We Gather Together to Worship Our God
Prelude: Nearer My God, To Thee/ Lowell Mason
Gathering Hymn: Songs of Faith #9 Come People of the Risen King
Announcements:
Today:
- 9:00 Sunday School for all ages. Pre-k – 7th meet downstairs, the High School class meets in the Fireside Room, and the Adult Class meets in the Sanctuary.
- 10:30 Worship in the sanctuary.
- Today we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
- Following worship, Soup Potluck and Fellowship.
This Week:
- 4:30 pm, Wednesday, Music Practice.
- 5:00 pm, Wednesday, Son Light Puppeteer practice.
- 5:30 pm, Wednesday, Kids’ Quest for grades pre-k-4th and the Middle School Youth for grades 5th-7th begin. Meal provided.
- 6:15 pm, Wednesday, High School Youth Group at the Community Center for grades 8th-12th. Meal provided.
- 6:15 pm, Wednesday, “The Study of Eschatology”
- 6 am, Thursday, Men’s Prayer-time and Bible Study.
- 6:00 pm, Thursday, Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University class. Contact Tanse & Tonya H. if you have any questions.
- 8 am, Saturday, Men’s Prayer-time and Bible Study.
General:
- 5:30 pm, January 28th, Young Adult Bible Study at Jay and Kayla’s. (Address in bulletin) Meal provided.
- 5:30 pm, January 28th, “Who Is the Holy Spirit?” community groups at the church. We will enjoy a fellowship potluck together and sing as a large group. Then we will break into smaller groups for study and prayer.
- 6:00 pm, January 28th, Piedmont Area “Who Is the Holy Spirit?” community group (address in bulletin).
- 8:45 am, February 2nd, MOPS meets at the church.
- 6:00 pm, February 12th, Session Meeting.
- 6:30 pm, February 13th, Mercy Ministry Team meeting by Zoom. If you plan to attend, please let Daniel B. know your email address so a meeting invite can be sent. Also, ask Daniel if you have any questions about the Mercy Ministry Team and/or are interested in serving on this team.
- 6:00 pm, February 16th, Men’s Evening.
- 2:00 pm, February 17th, Women’s Fellowship.
- We are supporting Bella Pregnancy Resource Center’s 15th annual Baby Bottle Fundraiser. Getting involved is easy! In the Foyer, there are baskets of baby bottles. Simply grab a bottle, take it home and fill it with change, cash, or a check and then return it to the basket on or before February 18th. Your donation will help Bella promote life-affirming options to women and men in crisis pregnancies throughout year!
Responsive Call to Worship: Revelation 7: 9 – 17
Leader: After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:
All: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Leader: All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:
All: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
Leader: Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”
All: I answered, “Sir, you know.”
Leader: And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
All: Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
Leader: For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Prayer of Adoration
Hymn of Praise: Hymnal #170 Fairest Lord Jesus
We Confess Our Faith
Responsive Reading: Heidelberg Catechism Questions 54 and 55
Leader: What do you believe concerning the “holy catholic church”?
All: I believe that the Son of God, through his Spirit and Word, out of the entire human race, from the beginning of the world to its end, gathers, protects, and preserves for himself a community chosen for eternal life and united in true faith. And of this community I am and always will be a living member.
Leader: What do you understand by “the communion of saints”?
All: First, that believers one and all, as members of this community, share in Christ and in all his treasures and gifts. Second, that each member should consider it his duty to use his gifts readily and cheerfully for the service and enrichment of the other members.
We Confess Our Sin
Call to Confession: Adapted from Hebrews 4: 14 – 16
Leader: Remember that our Lord Jesus can sympathize with us in our weakness, since in every respect he was tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with boldness approach the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let us confess our sins against God and against our neighbor.
Silent Confession of Sin
Corporate Prayer of Confession:
All: Lord God, how glad we are for Your unending mercies and grace! Because we are now in Christ, we have miraculously become a chosen and holy people. Yet, we confess that we often forget just how deeply loved we are in Jesus. Please forgive us for taking that love lightly. May we grow in spiritual maturity and faithfully forgive each other as the Lord has forgiven us. Dress us daily in the wardrobe of tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. May we love consistently in the manner that You love. Help us to do so, all for Your glory. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Titus 3:4-7
Leader: But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Hymn of Assurance: At Calvary
We Hear God Speak
Small Talk
(Following this time, a nursery is available, Toddlers’ Church for ages 2-4, and Children’s Church for ages 5-8.)
Prayer of God’s People
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Just Like Jesus Romans 15: 1 – 7
A copy of the sermon notes is available: 1-21-24 sermon notes
Audio only:
We Prepare Our Hearts to Commune With the Lord
Hymn of Response: Songs of Faith #8 Thy Mercy My God
The Lord’s Supper
A Word About Communion: Foothills Community Church welcomes all baptized Christians who are willing to forsake their sin and who are trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation to receive Communion with us. If you are not able to take Communion, we invite you to use this time to pray before God.
The Bread (is gluten-free)
The Cup (outer ring contains wine; inner rings contains grape juice)
Hymn of Response: We Will Feast In The House of Zion
We Give Thanks To The Lord
Responsive Reading: From Psalm 107
Leader: Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!
All: Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
Leader: Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.
All: His mercy endures forever!
Leader: Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
All: And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.
Leader: Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
All: Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders. O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good; for His mercy endures forever!
Leader: Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
Tithes and Offerings
Offertory: I Must Tell Jesus/ Elisha Hoffman (1839-1929) “During a pastorate in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, there was a woman who suffered many sorrows and afflictions. Coming to her home one day, I found her much discouraged. ‘Brother Hoffman, what shall I do?’ I quoted from the Word, then added, ‘You cannot do better than to take all of your sorrows to Jesus. You must tell Jesus.’”
Doxology
We Are Dismissed with God’s Blessing
Benediction
Hymn: Psalm 150 Sing Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! (verse 1)
Postlude: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus/ Helen Lemmel