Liturgy is just a term used to describe the pattern or outline of our time together when we gather on Sundays. This is not the only way to worship together, but we have intentionally chosen certain practices that are meant to be formative in our lives together.
To engage in God’s story in a deeper way, and to have balance in what we are learning, we have decided to journey through the Gospels from Advent (Christmas season) through Easter. Then we spend a couple of months in a letter from the New Testament as we seek to learn from the early church and their time after Jesus resurrected. From Summer to Fall we immerse ourselves in a book from the Old Testament, to learn God’s story and mission for His people. This also prepares us for the hope and expectation of a Savior that was promised to God’s people through out the Old Testament.
We seek to live out the values of Restore, Love, and Serve during each Sunday.
WORSHIP – Offering praise to God, through song and prayer, we give thanks for His gracious gifts. Our worship points beyond our community to the God who is the source of all life.
SCRIPTURE MEDITATION – We take some time for some quiet contemplation on the day’s Scripture. The Bible passage is read and we listen to what God might be trying to say to us.
COMMUNION – In practicing communion, we celebrate the reality that God’s kingdom (reign) has entered history in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By taking the bread and the juice, we are reminded of God’s forgiveness and reconciliation that offer us the gift of unity with Him and one another. We begin this practice praying together as one body.
LEADER
The table of bread is now to be made ready.
It is the table of company with Jesus, and all who love him.
It is the table of sharing with the poor of the world,with whom Jesus identified himself.
It is the table of communion with the earth, in which Christ became incarnate.
So come to this table, you who have much faith, and you who would like to have more;
you who have been here often, and you who have
not been for a long time; you who have tried to follow Jesus, and you who have failed; come.
It is Christ who invites us to meet him here.
ALL
Loving God, through your goodness we have this bread and juice to offer,
which has come forth from the earth and human hands have made.
May we know Your presence in the sharing, so that we may know your
touch and presence in all things.
We celebrate the life that Jesus has shared among his community through the centuries,
and shares with us now.
Made one in Christ and one with each other, we offer these gifts and with them ourselves, a single living act of praise.
Amen.
MESSAGE – A member of our teaching teams serves as a guide as we journey through scripture to learn how to live and love like Jesus. Since we believe in a “priesthood of all believers” and that the “body is made up of many parts”, we encourage others to use their gifts and, in the process, that gift grows. We try to have a discussion, believing and trusting that the Spirit can teach and encourage us through one another. We also want to apply the Scripture to our every day life as we seek to serve God and His Kingdom.
OFFERING – As a household of God, we practice being stewards (managers) of all our resources, gifts, and talents. We give recognizing everything we have is a gift from God. Our offering serves God’s mission both locally and globally.
BENIDICTION / BLESSING – We end our time together with praying a blessing over one another as we participate in God’s mission throughout the week.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness; protect you through the storm
May He bring you home rejoicing at the Wonders He has shown you
May He bring you home rejoicing once Again into our doors
COMMUNITY – We continue worship on Sunday by sharing a meal and our lives with each other. Every Sunday we head to a local restaurant to practice loving one another.
We also regularly practice Celebration Sundays and Spiritual Discipline Sundays.