Corporate worship is the highlight of our week—indeed, of our lives! And while it does unite us with our church family, the focus of worship is not on ourselves, but on God. Congregational worship should be a God-centered time, not a man-centered production. “How does God call us to worship Him?” is the first question, instead of “What are our preferences?” (1 Cor. 10:31).
Thus, we come before our Holy God with a joyful reverence and awe, aiming to glorify the Lord and enjoy Him. Worshipping God Almighty is not a form of entertainment, nor do we craft worship merely to evoke an emotional response or to conform with the latest fads.
We believe that in worship, the living covenant God enters into a divine dialogue with His people—a dialogue in which we humbly bring our adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplications to Him through prayer, songs, and offerings; while God speaks to us in His Word to comfort, encourage, strengthen, instruct and correct us for our good (Psalm 2:11; 1 Cor. 14:40; Heb. 12:18-29).
The chief end of man is to glorify our God and enjoy Him! See one of our bulletins.
OUR LITURGY
God Calls His People
- Call to Worship: The Lord officially summons us by His Word to worship Him.
- Confession of Dependence: Psalm 124:8. We confess that we are utterly dependent upon the Lord for all things, including our access to Him in worship.
- Salutation: The King of heaven graciously welcomes us into His presence as we stand before Him.
- Song of Praise: We respond to our God, extolling Him in song with lip and heart.
God Pardons His People
- Reading of the Law: God’s Law reveals Who He is, and it thusly reveals our sin and teaches us God’s will for Christian living.
- Hymn of Confession: In acknowledgement of our failure of keep the Law, we implore the Lord’s mercy, or sing thanks for His mercy.
- Assurance of Pardon: The Lord responds with the assurance that our sins are forgiven in Christ alone, wholly by grace.
- Congregational Prayer: Assured of God’s grace, we come before the throne of God with the praise and petitions of the congregation.
God Nourishes His People
- Song of Preparation: We sing to prepare our hearts & minds to hear God’s Word.
- Sermon: The center of the worship service, when the Lord speaks to His people by His Word through His ordained servant.
- Song of Response: We respond to God’s Word with appropriate singing.
God Dismisses His People
- Offerings: We give to the Lord out of the rich bounty He has so freely given us.
- Doxology: We close with a celebration of the glory and supreme majesty of God.
- Benediction: God sends us out with His parting blessing and promise of peace.