prayer, 37
For The President And All In Civil Authority Book of Common Prayer

• IS HE WORTHY

• HOLY FOREVER

Benediction