Welcome to sojournmusic.com’s weekly worship music set list review. This set list is from the third Sunday of Advent, 2010. You’ll not only read a list of the songs we led, but also the readings and prayers from our liturgy.
Photos courtesy Tom Branch, taken at our new J-Town campus, where they celebrated their first baptism immediately following the service.
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.
Call To Worship
It’s the third Sunday in Advent: a season when the church celebrates and anticipates the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Each week, as we light these candles, we remember that Christ has come and Christ will come again. Our world is a dark place, and the birth of the Savior is like a beacon, indicating the hope and light that has come to us.
Hear the word of the Lord:
(First Candle)
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
- Isaiah 9:2
(Second Candle)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
- John 1:1-5
(Third Candle)
He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.
I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” – Isaiah 49:6
First Song: What Child is This? written by William Dix, with an arrangement by Sojourn’s Neil and Kate Robins that I like to call “Tim Burton soundtrack style.” It’s great. You can hear it on our Advent Songs album. If you don’t own it, check out the preview at iTunes.
Prayer of Lament:
Though the good news of the Christ-child has been announced to the world, there remains brokenness all around us. Let’s pray this lament together, acknowledging our hunger for Jesus to return and set things right.
Lord God,
We long for the coming of your kingdom in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
The signs that your kingdom has not come sadden us.
We grieve over war, disease & death.
We mourn over Christians being persecuted & killed because they follow you.
We regret broken and unreconciled relationships.
Lord Jesus, we long for your return when you will lift up the brokenhearted and restore peace.
In this season of Advent, give us a deeper understanding of the hope we have beyond this world.
Help us to cling to the promises you have made in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Second Song: In the Hours text written by Helen L. Parmelee, music written by RUF Pastor Kevin Twit, the founder of Indelible Grace.
You were hated and forsaken,
Bore the burden of the cross
Crowned with thorns and mocked and smitten,
Counted earthly gain but loss
When trials we see, we rejoice to be like Thee
Assurance:
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, people of God!
For the Lord will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy.
And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!
At last our troubles will be over, and we will never again fear disaster.
On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid!
For the Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior and He takes delight in us with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all of our fears. He will rejoice over us with joyful songs
- Based on Zephaniah 3:14-17
In the darkness, God gives us a reason to rejoice by giving Himself to us. Let us sing to our great God!
Third Song: Hark the Herald Angels Sing written by Charles Wesley and Felix Mendlessohn. We sang this classic Christmas carol using an arrangement from our worship leaders Brooks Ritter and Dan Cassin.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Peace: God and sinners are reconciled. That means we can reach out to one another with a spirit of love and welcome. So greet each other now.
Then our pastor preached the second sermon in our Book Of Revelation sermon series, focusing this week on the church of Laodicea, from Revelation 3:14-22. You can hear it soon in the Resource library here at sojournchurch.com, or you can download it for free in the Sojourn Church podcast on iTunes, or listen in the Sojourn Church section of the free Acts 29 Network iPhone app.
Fourth Song: God is With Us written by Sojourn’s Jeremy Quillo. This was our communion hymn of the week. This is another song from our Advent Songs album, which you can preview at iTunes.
Reading:
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
Revelation 11:15
Now, with Loud voices, let’s echo those words:
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
Fifth Song: Let the Seventh Angel Sound On High written by Sojourn’s Jamie Barnes, based on an Isaac Watts hymn text. This is a brand new song. If you missed last week’s blog post about it, which includes a link to a free mp3 download of Jamie’s acoustic demo “Let The Seventh Angel Sound On High,” then check it out now.
Sixth Song: Hosanna, In The Highest written by Sojourn’s Jeremy Quillo. This is yet another Advent Songs piece. We’ve actually enjoyed singing “Hosanna In The Highest” at Sojourn Gathered for quite a few years prior to the 2007 release of Advent Songs. Read Jeremy’s “Story Behind The Writing of Hosanna In The Highest” here at sojournmusic.com.
Benediction
May the God, who loved you enough to send His Son into this world, grant you peace as you await his return and prepare for an eternity shouting his praise. Go now in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.
