Welcome to sojournmusic.com’s weekly worship music set list review. You can find links to the set lists of this church and many other churches each week in the Worship Blog Carnival at theworshipcommunity.com. And you can learn about some of the songs we sing at Sojourn Gathered each week in advance of the Sunday service by reading my “Getting Ready For Sunday” post each Thursday at Sojourn’s online journal, TravelBlog.
This set list recap begins with the first song following the Call To Worship (our sets often begin with a pre-Call To Worship song that is “band leader’s choice,” and so is different in each campus). Some additional variations in the music sets may have taken place in each service/campus. Included with the set list, you’ll find links to original Sojourn song mp3s, as well as the text that our worship leaders recited for our various liturgical elements, such as the Call To Worship and Benediction. Underlined portions indicate words that our congregation recited together.
Call to Worship
The scriptures tell us that everything we have is a gift. Our families, our friends, the community we live in, the things we spend out lives doing – it’s all a gift. Most of, our God gives us the most remarkable gift in his Son, Jesus Christ, who draws us together. Hear the word of the Lord:
Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
-James 1:17-18
Hear those words, friends, you are God’s prized possessions. Let’s respond in singing to what the Lord has spoken to us.
Song One: Praise To The Lord The Almighty written by Joachim Neander and Lobe den Herren, with modern chorus by Page CXVI. This simple and profound hymn calls us to answer God’s call to worship by praising Him, and it provides sound reasons for doing so.
Song Two: How Can the Heavens Hold You written by Sojourn’s own Jeremy Quillo. This was one of the first original Sojourn worship songs. We still enjoy singing it. You’ll find “How Can The Heavens Hold You” on our first album, With The Angels, which you can download at iTunes and other digital music stores.
Confession
Let’s pray together:
Father, we acknowledge how quick we are to speak rather than listen.
We confess while we are called to lay aside all wickedness,
we prove just the opposite.
We acknowledge how quickly we forget our need for Jesus,
how often pride wells up inside of us when we read Your scriptures,
rather than humility.
Forgive us Father, help us to not only to be hearers of Your word, but doers as well, as You glorify Jesus Christ our Savior, and empower us by Your Spirit. Amen.
Prayer adapted from James 1:22-25
Song Three: Laden With Guilt, hymn text by Isaac Watts, arrangement and new melody by Sandra McCracken. This song takes us on a movement from brokeness to assurance of salvation through Christ. We’ve enjoyed singing it at Sojourn Gathered for most of our ten-year existence.
Assurance/Peace
Hear this good news:
The God who challenges us through His word
is also the God who encourages us.
The God who confronts us by His law
is also the God who accepts us in the gospel.
So be assured that God is with us even now, accepting, guiding, and forgiving.
Thanks be to God.
-Adapted from the Worship Source Book
This forgiveness that God has freely given has resulted in peace between Him and us. So let’s greet one another with that same peace.
Our Lead Pastor Daniel Montgomery preached his sermon from the Book Of James, a strong call to be doers of the Word, and not just hearers. During this he also urged unbelievers to repent and be baptized, as well as for believers who have not yet been baptized to obey the Lord’s command. We debuted this Baptism video, which features music from our rThese Things I Remember album:
Following this, we partook of communion while singing …
Song Four: Grace Upon Grace, another song written by Sandra McCracken, like the previous one. We sing many of her songs at Sojourn Gathered. Sandra McCracken and her husband Derek Webb will be coming to The 930 Art Center on Nov. 18 in a benefit for local charity Scarlet Hope. Their tour “is an attempt to discuss songs, liturgy, and worship through music and conversation.”
Song Five: Rock of Ages the classic hymn text written by Augustus M. Toplady and Thomas Hastings, arranged by Sojourn’s own Brooks Ritter.
Not the labors of my hands
can fulfill thy law’s commands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.
Reading
O God, you have spoken to us your divine and saving words.
Help us comprehend what has been preached,
That we do not become simply hearers of Your word,
but doers of good deeds,
living out justice, loving mercy,
as we continue to walk humbly with our God.
Jesus may Your Kingdom come.
Amen.
-Adapted from Micah 6:8
Song 6: O Church Arise written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty. This contemporary hymn is a great song for the Sending:
O Church arise, and put your armor on,
Hear the call of Christ our captain …
Benediction
Go now, knowing that all our God and Father asks of us, He provides through the power of His Spirit and through the work of His Son.
Peace be with you all!
