How long is the service?
Well it all depends. We have Sunday school downstairs in the fellowship Hall starting at 9:10 am and ending around 10:00am. The sunday worship service starts at 10:30 am - 11:30 am. Most Sundays following the service we have a coffee hour down in the fellowship hall which starts at about 11:35 and last until everyone decides to go home. You are welcome to join us in any of these different portions of the service.
What about kids?
There is a kids program in the downstairs which begins at the start of the service. The ages for this group are 1 to 6 years old. Parents can bring their children down whenever they feel is the best time even if it is the very start of the service. Kids are also welcome to remain with their parents the entire service. We encourage parents to make the choice that best fits their child.
What’s the service like?
Our service follows a traditional reformed model. The service can change format on depending on the time of year. For most of the year we follow the following order of service:
Example Order of Service
Announcements (Pastor):
Prayer of Preparation (Pastor): Loving God, for each one who leads us in worship today, we pray that they may be so filled with your Spirit that they will clearly reflect the glory of Christ in all they say and do. We pray that everyone in this place will know you are with us. Amen.
Call to Worship (Worship Leader):“All who thirst, come to the water. Come, all who are weary; come, all who yearn for forgiveness. The Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ has washed over us, and our gracious and holy God beckons and blesses us. Drink deeply of these living waters. Glory to you, O Lord, glory to you.”
Song #1 (Worship Team): Holy, Holy, Holy
Song #2 (Worship Team): How Great is our God
Song #3 (Worship Team): How Deep the Father's Love for Us
Reading of the Law (Elder): In Philippians Chapter 2 verses 1 through 4 Paul writes: “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Call to Confession (Elder): Despite our unity with Christ very often when it comes down to it we choose independence over being like-minded, we tend to love only according to how others love us back, instead of uniting in mind and spirit around the core ideas of the gospel we often chase after selfish ambition. We choose to value ourselves over others, looking to our own interests. We choose Sin. In light of our shortcomings let us consider the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 79:9, who calls out to God, “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.”
Prayer of confession (Elder): I would invite you now to follow the Psalmist example. Bow your heads with me. Confess your sin. I will then close with a prayer on behalf of the church.
Declaration of Assurance (Pastor): By true faith in Jesus Christ, we are righteous before God and heirs to life everlasting. Even though our consciences may accuses us of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments, of never having kept any of them, and of still being inclined toward all evil, nevertheless, without any merit of our own, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to us the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if we had never sinned nor been a sinner, as if we had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for us. Amen.
Song #4 & Reflection (Worship Leader): How Deep the Father’s Love for Us #1558110
Prayer of illumination (Worship Leader): “Lord God, help us to know your ways; teach us your paths. Lead us in your truth, and teach us, for you are the God of our salvation; for you we wait all day long. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
Reading of the Text (Worship Leader): Our passage today is from Romans Chapter 12 Verses 9 through 21, “9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” This is the word of the Lord. (All) Thanks be to God!
Sermon (Speaker): Romans 12:9-21
Affirmation of faith/Confession of Faith (Pastor): Listen closely as I read this very advent relevant affirmation of our faith (All): Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Mediator.
Prayers of the people (Pastor): Petitions, Thanksgivings, & Laments of the people, closing with, "…Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For your is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”
Reminder of the Offertory (Pastor): “With thankfulness we give in gratitude and joy. With prayerfulness we give in sacrifice and love. With hopefulness we give in commitment to God. With joy, we offer our gifts to God as a sign of our deep devotion and covenant faithfulness.”
Song #5 (Worship Team): Blessed Assurance #22324
Doxology (Worship Team): “Please Join me as we sing the doxology together.”
Sending (Pastor): As you go, consider these words from the letter to the Hebrews, “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers…Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them. Be content with what you have. And remember that God has promised, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”