Fellowship Service Recap - 07/09 - 07/10/16

This weekend we wrapped up our series on the life of David, Rise or Fall. The message this weekend from our family pastor, Brian Tryhus, was about the legacy of David as a man after God's own heart. Despite many moments of serious failure with heavy consequences, David always responded to his sin with confession and repentance and turned back to the Lord in faith and obedience. Brian challenged us to respond in the same way to our sin so that we might all be people after God's own heart like David.

A highlight of the message for me was a story Brian shared about G.K. Chesterton. He told us how a London newspaper had asked authors to answer the question, "What is wrong with the world today?" G.K. Chesterton's response was simply,

Dear Sirs,

I am.

Yours, 
G.K. Chesteron

In light of the tragic events in our country and around the world over these past few weeks, that answer is simple but profound. We all need to recognize that we, because of sin, are are each part of the problem with the world. The solution is to pursue a life of humility, confession, repentance, and love–like David.

Here's what we sang together this weekend:

Pre-service: "How Can It Be" [Lauren Daigle]
"In Tenderness" [Citizens & Saints]
"God With Us" [All Sons & Daughters]
"I Stand Amazed" [Charles Hutchison Gabriel]
"Grace Flows Down" [Christy Nockels, Passion Worship Band]
"O Come To The Altar" [Elevation Worship]

It felt like a heavy weekend as we gathered together, but one in which I felt a great deal of hope because of Jesus and His gospel. We had planned for a few weeks to emphasize how Christ had worked redemption and forgiveness for our sin through the cross, and I can see how God was at work in the planning because it felt very fitting to sing these songs together this weekend. Our team led well, and the church sang out together as we celebrated the light and hope of the gospel message, even in the face of great darkness, both within each of us and in our world.

in the Son,

Bill

Fellowship Service Recap - 06/04 - 06/05/16

This week was the start of a new series called Rise or Fall: The Life of David. For the first message of the series, Pastor Joe talked about drawing on your foundations and remembering where the Lord has brought you.

Here's what we sang together:

Pre-service - "How Can It Be" [Lauren Daigle]
"This is Amazing Grace" [Phil Wickham, Bethel]
Communion - "Wonderful, Merciful Savior" [Dawn Rogers, Eric Wyse]
"O Come to the Altar" [Elevation Worship]
"Forever Reign" [Jason Ingram, Hillsong]

We sang some old and new favorites of our congregation, and celebrating communion together is always a highlight. Our team did a great job, and it was great to back after a weekend off with my family. I feel recharged and refreshed, and worshiping together with my church family is always a special time.

Have a great week!

in the Son,

Bill

Fellowship Service Recap - 05/21 - 05/22/16

This weekend in our Decided series, Pastor Joe looked at the decision of a follower of Jesus to serve others or be served. For our singing this weekend, we focused on songs that speak of how Jesus came to serve us and seek us out to save us, and on songs that call us to follow and serve Him and serve others in response to what He has done for us.

Here are our songs from this weekend:

Pre-Service: "I Will Go" [Starfield]
"Made Alive" [Citizens & Saints]
"Hail The King" [Citizens & Saints]
"O Come To The Altar" [Elevation Worship]
"Because of Your Love" [Phil Wickham]
"Before The Throne" [The Modern Post]

We sang some favorites, both old and new. I am really loving "O Come To The Altar," and it seems like the church is connecting with it, as well. This was the third consecutive week we have sung the song in order to teach it to our congregation, so now we'll give it a break and bring it back in week or two as a refresher, and then include it in our list of familiar songs.

While we're on that subject, don't forget to check out our church's favorites over at Spotify–-search for "Fellowship Favorites."

Our team did a great job this weekend, as we continue to make the adjustment to the new worship center and the new challenges that come with it. I love the new environment because we can see everyone's faces and it feels much more like a family room than our previous gymnasium worship center. It feels more like we're there together, and that's my favorite part about it.

Have a great week!

in the Son,

Bill

Fellowship Service Recap - 05/14 - 05/15/16

We had another great weekend together as we looked at the decision of a Christ-follower to have a poor attitude or to walk in gratitude for what Christ has done for us! This is pretty late, so I'm going to keep it short!

Here's what we sang together:

Pre-Service: "Lead Me To The Cross" [Brooke Fraser, Hillsong]
"It Is Finished" [Dustin Kensrue, The Modern Post]
"Jesus!" [Citizens & Saints]
"Be Thou My Vision" [Traditional]
"O Come To The Altar" [Elevation Worship]
"O Praise The Name (Anástasis)" [Hillsong]

Fellowship Service Recap - 05/07 - 05/08/16

We had a great celebration together on this Mother's Day weekend, as Pastor Joe shared a message about Mary of Bethany, and what we can learn from her example about sitting at the feet of Jesus. From the Gospel texts, he reminded us to sit at the feet of Jesus to listen and learn from Him, to express our hearts to Him, and to offer our lives to Him. It was a beautiful picture of the relationship we can have with Jesus when we focus on the main things.

Here's what we sang together this weekend:

Pre-Service - "Captivate Us" [Watermark]
"Rejoice" [Dustin Kensrue/The Modern Post]
"This Is Amazing Grace" [Phil Wickham]
"O Come To The Altar" [Elevation Worship]
"Good Good Father" [Pat Barrett, Housefires II]
"Sing to the King" [Billy Foote, Passion Worship Band]

It was a beautiful weekend of worship together. We had the chance to honor mothers and to reflect on our own relationship with Jesus. For our singing, we focused on themes of God as our Father who knows us, who loves us, and who has adopted us as His own sons and daughters. For our response time, we introduced a new song, "O Come To The Altar," which I have come to appreciate lately, and I was excited to sing it together this weekend. It has a similar theme to the gospel song "Just As I Am," in that Jesus calls us to leave behind our old lives and simply come to Him to find life. I think it will be one that we continue to sing together for a while. We'll continue teaching it over the next few weeks and reevaluate at that point. "Good Good Father" is a very emotional song that reminds us how God is a perfect Father to us, and how we are His beloved children. It's a song that I feel we can sing only so often because it is so emotionally heavy, but is is powerful when we do sing it together. This weekend, it was very fitting.

Overall, it was a beautiful weekend of worship together. Many people–both staff members and volunteers–worked long hours to get things ready in our new facility for the weekend. The hours of sacrifice by them is more beautiful to me than any building will ever be, though. They worked hard to make room for guests who need to hear the gospel and experience the saving power of Jesus! I'm so grateful for our church, and the opportunity to serve Jesus together with them.

For all of the mothers reading, I hope you had a great Mother's Day!

Have a great week!

in the Son,

Bill