Welcome to sojournmusic.com’s weekly worship music set list review & service recap. You’ll not only read a list of the songs we led, but also the readings and prayers from our liturgy. 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 was a Baptism Sunday. We celebrated 25 baptisms across our campuses. Photos from each campus, courtesy Allison Rushing, David Alan Kidd, Tom Branch, and Kelly Karcher.
Song: In the Hours
Call to Worship
It’s not hard to find bad news. In fact, it’s everywhere. When we walk through the doors here, we carry with us all kinds of burdens. Some of you are overwhelmed with work and stress. Others are overwhelmed with struggling families and strained marriages. Some of you are fighting through diseases, or watching those around you struggle and suffer.
For centuries, the church has gathered under similar circumstances. The old architecture of church cathedrals was meant to look like a sort of fortress – a place of refuge, where we can once again hear the story of the gospel, renew our hope, and remember that God has not abandoned us in life’s trials. So let’s remember that together:
If God hadn’t been for us
when the world went against us,
We would have been swallowed alive
Swept away by the flood of rage,
drowned in the torrent;
We would have lost our lives
in the wild, raging water.
Blessed be God!
He didn’t abandon us!
We’ve flown free of their traps,
Their grip is broken;
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
almighty creator of Heaven and Earth.
- Based on Psalm 124, The Message
Together, we cry out to our only Hope. Let’s lift our voices and sing.
Song: Jesus Savior Pilot Me
Song: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God the Martin Luther classic, arranged by Sojourn intern T.J. Smith.
Prayer of Lament [ This needs quiet music underneath, throughout. Very, very quiet.]
Looking out at the broader world, and seeing the suffering of God’s people, the Psalmist cried out these words:
(PSALM 13:1-2)
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I have sorrow in my heart?
Being a Christian doesn’t mean our problems are solved. It doesn’t mean we have to put on a plastic face and pretend we have it all together. Instead, it means that we know a God who hears our prayers, and through Jesus, invites us to cry out to Him in the midst of whatever circumstances we face. Let’s pray together:
God of all comfort,
the world can be a terrible place.
We pray for all who are suffering trials:
For nations that are at war,
For lands that suffer drought and famine,
For those that face poverty and hunger,
For those who face persecution and prison,
For those who face sickness of body or mind,
For those whose families suffer loss and division,
For those who are childless and long for children,
We ask, “How Long O Lord?”
It’s tempting to think
our help is in politicians, or technology,
or our own cleverness.
With your church throughout the ages,
we echo this hope:
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
almighty creator of Heaven and Earth.
Lord, it is sometimes so hard to believe this.
We want to believe!
Lord, help our unbelief!
We are eager for the day that you return,
restoring justice, beauty, and harmony to your creation.
Until then, may we continue to praise you,
and look forward with hope.
Come Lord Jesus!
Song: Blessed Be Your Name
Passing the Peace
The Bible invites us into a sort of friendly competition:
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10)
With that in mind, let’s greet one another. And see if you can outdo your neighbors in showing honor and hospitality.
Then our preacher taught from Titus 2:11-15. You can hear Sojourn sermons in theSojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.
Song: Be Still My Soul, our Communion hymn for the week.
Baptisms – we celebrated over 20 baptisms across Sojourn campuses.
Song: Great and Mighty God
Confession of Faith / Remembrance of Baptism
Throughout church history, baptism has been seen as the ceremony that marks a person’s entry into the church. When one is immersed in these waters, they are identifying themselves with Jesus in his life, death and resurrection, and they’re identifying with believers throughout the ages. It’s a ceremony that for some, meant certain persecution and death.
And for all of us, it’s a reminder of the resurrection hope that can sustain us through any circumstances. With that in mind, let’s make this historic confession together, remembering the story that bonds us together with saints throughout the ages.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
On the third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit;
the church throughout the ages;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Amen! We have a great hope – let’s sing together as we remember our story!
Song: Beautiful Savior
Announcements
Benediction
May God, who has given us, in the lives of his saints,
examples of holy living and victorious dying,
strengthen your faith and devotion
and enable you to bear witness to the truth
in the midst of all kinds of adversity.
Go in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you all.
And also with you.
This is so great! These and other blogs like it have been so helpful in my daily planning of worship for our small church up here in NH. Especially the suggestion of using ‘The Worship Sourcebook.’ Awesome. THANKS!