liturgy
"Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker."
- Psalm 95:6 -
WORSHIP LITURGY
Call to Worship | Biblical worship begins with God’s call to worship, for God always comes to us before we come to God. Therefore, God’s call to worship bids you to put all things aside and to solemnly and joyfully center your mind, heart, and intention on the worship of God alone.
Invocation | The minister represents God’s people by calling upon the Lord to receive and bless our worship for His glory.
Salutation | God greets us and is present with us and promises he will receive and bless our worship.
Opening Hymn of Praise | We raise our voices as a redeemed community of believers to praise and adore God.
Psalm Sing | God’s Word is central to worship. This is the time we sing God’s Word given in the Psalms, which captures the breadth and depth of our emotions and God’s glorious counsel.
Confession of Sin | Our Lord calls us to confess and repent, not out of fear of condemnation or as a way to gain acceptance by God, but with trust in the eternal promises of our faithful covenantal God. In heartfelt prayer, we honestly confess our utter inability to come before an absolutely holy God, moved by God’s gracious promises of divine forgiveness through our Redeemer Jesus Christ.
Gospel Words of Assurance | May this assurance of pardon through the work of Jesus Christ embolden you to worship with confidence and joy in God’s love for you.
Hymn Responding to Gospel Words of Assurance | Having received forgiveness by God, we gratefully and fervently thank God for his great mercies.
Confession of Faith | As part of the universal church that spans the ages, we join with the host of saints of past to confess the same truths.
Offering | As an act of worship, out of thankful dependence upon God and joyful commitment to God’s kingdom, we give tithes and offerings.
Pastoral Prayer | Our worship of God must be filled with prayer, as the way we speak with God. Here, the minister represents God’s covenant people as we approach the throne of grace with praise, supplications, thanksgiving, and illumination. We conclude with the Lord’s Prayer.
Scripture & Proclamation | It is required of those who hear the Word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence, preparation, and prayer; examine what they hear by the Scriptures; receive the truth with faith, love, meekness, and readiness of mind, as the Word of God; meditate, and confer of it; hide it in their hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives.
Hymn of Response | Having heard the preaching of the whole counsel of God, let us respond with repentance, trust, and renewed obedience.
Benediction | God himself dismisses us with his blessing. What joy to receive God’s blessing, commissioned to do the King’s work, not on our own strength, but with the promises and blessings of our God!