The liturgy this week has been taken from Speak Peace: Liturgical Worship Guide & Songbook by Daniel Snoke.
GATHERING
THE CALL
Holy Trinity, who is undivided and infinitely one, let us celebrate our union with you and with your Church, that we might encourage one another to live as though we have eternal life, as we reflect your image through our unity.
CONFESSION
Eternal God, we confess that we do not live as though we believe in eternal life. You are infinitely united as one, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and are preparing a place in heaven for us to be completely united together as your people, but we often want your presence without the unity it brings. Give us the joy of connectedness and the excitement to pursue unity on earth. As we wait for heaven, pour out your blessings so that they cover all of our relationships.
MEDITATION | John 17:22-23 [ESV]
The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
SING Psalm 133 | How Good It Is [recording] [lead sheet]
How good it is when we dwell within your will
When unity for all your people you restore
We live as though we have life forevermore
When we share in the peace you pour from Zion’s hill
When we share in the peace you pour from Zion’s hill
Oh, how good it is
Oh, how good it is
Oh, how good it is
When we dwell within you will
WORD
— INSERT LINK TO PSALM READING —
— INSERT MATT’S REFLECTION —
ABIDING
— copy and paste the corresponding day in the blog —
SUNDAY
MONDAY
LECTIO DIVINA | Psalm 133
We memorize things we value. The brain has an incredible ability to remove information that we don’t need. As we make an effort to memorize the Psalms, the beginning of each week seeks to establish the value of God’s Word in our hearts before we view it as information to be remembered. Read more about the Lectio Divina HERE.
- Receive God’s Word from Psalm 133 as a gift as you read or listen.
- Re-read and meditate on the meaning of the Psalm. If you are in a group, briefly share an idea that applies to your life.
- Re-read and pick an attribute of the Psalm and pray from it in your own words.
- Re-read and silently contemplate how God has spoken to you through his Word.
TUESDAY
READ | Psalm 133
Spend time understanding and memorizing the outline of the Psalm, taking special note of the flow or transition points. If you are in a group, discuss the main themes and emphasis together.
WEDNESDAY
CONTEXTUALIZE | Psalm 133
Consider ways that you can let the Psalm form your imagination, that you might share it with others. Perhaps you can journal about it, write poetry or prose, learn a song, create visual art, or reexpress it in ways that speak to your context. If you are planning to fellowship with other people this weekend, consider how you might share these imaginations with your community.
THURSDAY
MEMORIZE | Psalm 133
– Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can –
FRIDAY
MEMORIZE | Psalm 133
– Spend time memorizing the words of the Psalm as best you can –
SATURDAY
(see Saturday liturgy)
SING: Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father
And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost
As it was in the beginning
Is now and ever shall be world without end
Amen Amen
SENDING
PRACTICE
- Think of one person from church today that you can intentionally encourage. Perhaps you can call them, send a quick note, or help them with a need today. Perhaps you simply need to pray for a forgiving heart towards a brother or sister.
PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
Jesus who redeems us,
Spirit who is with us,
may we live in your kingdom now,
unified by your love.
Give us the encouragement we need,
to celebrate with confidence the blessings of heaven,
even as we still suffer by the hands of others.
Save us from bitterness and strife,
remove the presence of evil,
for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever,
Amen.
WEEKEND LITURGY
Meditate on Acts 4
Acts 4:32 says, “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.” Carefully read and consider the surrounding circumstances of this image of unity. How might we reflect this same unity in our own context?
Pray for open eyes
- Spend time praying specifically about the social opportunities before and after church while people are settling in and communing with one another. As God to open your eyes to those who might need a friend.
- Pray for the courage and means to practice unity with the people God brought to mind.
— INSERT LINK TO PSALM READING —
— INSERT MATT’S REFLECTION —