Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs: Sojourn’s Corporate Worship Liturgy, September 14, 2008

This post is part of the Sunday Set List blog carnival, posted in conjunction with other church set lists at fredmckinnon.com.  Severe winds, the remnants of Hurricane Ike, wiped out the power at The 930 and most of Louisville in the early afternoon, so we were unable to hold evening services.   Power is still out in most of the city and could remain so for the better part of the week.  I’m posting this in a high rise in downtown Louisville, where officials have restored power.  We were not able to post photos of yesterday’s services, but I am still posting excellent photos by Dan Canales, shot in recent weeks, featuring worship leaders who served in yesterday morning’s Sojourn gatherings.

1. Absent from Flesh, hymn text by Isaac Watts, arrangement and music by Sojourn’s own Jamie Barnes.  We usually use this song, which will be on one of our upcoming worship CD’s, at the end of the service as a triumphant song for the Sending.  Here we used it in the beginning, which is sort of like the Geneva Order of Worship’s element known as “the Gathering.”  People are still arriving, taking seats and preparing to worship together as a church body.  “Absent from Flesh” works well here because it’s a powerful, dynamic song that grabs attention.

Following this our liturgist read the Call to Worship.  We in the congregation followed along (from the screens hung in various places in our auditorium) and read aloud on select underlined portions, such as:

We pray that the eyes of our hearts may be opened in order that we may know the hope to which you have called us, the riches of our inheritance in the saints, and your incomparably great power for us who believe.

2. King of Glory, by Chris Tomlin.  I love how Tomlin unites his verses by bringing images and metaphors full circle or putting a fresh spin on them the second time through.  For instance in this song, he writes of God’s love coming down “to kiss the earth with hope and grace” in the first verse, and then our response in worship “to kiss the feet of hope and grace” in the second verse.  And so you have a nice encapsulated view of what worship is: God’s holiness and actions in history, followed by our humble response of adoration. 

We followed this with a written prayer of confession, again following along on the monitors as the liturgist read to us, and then speaking aloud the underlined portions. 

3. Cling to the Crucified, anonymous (from Bonar’s “Lyra Consolationis”), arrangement and music by Kevin Twit of Indelible Grace.  The short-burst lines in this hymn (meter 6.4 6.4D) are ideal for imploring:

Cling to the Mighty One

Cling in thy grief

Cling to the Holy One

He gives relief

Cling to the Gracious One

Cling in thy pain

Cling to the Faithful One

He will sustain

4. There is a Peace, by Sojourn’s own Charlie Richardson.  You can view the chord sheet from our Before the Throne page and listen to the mp3 from the Sojourn Music fan page on Facebook.  Also, check out this printed interview with Charlie, regarding his faith and music — it includes video and audio of his songs. 

Charlie’s lyrics display a love for biblical truth and also a pastoral concern for the church, as you can hear in “There is a Peace.”  Recently, Pastor Mike played a rough cut for me of another Charlie Richardson song the band is recording, called “Blessed Are The Poor in this Life.”   I thought it was great, as did Michael Morgan (pastoral assistant to Lead Pastor Daniel Montgomery) who was also hanging out with us.  Michael turned to me and said, “You’re going to blog about this, aren’t you?”

Yes Michael, I am.  And did.

Anyway, after this song we greeted one another in the Giving of the Peace.  Then Sojourn pastor Daniel Montgomery preached from Romans 12:9-13 on the subject of Christian hospitality.  Particularly helpful to me was the distinction between hospitality and entertainment.  To “entertain” in one’s home is not the same thing as showing hospitality.  Entertaining is more based on showing your home off, or cooking skills, and seeking to make a good impression.  True hospitality goes much deeper than that and isn’t concerned with showing off our things but in saying that all we have belongs to God and so we’ll share it with others.

5. Invitacion Fountain, by Michael J. Pritzl of The Violet Burning.  This is a long-time Sojourn staple but if we’ve used it during the Lord’s Supper before, it’s been quite awhile.  It makes perfect since though, since the fountain we must come and cling to is the cross of Calvary, Christ’s flowing blood and His body, tortured for our sins.  It is both joyous and sobering to walk forward to receive the communion elements, symbolizing the body and blood from the cross, as we sing

If You lead me Lord, I will follow

Where You lead me Lord, I will go

6. Here is Love, by William Rees and Robert Lowry, arrangement and additional chorus by Matt Redman.  More and more worship songwriters like Redman are unearthing the old treasures of hymnody from past generations and teaching them to a new generation of worshipers, singing with a fresh energy and zeal for the truths contained in these markers of the Christian faith:

Here is love, vast as the ocean

Lovingkindness as the flood

when the Prince of Life, our Ransom,

shed for us His precious blood

After this one we read aloud together, Ephesians 4:4-6 (There is one body and one Spirit … one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all)

7. My Maker and My King, hymn text by Anne Steel, arrangement and music by Sojourn Worship Arts Pastor Mike Cosper.  You can hear this blues-rock song of adoration (and check out the chord sheet) anytime from the Before the Throne page of this website.  It’s a good song to send us out, reminding us to

let every word and each desire

and all my praise be Yours

Following this we raised our hands for the benediction, receiving the blessing from the speaker and returning it with “and also with you.”

Worship band for the 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services:

Jamie Barnes — vocals, guitar,

Rebecca Dennison — vocals

Bill Bell — piano

Mike Cosper — electric guitar

Neil Robins — bass

Ryan Harvey — drums

Lachlan Coffey — liturgical readings

Worship band for the 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

canceled due to power outages throughout the city and Sojourn’s home, The 930, caused by a wind storm lasting several hours.