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worship as communal exchange
called to come in
God comes near and calls his people out of the world, and takes hold of us and brings us into the community of Himself.SONG: You Are Welcome Here
Holy Spirit of God draw near
You are wanted and welcome here
May Your presence be loved and feared
You are wanted and welcome here
There is no greater thing we could ask for
than the presence of the Lord
Holy Spirit of God draw near
You are wanted and welcome here
May Your presence be loved and feared
You are wanted and welcome here
There is no greater thing we could ask for
than the presence of the Lord
Oh God let freedom reign
Your Spirit sets us free
We want to be where You are
Holy Spirit of God draw near
You are wanted and welcome here
May Your presence be loved and feared
You are wanted and welcome here
we hear | Luke 1:68
(leader) – Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people!
(all) – Declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it, say: The Lord has redeemed his servants!
we respond | declaring with the early church (Ignatius of Antioch, AD 107)
(leader) – Be deaf, therefore, when any would speak to you apart from Jesus Christ the Son of God:
(all) – [He] was descended from the family of David, born of Mary, who was truly born both of God and of the Virgin, truly took a body; for the Word became flesh and dwelt among us without sin, ate and drank, truly suffered persecution under Pontius Pilate, was truly and not in appearance crucified and died, who was truly raised from the dead and rose after three days his Father raising him up… and after having spent forty days with the Apostles, was received up to the Father, and sits on his right hand, waiting till his enemies are put under his feat.
confessing our sin
God the Spirit reminds us that God the Father has saved us through the righteous life and sacrificial death of Christ the Son – and in faith we rest on his gracious interest to renew us yet again.we hear and confess | SONG: Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
See, on the portals he’s waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me
CHORUS
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary, come home
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling, O sinner, come home
Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading
Pleading for you and for me
Why should we linger and heed not his mercies
Mercies for you and for me
Time is now fleeting the moments are passing
Passing from you and from me
Shadows are gathering deathbeds are coming
Coming for you and for me
Oh! For the wonderful love he has promised
Promised for you and for me
Though we have sinned he has mercy and pardon
Pardon for you and for me
Prayer adapted from Valley of Vision
O Lord Most High, I am sinner, but not insensible of my state. My iniquities are great and numberless, but you are adequate to my relief, for you are rich in mercy. The blood of your Son can cleanse from all sin; the agency of your Spirit can subdue my most powerful lusts. Give me a tender, wakeful conscience that can smite and torment me when I sin. May I be consistent in conversation and conduct, the same alone as in company, in prosperity and adversity, accepting all thy commandments as right, and hating every false way. Through the righteousness of him who knew no sin but became it for me, Amen.
we rest | SONG: Just As I Am / Only My Life
Just as I am, without one plea
But that thy blood was shed for me
And that thou bidd’st me come to thee
O Lamb of God, I come, I come
Just as I am and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot
To thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot
O Lamb of God, I come, I come
I bring You no prize, I have none to give
But only my life that in You I may live
There’s no other way my soul can be free
I come knowing you have received me
Just as I am
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come
Just as I am, thou wilt receive
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve
Because thy promise I believe
O Lamb of God, I come, I come
declaration | Psalm 32:1-2
(leader) – Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
(all) – Blessed is the one against whom the Lord counts no iniquity!
consecrated by Word
God declares the finished gospel of his Son, and continues his powerful, internal work of change/consecration by his Spirit.we hear | Worthy of the Gospel • Philippians 1:27-30
we respond | SONG: Jesus Paid It All
I hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness watch and pray
Find in Me thine all in all
Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone
For nothing good have I
whereby Thy grace to claim
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb
And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete
Jesus died my soul to save
My lips shall still repeat
SONG: Evermore
You are peace, when war is all around us
You are rest, when our souls are tired
Been alive since the day that you found us
To our cold hearts, you’re a raging fire
From the grave, from the grave
you have called us
Every soul can be made alive
We are saved from the shame
and the darkness
Evermore brought into the light
No one else spins the earth, holds the heavens
No one else hears our secret cries
Lord, your kingdom is constant and endless
And your grace is a wonderful surprise
At the sound of your name
chains are broken
At the sound of your name
wounds are healed
At the sound of your name
salvation is revealed
compelled to go out
benediction | Psalm 67, 103
Now may the Son who redeems us, the Spirit who renews us, and the Father who receives us be gracious to us and bless and make His face shine upon us. Amen.