What to Expect

Our worship service is structured to intentionally direct our hearts to God. Before the service begins, the elders and deacons meet for prayer. The entire congregation joins in silent prayer for a blessing upon the service.

In our worship services, we focuse on God's Word: we read the Word, preach the Word, pray the Word, sing the Word, and see the Word (in the sacraments). Since worship is a corporate activity, we often read, pray, and sing the Word together as a congregation. Therefore, we maintain congregational singing as modeled in Scripture, and we prefer singing inspired songs: the Psalms and canticles.

That is why we do not have a choir or 'worship team' that leads our worship service. As modeled in the Bible, we have no worship leader other than the minister or ordained elders.

Outline of the Service

Please know that when you come to visit, you will be greeted by someone at the door with the church bulletin. The church bulletin will go through the outline of the service, which includes our order of worship. The following is our order of worship and the philosophy behind each component:

1. Call to Worship: It is the King who rightly summons us to assemble before His throne in worship and adoration of Him.
2. Invocation: We remember our helplessness and the all-sufficiency of the God we worship, our Creator and Covenant Lord. Psalm 124:8 is often used by the minister.
3. God's Greeting: The minister, speaking as God's mouthpiece pronounces a blessing on the people of God. Generally, one of the New Testament's greetings, such as 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Peter 1:2, or Revelation 1:4-5, is used.
4. Opening Prayer: We petition God to bless our worship service, and that our worship will be pleasing and acceptable to Him.
5. Hymn of Praise: After the Lord welcomes us into His presence, we burst into a "sacrifice of thanksgiving" through song.
6. God's Will for His People: God's Law signifies God's sovereign rule, testifies of sin and the need for heartfelt confession, prepare the church for the gospel, and teach believers how they ought to walk before God.
7. Prayer of Confession: Because the Law exposes our sins, we confess them and repent before God. This may be prayed, recited or sung corporately at first, followed by silent, personal confession.
8. Assurance of Pardon: After confession, God declares us pardoned through Christ who made satisfaction for our sins. The minister has authority in Christ to joyfully delcare forgiveness (Mt 18:18; Jn 20:23). He may also read 1 Jn 1:8-9.
9. Hymn of Assurance: We continue to thank God for His grace of forgiveness of sins and salvation through song.
10. Confession of Faith: The reading from one of our creeds or confessions defines who we are, shows our unity with the universal church through the ages and across the world, and reminds us of our core doctrines.
11. Gloria Patri: A song of praise to God for His saving grace is offered.
12. Offerings: Our gifts tot he Lord to show thankfulness to God for His abundant gifts to us. As stewards of God's gifts, we are to give cheerfully, and so demonstrate our trust in God's sufficient provision.
13. Intercessory Prayer: The minister prays to God on behalf of the people, and the people join in silence. He pleads for growth in grace of believers and conversion of sinners, local and worldwide. He seeks God's help for special needs or burdens of members, and offers thanksgiving for all that God has done. He seeks the Spirit's help in his preaching. We end with a corporate recitation of the Lord's Prayer.
14. Hearing God's Word: Scripture is the principle means of grac eand the infallible foundationg of preaching. Readings from both Testaments which are to be expounded in the sermon are included.
15. Sermon: The official proclamation of the Word fo God's ordained servants is the central part of the worship service. Biblical preaching is God's primary means of speaking to us and saving us by grace (Romans 10:14-17). The purpose of preaching is to glorify God through our knowledge of His holiness and trust in His salvation in Christ.
16. Lord's Supper (every fourth Sunday): We remember and celebrate Christ's sacrifice of His body and blood for the forgiveness of all our sins. Through this meal, God confirms His promise in the covenant of grace to redeem those who come to Him through the cross of Christ.
17. Hymn of Response: In response to the preaching of God's word, we promise in a song to offer our lives as living sacrifices to God, knowing that the Spirit help us.
18. Benediction: The minister pronounces God's belessing on the people as they are sent out into the world refreshed, and with joy. The Triune God promises to be with them throughout the week, to bless, comfort, and protect them.
19. Doxology: A final response of faith to the Word in a sogn, giving praise and glory to the Trinitarian God for all we hav eheard, seen, and received in worship.

Ten Biblical Principles of Worship

Our worship services are guided by these key Biblical Principles:

1. God-focused: "Worship God" (Revelation 19:10)
2. Christ-center: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6)
3. Spirit-moved: "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth." (John 16:13)
4. Word-regulated: "Everything that I commanded you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it (Deuteronomy 12:32)
5. Heart-felt: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight" (Psalm 19:14)
6. Orderly: "But all things shall be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40)
7. With Joy and Reverence: "Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth!" (Psalm 96:9)
8. Dialogical: "Then "[Moses] took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, 'All that LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient'" (Exodus 24:7)
9. Progressing from Law to Gospel: "So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24)
10. Every Lord's Day "On the fist day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them... (Acts 20:7), not neglecting to meet together..." (Hebrews 10:25)