OUR SUNDAY GATHERINGS
- Sunday School 9AM
- Sunday Worship 10:30AM
At Grace, our services are Gospel-centric and congregationally driven. Every movement of our service comes together to tell of a great God and a great Savior. To do this, we embrace the Regulative Principle which informs what elements we use and how we use them in worship. Each Sunday, we engage in preaching, praying, singing and the celebration of the Sacraments.
Though not necessarily in this order, the following areas are presech of our Lord's Day Services:
CALL TO WORSHIP (GOD IS HOLY)
At the beginning of our service we always want to bring our attention to our Holy God who speaks. This reminds us that we worship God rightly only by the fact that He graciously reveals Himself to us. He alone is worthy of all our affection and praise.
See Gen. 1:1, Rev. 4:8
CONFESSION (WE ARE SINNERS)
The confession is a direct response to the holiness of God. Once we see His holiness we are immediately brought into conviction of our sinfulness. The congregation then responds to the promise of God that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us.
See Isa. 6:3-5, 1 John 1:9
ASSURANCE (JESUS SAVES US)
Once we see the holiness of God and our sin, we naturally long for a Savior. Every single week will remind each other that Jesus has come to seek and save the lost. God has provided redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ.
See Rom. 5, Eph. 2: 4-5
PRAYER OF RENEWAL
Through Jesus Christ we are now free to approach God and cry out him to work in and through us. We want to be a church that is for the renewal of our city and the world. Each Sunday we will pray for our city and the world. We pray in faith that God will use us and others to change the world through His Son and for His glory.
SCRIPTURE READING
The word of God is essential to the Christian faith. Every part of our service is shaped by the word of God. This is a tradition that dates back to the early church. The leaders of the church would read the words of God aloud to bless and encourage the body.
See 1 Tim. 4:13, Col. 4:13, Rev. 1:3
PREACHING
Through the work of the Holy Spirit, God uses men to teach and encourage us in the Word of God. Each message has one central theme, Jesus. Every sermon you hear will end with the work of Jesus Christ.
See 1 Tim. 4:13
THE LORD'S TABLE
Taking communion is a command from Jesus Christ. This is also the pinnacle of our service. The death of Jesus Christ is what unites us as brothers and sisters. We partake every week to remind each other that the blood of Christ was shed for us and his body was broken for us. The Lord's Supper is also a family meal. It is only meant for those who believe and submit to the authority of Christ. In the early church some partook in communion and literally became ill or died. The beauty of the gospel is that everyone can have the opportunity to come to the table and partake in the banquet of grace.
See Luke 22:19-20, 1 Cor. 11:23-34
RESPOND/GIVE/OFFER
Near the conclusion of each gathering, we need to respond to God's revelation and His continual invitation to be His people based on the perfect work of Jesus. This time is a time to repent and believe the Gospel, commit to a generous stewardship of life of time, talent and treasure by the aid of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive. Giving is a vision for all of life through the power of the gospel which we have all received in Jesus. Giving should be a response to the goodness God has shown us. Putting that aside, there is practical needs: Pastors should be paid, the lights need to be kept on, and technology is needed. Finances are often a burden, but the church community should give to relieve those burdens. Giving should hurt and we should do it cheerfully. We dishonor God when we honor him with our pockets, but our heart isn’t in it.
See Acts 2: 45 and 20:35, 2 Cor. 9:6-15, 1 Tim. 5: 17-18, Matt. 15:18
BENEDICTION (JESUS SENDS US)
Before Jesus left His disciples, he gave them a mission and left them with His peace. Each service we leave with a good word for the road. We leave the congregation with peace, a peace that only comes from Jesus Christ.
See Matt. 10, John 14: 27