Call to Worship
Hear God call you to worship through His Word
“Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous ones; praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the LORD with the lyre; make music to him with a ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song to him; play skilfully on the strings, with a joyful shout. For the word of the LORD is right, and all his work is trustworthy. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the LORD's unfailing love.” (Psalm 33:1-5)
Adoration
Give praise to God
Who can we compare you with our God? Who is like you? One who is glorious in holiness? Who does what you have done and continue to do? You alone are LORD. There is no-one like you.
You are worthy of our praise and we give it to you now. We boldly come to your throne through the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which He has opened up for us, to offer with our lips a sacrifice of praise.
Be pleased to receive it as we give to you all blessing and honour and glory and power.
Amen.
Reading of the Law
Hear the Law of God
“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.” (1 John 4:7-11)
Confession of Sins
Confess your sins to God
Heavenly Father, forgive us we pray for we have sinned and fallen short of your glory. It is against you, you only, that we have sinned and done what is evil in your sight. We are ashamed of what we have done and what we have left undone. We have every reason to cry out, “Woe to us, for we are ruined.”
Help us, O God of our salvation. Deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your Name’s sake. How thankful we are that you have through the kindness and love shown to us in the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ. For you have rescued us, not by any works of righteousness we had done, but according to your mercy, which we see at the cross as He takes the penalty we deserve.
Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Receive these words of comfort
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
The Creed
Confess what you believe about the Christian faith
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe 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, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Gloria Patri
Respond in praise to God
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
Prayer of Intercession
Seek God's grace as you make your requests to God
Personal
It is easy for us to think that we are in no danger of breaking the command “Do not murder,” and yet we are, and we do, because we do not love our neighbour as we should. We have murdered in our hearts, destroyed others with our tongues, sought revenge and made uncharitable judgments about people. How we need your Spirit to be at work in our lives, so that we do not allow the sun to go down on our anger that it becomes hatred, resentment or bitterness.
Help us to value the lives of those who look, think, and act differently to us. Open our eyes to see the needs of people. Give us boldness to speak up for the poor and needy in society including those without a voice. To do what we can to look after the orphan and the widow. And to cherish the sanctity of human life, especially the unborn, the elderly and the disabled.
Amen.
Church
Sovereign God, we want this local church to be devoted to prayer; to be committed to drawing near to your throne of grace to find mercy and help for everything.
We pray that our corporate prayer meetings would be the heartbeat of this church. Give us a commitment to these gatherings. May they draw us closer to one another and closer to you.
We ask that as we pray together, you would help us by your Holy Spirit, to pray ambitious prayers that are in response and according to your Word, and to do so, believing that you are willing and able to do more that we can ask and think.
Amen.
Our God, we know that you have arranged each part of the body, the church, just as you want it to be. You give the right gifts and the right people to each local church at just the right time, so that it can serve you and do the work you have prepared for it to do.
We are so grateful for all who are part of this local church, but we recognise that if we are to carry on doing what you currently want us to do, or to expand our ministry out of a desire to see you glorified, we need you to bless us by adding to our number.
So, we pray for you to add 10 new people to this church, not for numbers sake, but to strengthen our ability to make disciples.
Amen.
Elders
Gracious Lord, we pray that our pastors and elders would be warm, friendly, and welcoming, willing to open up their homes to friends and strangers alike. Fill them with your Spirit so that their lives bear fruit through good deeds that benefit others.
Help them to hold loosely to all you have given them, and to know that their homes, food, time, and everything else belongs to you, and to be faithful stewards of these things. Please give them great joy and freedom in hospitality, and may their motivation be to glorify you by showing others your perfect love.
Amen.
Church Members
We pray for [member] that the Lord would cause their love for one another and for everyone to increase and overflow, and that He would make their hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Amen.
O God, save your people, bless your possession, shepherd them, and carry them forever.
Amen.
Lord's Prayer
Pray the words that Jesus taught us to pray
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Amen.
Catechism
Receive this instruction from the church
What is the preface to the ten commandments?
The preface to the ten commandments is in these words; I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Prayer of Illumination
Ask God to give you understanding as you read His Word
Our God, you spoke into the darkness, “Let there be light,” and there was light. Your Word is effective. You speak and it happens. So, we pray now that your Word would be effective in our lives.
If we are lost, would your Word bring salvation through faith in Christ. If we are drifting and going astray, would your Word bring conviction and call us to repent. If we are ignorant or lacking in knowledge, would your Word bring us understanding. If we are downcast, would your Word bring comfort and encouragement.
Speak to us and change us by your powerful Word, Lord.
Amen.
Scripture Reading
Read today's passage from The Big Read Bible reading plan and pray in response
Read 1 Chronicles 17
Benediction
Receive this blessing from the Lord for the day ahead1
Now may the Saviour, who has abolished death, come to you in your sorrows, stay by your side in the darkness, carry you through your distresses, and give you joy in the morning.
Amen.
Daily Playlist
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty | All I have is Christ | Psalm 100 | Yes finished! The Messiah Dies
Taken from Grace Be With You by Dale Ralph Davis